Joshua 2:12
in Joshua 2Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by Jehovah, since I have dealt kindly with you, that ye also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true token;
KJV
Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:
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This verse in Joshua 2
Commentary
9 notes on this verseSwear unto me by the Lord - This is a farther proof that this woman had received considerable instruction in the Jewish faith; she acknowledged the true God by his essential character Jehovah; and knew that an oath in his name was the deepest and most solemn obligation under which a Jew could possibly come. Does not this also refer to the command of God, Thou shalt fear the Lord, and shalt swear by his name? See the note on Deu 6:13.
This site's exposition
Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD
on Joshua 2:12-14
She asks them to swear by the LORD, the covenant name, and Adam Clarke reads that as the measure of what she had learned. The word for “kindness” is the covenant word for loyal love, and she asks it back in the terms she gave it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Clement of RomeClement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 12 · Written before 99.
proposed
On account of her faith and hospitality, Rahab the harlot was saved. For when spies were sent by Joshua, the son of Nun, to Jericho, the king of the country ascertained that they had come to spy out their land, and sent men to seize them, in order that, when taken, they might be put to death. But the hospitable Rahab receiving them, concealed them on the roof of her house under some stalks of flax. And when the men sent by the king arrived and said, "There came men unto you who are to spy out our land; bring them forth, for so the king commands," she answered them, "The two men whom you seek came unto me, but quickly departed again and are gone," thus not discovering the spies to them. Then she said to the men, "I know assuredly that the Lord your God has given you this city, for the fear and dread of you have fallen on its inhabitants. When therefore you shall have taken it, keep ye me and the house of my father in safety." And they said to her, "It shall be as you have spoken to us. As soon, therefore, as you know that we are at hand, you shall gather all your family under your roof, and they shall be preserved, but all that are found outside of your dwelling shall perish." Moreover, they gave her a sign to this effect, that she should hang forth from her house a scarlet thread. And thus they made it manifest that redemption should flow through the blood of the Lord to all them that believe and hope in God. You see, beloved, that there was not only faith, but prophecy, in this woman.
For her faith and hospitality Rahab the harlot was saved. For when the spies were sent forth into Jericho by Joshua the son of Nun, the king of the land perceived that they were coming to spy out his country, and [he] sent forth men to seize them, that being seized they might be put to death. So the hospitable Rahab received them and hid them in the upper chamber under the flax stalks. And when the messengers of the king came near and said, "The spies of our land entered into your house; bring them forth, for the king so orders," then she answered, "The men truly, whom you seek, came to me, but they departed immediately and are journeying on the way"; and she pointed out to them the opposite road. And she said to the men, "Without a doubt I perceive that the Lord your God will deliver this city to you; for the fear and the dread of you is fallen upon its inhabitants. When therefore it shall come to pass that you take it, save me and the house of my father." And they said to her, "It shall be even so as you have spoken to us. Therefore, when you perceive that we are coming, you shall gather all your folk beneath your roof, and they shall be saved; for as many as shall be found outside of the house shall perish." And moreover they gave her a sign, that she should hang out from her house a scarlet thread, thereby showing beforehand that through the blood of the Lord there shall be redemption for all them that believe and hope on God. You see, dearly beloved, not only faith, but prophecy, is found in the woman.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Yet this Rahab was afterwards advanced to be a princess in Israel, the wife of Salmon, and one of the ancestors of Christ, Matt. i. Those that faithfully serve Christ and suffer for him he will not only protect, but prefer, and will do for them more than they are able to ask or think.
By the Lord - By your God who is the only true God: so she owns his worship, one eminent act whereof is swearing by his name. My father's house - My near kindred, which she particularly names, ver. 13, husband and children it seems she had none. And for herself, it was needless to speak, it being a plain and undeniable duty to save their preserver.
Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
She was convinced of the supremacy of Jehovah, and her earnest stipulations for the preservation of her relatives amid the perils of the approaching invasion, attest the sincerity and strength of her faith.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
A true token - literally, “a sign” or “pledge of truth; “something to bind them to keep their promise faithfully. The “token” was the oath which the spies take Jos 2:14.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
A true sign. You create the sign, so that when you come and capture the city, you will recognize the sign and keep me alive.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And there was no longer any spirit. [The men had no spirit (desire)] even to lie with a woman. It was said by the Sages: There was no prince or ruler who had not had [sexual] relationships with Rochav, the harlot.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַתָּ֗ה | veatah | and therefore | H6258 → | 433 times |
| הִשָּֽׁבְעוּ־ | hishaveu- | swear | H7650 → | 186 times |
| נָ֥א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| לִי֙ | li | to <the> me | ||
| בַּֽיהוָ֔ה | bayahweh | by Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עָשִׂ֥יתִי | ʾasiti | I have done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| עִמָּכֶ֖ם | ʾimakhem | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| חָ֑סֶד | chased | loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֨ם | vaasitem | and you will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| גַּם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אַתֶּ֜ם | ʾatem | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| בֵּ֤ית | beit | [the] household of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אָבִי֙ | ʾavi | father my | H1 → | 1212 times |
| חֶ֔סֶד | chesed | loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| וּנְתַתֶּ֥ם | unetatem | and you will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לִ֖י | li | to <the> me | ||
| א֥וֹת | ʾot | a sign of | H226 → | 80 times |
| אֱמֶֽת׃ | ʾemet | faithfulness | H571 → | 127 times |
וְעַתָּ֗הand therefore
veatahH6258 →433 times
הִשָּֽׁבְעוּ־swear
hishaveu-H7650 →186 times
נָ֥אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
לִי֙to <the> me
li
בַּֽיהוָ֔הby Yahweh
bayahwehH3068 →6520 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
עָשִׂ֥יתִיI have done
ʾasitiH6213 →2628 times
עִמָּכֶ֖םwith you
ʾimakhemH5973 →1050 times
חָ֑סֶדloyalty
chasedH2617 →247 times
וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֨םand you will do
vaasitemH6213 →2628 times
גַּם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
אַתֶּ֜םyou
ʾatemH859 →1094 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
בֵּ֤ית[the] household of
beitH1004 →2046 times
אָבִי֙father my
ʾaviH1 →1212 times
חֶ֔סֶדloyalty
chesedH2617 →247 times
וּנְתַתֶּ֥םand you will give
unetatemH5414 →2011 times
לִ֖יto <the> me
li
א֥וֹתa sign of
ʾotH226 →80 times
אֱמֶֽת׃faithfulness
ʾemetH571 →127 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 12:16And if they will diligently learn the ways of My people and swear by My name, saying, ‘As surely as the LORD lives’—just as they once taught My people to swear by Baal—then they…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 4:2
and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
- Joshua 23:7
So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or…
- Zephaniah 1:5
those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom,
- Jeremiah 4:2
Through
Joshua 2:18unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother and brothers and all…
it leads to
- Joshua 6:23
So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp…
- Joshua 2:21
“Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. And when they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
- Joshua 2:12–13
Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign
- Joshua 6:23
Through
Mark 14:44Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him and lead Him away securely.”
it leads to
- Matthew 26:48–50
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.”
- Matthew 26:48–50
Through
Esther 8:6For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”
it leads to
- Esther 7:4
For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as menservants and maidservants, I would have remained silent, because no such distress would…
- Esther 7:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
On this verse
About Joshua
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Clement of Rome, Clement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 12; Clement of Rome, 1 CLEMENT 12; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.