Christian Standard Bible
Joshua 2:14
14The men answered her, “We will give our lives for yours. If you don’t report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land.”
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
12Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my father’s family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.” The men answered her, “We will give our lives for yours. If you don’t report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land.” 15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, since she lived in a house that was built into the wall of the city. 16“Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won’t find you,” she said to them. “Hide there for three days until they return; afterward, go on 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 was passing by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant marched out into the middle of the battle. Suddenly, a man turned aside and brought someone to me and said, ‘Guard this man! If he is ever missing, it will be your life in place of his life, or you will weigh out seventy-five pounds of silver.’
- Joshua 6:17But the city and everything in it are set apart to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live, because she hid the messengers we sent.
- Genesis 24:49Now, if you are going to show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; if not, tell me, and I will go elsewhere.”
- Numbers 10:29Moses said to Hobab, descendant of Reuel the Midianite and Moses’s relative by marriage, “We’re setting out for the place the Lord promised, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”
- Judges 1:24The spies saw a man coming out of the town and said to him, “Please show us how to get into town, and we will show you kindness.”
- 1 Samuel 20:8Deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the Lord. If I have done anything wrong, then kill me yourself; why take me to your father?”
- 2 Samuel 9:1David asked, “Is there anyone remaining from the family of Saul I can show kindness to for Jonathan’s sake?”
- Proverbs 18:24One with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
- Matthew 5:7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown 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
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries