¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ However, the leaders replied to the whole community, “We have sworn to them by Adonai, the God of Isra’el; so we can’t touch them. ²⁰ Here is what we will do to them: we will let them live, so that God’s anger will not be on us because of the oath we swore to them.