King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
Complete Jewish Bible:
The people of Isra'el did not attack them, because the leading officials of the community had sworn to them by ADONAI, the God of Isra'el; but all the community grumbled against the leaders.
Berean Standard Bible:
But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.
American Standard Version:
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by Jehovah, the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} smote{H5221} them not, because the princes{H5387} of the congregation{H5712} had sworn{H7650} unto them by the LORD{H3068} God{H430} of Israel{H3478}. And all the congregation{H5712} murmured{H3885} against the princes{H5387}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Psalms 15:4
- In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. [He that] sweareth to [his own] hurt, and changeth not.
Ecclesiastes 5:2
- Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter [any] thing before God: for God [is] in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Ecclesiastes 9:2
- All [things come] alike to all: [there is] one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as [is] the good, so [is] the sinner; [and] he that sweareth, as [he] that feareth an oath.
Ecclesiastes 5:6
- Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it [was] an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
2 Samuel 21:7
- But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD'S oath that [was] between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Joshua 9:18
Joshua 9:18 is a verse that captures a pivotal moment in the narrative of the Israelites as they enter the Promised Land. The historical context of this verse is set during the time when the Israelites, under the leadership of Joshua, are conquering and settling Canaan. The verse itself is part of the account of the Gibeonite deception. The Gibeonites, a group of Canaanites, had tricked the Israelites into making a peace treaty by pretending to be from a distant land, thus exploiting the Israelites' commitment to not destroy nations that were not part of the Canaanite alliance.
The central theme of this verse is the sanctity of oaths sworn in the name of the LORD God of Israel. The princes of the congregation, who represented the leadership among the Israelites, had made an oath to the Gibeonites, invoking the name of God. As a result, even though the Gibeonites' ruse was discovered, the Israelites did not attack them because of the oath that had been made. This demonstrates the Israelites' understanding of the binding nature of a covenant made in God's name, reflecting a deep respect for the divine authority behind their commitments.
The murmuring of the congregation against the princes indicates the tension between honoring a sacred oath and the people's desire for justice or retribution against the deceptive Gibeonites. It highlights the complexity of adhering to principles when faced with the consequences of deception. The verse underscores the importance of integrity and the moral dilemmas faced by leaders who must balance the will of the people with the commitments they have made, especially when those commitments are bound by religious and moral codes.
In summary, Joshua 9:18 reflects the themes of the sanctity of oaths, the challenges of leadership in upholding commitments, and the communal conflict that arises when principle clashes with popular sentiment. It emphasizes the Israelites' belief in the gravity of swearing by God's name and the consequences of such an act, which transcend immediate situational desires or grievances.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel. - Strong's Number: H5221
There are 460 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָכָה
Transliteration: nâkâh
Pronunciation: naw-kaw'
Description: a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively); beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound. - Strong's Number: H5387
There are 120 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָשִׂיא
Transliteration: nâsîyʼ
Pronunciation: naw-see'
Description: or נָשִׂא; from נָשָׂא; properly, an exalted one, i.e. a king or sheik; also a rising mist; captain, chief, cloud, governor, prince, ruler, vapour. - Strong's Number: H5712
There are 140 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֵדָה
Transliteration: ʻêdâh
Pronunciation: ay-daw'
Description: feminine of עֵד in the original sense of fixture; a stated assemblage (specifically, a concourse, or generally, a family or crowd); assembly, company, congregation, multitude, people, swarm. Compare עֵדָה. - Strong's Number: H7650
There are 175 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁבַע
Transliteration: shâbaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-bah'
Description: a primitive root; properly to be complete, but used only as a denominative from שֶׁבַע; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times); adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for שָׂבַע), take an oath, [idiom] straitly, (cause to, make to) swear. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H430
There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. - Strong's Number: H3885
There are 79 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לוּן
Transliteration: lûwn
Pronunciation: loon
Description: or לִין; a primitive root; to stop (usually over night); by implication, to stay permanently; hence (in a bad sense) to be obstinate (especially in words, to complain); abide (all night), continue, dwell, endure, grudge, be left, lie all night, (cause to) lodge (all night, in, -ing, this night), (make to) murmur, remain, tarry (all night, that night).