Joshua 2:14
in Joshua 2“Our lives for your lives!” the men agreed. “If you do not report our mission, we will show you kindness and faithfulness when the LORD gives us the land.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the men said unto her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business; and it shall be, when Jehovah giveth us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
KJV
And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
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This verse in Joshua 2
Commentary
12 notes on this verseOur life for yours - “May our life be destroyed if we suffer yours to be injured!” This is what was anciently called in our country pledging - staking, a man’s life for that of his neighbor or friend.
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.
This site's exposition
Our lives for your lives
Barnes reads the words as a form of oath, calling on God to take their lives, and compares the commoner form at 1 Samuel 1:26. The condition had a practical reason. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown say it protected her, since a known agreement would put her house in danger.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
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.
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.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
): If thou utter this our business, that is, "If thou betray us when we are gone, or if thou make this agreement public, so as that others tie scarlet lines in their windows and so confound us, then we will be clear of thy oath." Those are unworthy of the secret of the Lord that know now how to keep it to themselves when there is occasion.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
We will take as much care of your lives as of our own, and would as soon hurt ourselves as any of you." Nay, they imprecate God's judgments on themselves if they should violate their promise to her.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
We will not only be kind in promising now, but true in performing what we promise; and not only true in performing just what we promise, but kind in out-doing thy demands and expectations." The goodness of God is often expressed by his kindness and truth ( Ps. cxvii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For yours - We will venture our lives for the security of yours. Our business - That is, this agreement of ours, and the condition of it, lest others under this pretense, should secure themselves.
And the men answered her,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business--This was a solemn pledge--a virtual oath, though the name of God is not mentioned; and the words were added, not as a condition of their fidelity, but as necessary for her safety, which might be endangered if the private agreement was divulged.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Our life for yours - See the margin. This is (see Jos 2:17) a form of oath, in which God is in effect invoked to punish them with death if they did not perform their promise to save Rahab’s life. Compare the more common form of oath, 1Sa 1:26, etc.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Then she lowered them down with the rope. With the same rope and through the same window her admirers would use to come up to her. She said: “Master of the World with these I have sinned, with these forgive me.”
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
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לָ֣הּ | lah | to <the> her | ||
| הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| נַפְשֵׁ֤נוּ | nafshenu | life our | H5315 → | 754 times |
| תַחְתֵּיכֶם֙ | tachteikhem | for you | H8478 → | 505 times |
| לָמ֔וּת | lamut | to die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| אִ֚ם | ʾim | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תַגִּ֔ידוּ | tagidu | you will tell | H5046 → | 370 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דְּבָרֵ֖נוּ | devarenu | business our | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| זֶ֑ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| וְהָיָ֗ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְּתֵת־ | betet- | when gives | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לָ֙נוּ֙ | lanu | to <the> us | ||
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָאָ֔רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְעָשִׂ֥ינוּ | veasinu | and we will do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| עִמָּ֖ךְ | ʾimakh | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| חֶ֥סֶד | chesed | loyalty | H2617 → | 247 times |
| וֶאֱמֶֽת׃ | veemet | and faithfulness | H571 → | 127 times |
וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
לָ֣הּto <the> her
lah
הָאֲנָשִׁ֗יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
נַפְשֵׁ֤נוּlife our
nafshenuH5315 →754 times
תַחְתֵּיכֶם֙for you
tachteikhemH8478 →505 times
לָמ֔וּתto die
lamutH4191 →839 times
אִ֚םif
ʾimH518 →1069 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תַגִּ֔ידוּyou will tell
tagiduH5046 →370 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
דְּבָרֵ֖נוּbusiness our
devarenuH1697 →1440 times
זֶ֑הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
וְהָיָ֗הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
בְּתֵת־when gives
betet-H5414 →2011 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לָ֙נוּ֙to <the> us
lanu
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָאָ֔רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
וְעָשִׂ֥ינוּand we will do
veasinuH6213 →2628 times
עִמָּ֖ךְwith you
ʾimakhH5973 →1050 times
חֶ֥סֶדloyalty
chesedH2617 →247 times
וֶאֱמֶֽת׃and faithfulness
veemetH571 →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
Matthew 5:7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
- Matthew 6:14–15
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
- 2 Samuel 22:26
To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless;
- Matthew 18:33–35
Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’
- Psalms 18:25
To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless;
- Ephesians 4:32
Through
Proverbs 18:24A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
it leads to
- Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
- John 15:13–15
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
- Proverbs 27:9
Oil and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend is counsel to the soul.
- Proverbs 17:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
On this verse
About Joshua

This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Clement of Rome, 1 CLEMENT 12; Clement of Rome, Clement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 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.
