Amplified Bible
Joshua 2:14
14So the men said to her, “Our lives for yours if you do not tell [anyone about] this business of ours; then when the Lord gives us the land we will show you kindness and faithfulness [and keep our agreement with you].”
Joshua 2:14 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)“Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the men said to her, "Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”
Context of Joshua 2:14
12And now, please swear [an oath] to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s household (family), and give me a pledge of truth and faithfulness, 13and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, along with everyone who belongs to them, and let us all live.” So the men said to her, “Our lives for yours if you do not tell [anyone about] this business of ours; then when the Lord gives us the land we will show you kindness and faithfulness [and keep our agreement with you].” 15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16And she said to them, “Go [west] to the hill country, so that the pursuers [who have headed east] will not encounter you; hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you can go your way.”
Read all of Joshua 2Joshua 2:14 word by word
וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ לָ֣הּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים נַפְשֵׁ֤נוּ תַחְתֵּיכֶם֙ לָמ֔וּת אִ֚ם לֹ֣א תַגִּ֔ידוּ אֶת־דְּבָרֵ֖נוּ זֶ֑ה וְהָיָ֗ה בְּתֵת־יְהוָ֥ה לָ֙נוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְעָשִׂ֥ינוּ עִמָּ֖ךְ חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- answeredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- her, Our lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- for yoursמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- if ye utterנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- not this our businessדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- And it shall be, when the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- hath givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- us the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- that we will dealעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- kindlyחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- and trulyאֱמֶת'emeth · truth: faithfulH571
Cross-references for Joshua 2:14
- 1 Kings 20:39As the king passed by, the prophet called out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the middle of the battle, and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be required for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’
- Joshua 6:17The city and everything that is in it shall be under the ban [that is, designated to be destroyed as a form of tribute] to the Lord; only Rahab the prostitute and all [the people] who are with her in her house shall [be allowed to] live, because she hid and protected the messengers (scouts) whom we sent.
- Genesis 24:49So now if you are going to show kindness and truth to my master [being faithful to him], tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right or to the left [and go on my way].”
- Numbers 10:29Then Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are going to the place of which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will be good to you, for the Lord has promised good [things] concerning Israel.”
- Judges 1:24The spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, “Please show us the entrance to the city and we will treat you kindly.”
- 1 Samuel 20:8Therefore show kindness to your servant, because you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But if there is iniquity (guilt) in me, kill me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father [to be killed]?”
- 2 Samuel 9:1And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house (family) of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
- Proverbs 18:24The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin, But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.
- Matthew 5:7“Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Commentaries on Joshua 2:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Our 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.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Our life for yours - See the margin. This is (see Joshua 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, 1 Samuel 1:26, etc.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-21Verses 8-21 Rahab had heard of the miracles the Lord wrought for Israel. She believed that his promises would certainly be fulfilled, and his threatenings take effect; and that there was no way of escape but by submitting to him, and joining with his people. The conduct of Rahab proved that she had the real principle of Divine faith. Observe the promises the spies made to her. The goodness of God is often expressed by his kindness and truth, Psa 117:2; in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14When Israel attacked Jericho, Joshua and the two spies kept their promise to save Rahab (6:22).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 2:14
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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