Yehoshua 9:19

19 But all the Nasi’im said unto Kol HaEdah, We have sworn unto them by Hashem Elohei Yisroel; now therefore we may not touch them.

Yehoshua 9:19 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 9:19

But all the princes said to all the congregation
That is, all the princes that went to Gibeon addressed all the Israelites that were there:

we have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel;
by the Word of the Lord God, as the Targum; an oath is a solemn sacred thing, and not to be broken, and a good man will make conscience of it, and keep it, though he has sworn to his own hurt: and

now therefore we may not touch them;
neither take away their lives nor their substance.

Yehoshua 9:19 In-Context

17 And the Bnei Yisroel journeyed, and came unto their towns on the yom hashelishi. Now their towns were Giv’on, and Kephirah, and Be’erot, and Kiryat-Ye’arim.

18 And the Bnei Yisroel did not strike them down, because the Nasi’im of the Edah had sworn unto them by Hashem Elohei Yisroel. And Kol HaEdah murmured against the Nasi’im.

19 But all the Nasi’im said unto Kol HaEdah, We have sworn unto them by Hashem Elohei Yisroel; now therefore we may not touch them.

20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest ketzef (wrath) be upon us, because of the shevu’ah (oath) which we swore unto them.

21 And the Nasi’im said unto them, Let them live; but let them be woodcutters and water carriers unto Kol HaEdah; as the Nasi’im had promised them.