26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.
26 So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them.
26 And that's what they did. Joshua delivered them from the power of the People of Israel so they didn't kill them.
26 So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them.
26 So Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Joshua 9:26
Commentary on Joshua 9:22-27
(Read Joshua 9:22-27)
The Gibeonites do not justify their lie, but plead that they did it to save their lives. And the fear was not merely of the power of man; one might flee from that to the Divine protection; but of the power of God himself, which they saw engaged against them. Joshua sentences them to perpetual bondage. They must be servants, but any work becomes honourable, when it is done for the house of the Lord, and the offices thereof. Let us, in like manner, submit to our Lord Jesus, saying, We are in thy hand, do unto us as seemeth good and right unto thee, only save our souls; and we shall not repent it. If He appoints us to bear his cross, and serve him, that shall be neither shame nor grief to us, while the meanest office in God's service will entitle us to a dwelling in the house of the Lord all the days of our life. And in coming to the Saviour, we do not proceed upon a peradventure. We are invited to draw nigh, and are assured that him that cometh to Him, he will in nowise cast out. Even those things which sound harsh, and are humbling, and form sharp trials of our sincerity, will prove of real advantage.