18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the chieftains of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by Jehovah+ the God of Israel. So all the assembly began to murmur against the chieftains. 19 At this all the chieftains said to the entire assembly: “Since we swore an oath to them by Jehovah the God of Israel, we are not allowed to hurt them. 20 This is what we will do: We will let them live, so that there is no indignation against us because of the oath that we swore to them.”+