9:21a

They continued: Verse 21 continues the answer that the Israelite leaders gave to those who wanted to attack the Gibeonites. The clause They continued may not be necessary in some languages. It may not be natural to repeat a quote margin in the middle of continuous speech. For example, the New Living Translation (2004) deletes the quote margin:

Let them live. (New Living Translation (2004))

The English Standard Version follows the Hebrew with a long form of the quote margin:

And the leaders said to them, “Let them live” (English Standard Version)

Let them live: The clause Let them live indicates that the Israelites will not kill the Gibeonites.

The words Let them live are a repetition of what the leaders said in 20a. In some languages it may be clearer to use the word “repeated” in the quote margin. For example:

They repeated, “Let them live”

9:21b

but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation: There are two ways to interpret the use of this phrase:

(1) These words are not part of the quotation that started in 21a. Instead, this phrase shows the result of the Israelites’ decision. For example:

21a “Let them live.” 21b So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community. (NET Bible)

(NET Bible, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Living Translation (2004), New American Standard Bible)

(2) These words are part of the quotation that started in 21a. For example:

21a “Let them live, 21b but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community.” (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, Good News Translation, King James Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). This is followed by several English versions and several commentaries.

woodcutters: The word woodcutters indicates that the Gibeonites cut firewood for the Israelites.

water carriers: The phrase water carriers indicates that the Gibeonites drew water from the wells and carried it for the Israelites.

the whole congregation: The phrase the whole congregation indicates that the Gibeonites performed these tasks for the whole Israelite community, including the leaders and their families.

9:21c

So the leaders kept their promise: The clause So the leaders kept their promise emphasizes the decision of the leaders about the Gibeonites. It was the leaders who made the decisions.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the leaders had decided concerning them (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
So they made them woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community, as the Israelite leaders directed (New Living Translation (2004))

Use a way that is natural in your language to emphasize this decision of the leaders.

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