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.
The Israelites didn't attack them because their leaders had made a promise to them in the name of the LORD God of Israel. But all the people complained and grumbled against their leaders.
The writer is showing how the Israelites were bound by a sacred promise their leaders made, even though the people were upset about it.
📚 Historical Context
This refers to the Gibeonites who had deceived Joshua and the Israeli leaders into making a peace treaty by pretending to be from a distant land. When the Israelites discovered the deception three days later, they were angry but couldn't break their oath because it was made in God's name. In ancient times, oaths made in the name of a deity were considered absolutely binding.
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