New Living Translation
Joshua 2:12
12“Now swear to me by the Lord that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that
Joshua 2:12 in other versions
- King James Version (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:
- New International Version (NIV)“Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token,
Context of Joshua 2:12
10For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. 11No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below. “Now swear to me by the Lord that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that 13when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families.” 14“We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety,” the men agreed. “If you don’t betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the Lord gives us the land.”
Read all of Joshua 2Joshua 2:12 word by word
וְעַתָּ֗ה הִשָּֽׁבְעוּ־נָ֥א לִי֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה כִּי־עָשִׂ֥יתִי עִמָּכֶ֖ם חָ֑סֶד וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֨ם גַּם־אַתֶּ֜ם עִם־בֵּ֤ית אָבִי֙ חֶ֔סֶד וּנְתַתֶּ֥ם לִ֖י א֥וֹת אֱמֶֽת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now therefore, I pray you, swearשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
- unto me by the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- sinceכִּיkîy · forH3588
- I have shewedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- you kindnessחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- unto my father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- and giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- me a trueאֱמֶת'emeth · truth: certainH571
- tokenאוֹת'ôth · sign: indicatorH226
Cross-references for Joshua 2:12
- Joshua 9:15Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath.
- 1 Samuel 20:14And may you treat me with the faithful love of the Lord as long as I live. But if I die,
- 1 Samuel 30:15“Will you lead me to this band of raiders?” David asked. The young man replied, “If you take an oath in God’s name that you will not kill me or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them.”
- 2 Chronicles 36:13He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he had taken an oath of loyalty in God’s name. Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the Lord, the God of Israel.
- Jeremiah 12:16And if these nations truly learn the ways of my people, and if they learn to swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’ (just as they taught my people to swear by the name of Baal), then they will be given a place among my people.
- 1 Samuel 24:21Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
- Esther 8:6For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?”
- 2 Timothy 1:16May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains.
- James 2:13There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
- Joshua 2:13when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families.”
- Genesis 24:3Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women.
- Romans 1:31They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy.
- 1 Timothy 5:8But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.
- Joshua 2:18When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window through which you let us down. And all your family members—your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives—must be here inside the house.
- Exodus 12:13But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.
- Ezekiel 9:4He said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all who weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed in their city.”
Commentaries on Joshua 2:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Swear 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 Deuteronomy 6:13.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12A 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 Joshua 2:14.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. 12-13Rahab’s request demonstrated her faith in Israel and Israel’s God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-218-13. she came up unto them upon the roof and said--Rahab's dialogue is full of interest, as showing the universal panic and consternation of the Canaanites on the one hand (Jos 24:11; De 2:25), and her strong convictions on the other, founded on a knowledge of the divine promise, and the stupendous miracles that had opened the way of the Israelites to the confines of the promised land. She was convinced of the supremacy of Jehovah, and her earnest…Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 2:12
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries