KJV ORIGINAL
And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
The leaders said to them, 'Let them live, but they will cut wood and carry water for the whole community, just as the leaders had promised them.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The leaders decided to spare the Gibeonites' lives but made them servants to the Israelite community, keeping the promise they had made.
📚 Historical Context
This verse occurs after the Gibeonites deceived Joshua and the Israelite leaders into making a peace treaty by pretending to be from a distant land. When the deception was discovered, the Israelites faced a dilemma since they had sworn an oath before God not to harm them. The solution was to let them live but assign them menial labor roles in service to the community and the tabernacle.
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