יהושע, פרק ט׳, פסוק י״ט

The discovery of a massive deception brings the tension within the Israelite camp to a boiling point. The leaders of the nation find themselves standing before a furious public, forced to explain why a treaty built on lies must still be honored.

The leaders base their defense entirely on the gravity of the oath they took. Even though the Gibeonites tricked them into the agreement, the promise was made in the name of God. Breaking it now would cause a terrible desecration of His name. If the surrounding nations heard that the Israelites destroyed the Gibeonites, they would not understand the nuances of the trickery. They would only see a nation breaking a solemn promise made in the name of their God [חומת אנך]. Furthermore, a nation is firmly bound to honor the official agreements established by its leadership [מלבי״ם]. Because of this, the leaders declare that no physical harm can come to the deceivers [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

However, the leaders choose their words carefully to calm the angry crowd. By emphasizing their own role in taking the oath, the leaders take the full weight of the responsibility upon themselves, clearing the general public of any guilt. Moreover, their statement that they cannot harm the Gibeonites specifically means they cannot kill them. It does not protect the deceivers from other forms of punishment. This careful phrasing creates a practical political solution: the Gibeonites will be spared from death to honor the oath to God, but they will be enslaved as woodchoppers and water carriers to satisfy the rightful anger of the people [אלשיך].