9:18 The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel. 1 The whole community criticized 2 the leaders,
9:19 but all the leaders told the whole community, “We swore an oath to them in the name of 3 the Lord God of Israel. So now we can’t hurt 4 them!
9:20 We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.” 5
1 tnHeb “by the Lord God of Israel.”
2 tn Or “grumbled against.”
3 tnHeb “to them by….”
4 tn Or “touch.”
5 tnHeb “This is what we will do to them, keeping them alive so there will not be upon us anger concerning the oath which we swore to them.”