God’s Word Translation
Joshua 9:20
20We must let them live to avoid ⌞the Lord’s⌟ anger because of the oath we swore.”
Joshua 9:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
- New International Version (NIV)This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them."
- New King James Version (NKJV)This we will do to them: We will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.”
Context of Joshua 9:20
18The Israelites didn’t destroy these other people, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath about them to the Lord God of Israel. The whole congregation complained about the leaders. 19But all the leaders said to them, “We have sworn an oath about them to the Lord God of Israel, so we cannot touch them now. We must let them live to avoid ⌞the Lord’s⌟ anger because of the oath we swore.” 21The leaders said that they should be allowed to live. So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation, as the leaders had said. 22Joshua sent for the people of Gibeon and asked, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live very far away from you,’ when you live here with us?
Read all of Joshua 9Joshua 9:20 word by word
זֹ֛את נַעֲשֶׂ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם וְהַחֲיֵ֣ה אוֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יִֽהְיֶ֤ה עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ קֶ֔צֶף עַל־הַשְּׁבוּעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְנוּ לָהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Joshua 9:20
- 2 Samuel 21:1In the time of David, there was a famine for three successive years, and David asked the Lord’s advice about it. The Lord answered, “It’s because of Saul and his family. They are guilty of murder because they killed the people of Gibeon.”
- 2 Chronicles 36:13Zedekiah also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar had made Zedekiah swear an oath of allegiance to him in God’s name. But Zedekiah became so stubborn and so impossible to deal with that he refused to turn back to the Lord God of Israel.
- Proverbs 20:25It is a trap for a person to say impulsively, “This is a holy offering!” and later to have second thoughts about those vows.
- Ezekiel 17:12“Ask these rebellious people, ‘Don’t you know what this means?’ Tell them, ‘The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and captured its king and its leaders. He brought them home with him to Babylon.
- Zechariah 5:3Then he said to me, “This is a curse that will go out all over the earth. The one side of the scroll says that every thief will be forced away. The other side of the scroll says that everyone who takes an oath will be forced away.
- Malachi 3:5“I will come to judge you. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, lying witnesses, and those who cheat workers out of their wages and oppress widows and orphans. I will also testify against those who deprive foreigners of their rights. None of them fear me,” says the Lord of Armies.
- Romans 1:31don’t have any sense, don’t keep promises, and don’t show love to their own families or mercy to others.
- 1 Timothy 1:10Laws are intended for people involved in sexual sins, for homosexuals, for kidnappers, for liars, for those who lie when they take an oath, and for whatever else is against accurate teachings.
Commentaries on Joshua 9:20
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-21Verses 14-21 The Israelites, having examined the provisions of the Gibeonites, hastily concluded that they confirmed their account. We make more haste than good speed, when we stay not to take God with us, and do not consult him by the word and prayer. The fraud was soon found out. A lying tongue is but for a moment. Had the oath been in itself unlawful, it would not have been binding; for no obligation can render it our duty to commit a sin. But it was…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-21Israel could not violate this treaty, even though the Gibeonites tricked them into making it. Violating a covenant sworn by an oath before the Lord would have shown a lack of respect for God's name and honor (compare Genesis 27:30–38).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2718-27. the children of Israel smote them not--The moral character of the Gibeonites' stratagem was bad. The princes of the congregation did not vindicate either the expediency or the lawfulness of the connection they had formed; but they felt the solemn obligations of their oath; and, although the popular clamor was loud against them, caused either by disappointment at losing the spoils of Gibeon, or by displeasure at the apparent breach of the divine…Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 9:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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