God’s Word Translation
Joshua 2:14
14The men promised her, “We pledge our lives for your lives. If you don’t tell anyone what we’re doing here, we’ll treat you kindly and honestly when the Lord gives us this 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
12Please swear by the Lord that you’ll be as kind to my father’s family as I’ve been to you. Also give me some proof 13that you’ll protect my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and their households, and that you’ll save us from death.” The men promised her, “We pledge our lives for your lives. If you don’t tell anyone what we’re doing here, we’ll treat you kindly and honestly when the Lord gives us this land.” 15So she let them down by a rope from her window since her house was built into the city wall. (She lived in the city wall.) 16She told them, “Go to the mountains so that the men who are pursuing you will not find you. Hide there for three days until they return to Jericho. Then you can 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 20:39When the king passed by, the disciple called to him. “I went to fight in the battle. A man turned around and brought a prisoner to me. He said, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he gets away, you will pay for his life with your own life or be fined 75 pounds of silver.’
- Joshua 6:17The city has been claimed by the Lord. Everything in it belongs to the Lord. Only the prostitute Rahab and all who are in the house with her will live because she hid the messengers we sent.
- Genesis 24:49Tell me whether or not you’re going to show my master true kindness so that I will know what to do.”
- Numbers 10:29Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab, son of Reuel the Midianite, “We are going to the place the Lord promised to give us. Come with us. We will be good to you, because the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”
- Judges 1:24The spies saw a man coming out of the city. They told him, “Show us how we can get into the city, and we’ll treat you kindly.”
- 1 Samuel 20:8Now, be kind to me. After all, you forced me into an agreement with the Lord. If I have committed any crime, kill me yourself. Why bother taking me to your father?”
- 2 Samuel 9:1David asked, “Is there anyone left in Saul’s family to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
- Proverbs 18:24Friends can destroy one another, but a loving friend can stick closer than family.
- Matthew 5:7Blessed are those who show mercy. They will be treated mercifully.
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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