Joshua 2:14

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Joshua 2:14. Our life 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 pretence, should secure themselves. By which they show both their piety and prudence in managing their oath with so much circumspection, that neither their own consciences might be insnared, nor the public justice obstructed.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:8-21 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, Ps 117:2; in both these we must be followers of him. Those who will be conscientious in keeping promises, are cautious in making them. The spies make needful conditions. The scarlet cord, like the blood upon the doorpost at the passover, recalls to remembrance the sinner's security under the atoning blood of Christ; and that we are to flee thereto for refuge from the wrath of a justly offended God. The same cord Rahab used for the saving of these Israelites, was to be used for her own safety. What we serve and honour God with, we may expect he will bless, and make useful to us.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Our 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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14. 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.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Our life for yours; we pawn and will venture our lives for the security of yours. Or, may we perish, if’ you be not preserved.

This our business, i.e. this agreement of ours, and the way and condition of it, test others under this pretence secure themselves. By which they show both their piety and prudence in managing their oath with so much circumspection and caution, that neither their own consciences might be insnared, nor the public justice obstructed.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the men answered her,.... The two spies:

our life for yours; or "our souls in your stead to die" (i); that is, we engage for the security of your lives, should they be in danger; we promise to die in your room and stead rather than you should: this they said not as though their lives would be required of them for them, but to assure her of the safety of her and her father's house, on the following condition:

if ye utter not this our business; not their business in searching the land, for the discovery of that would be of little avail after they were gone; for it was known already that there were persons come to search the land; but "this our word" (k), what they were going to say to her and bid her do, as a sign of safety to her and hers; which, if she discovered, others would give out the same sign, and then they could not promise her safety; or if she did not take care to bring in her father, mother, brethren, and sisters, and theirs into her house, they could not engage to protect them:

and it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land; not the whole land, but Jericho and the laud about it, that when that part of it should be delivered into their hands:

that we will deal kindly and truly with thee; "kindly", by sparing her and her father's house; "truly", by faithfully performing the promise and oath they made to her.

(i) "anima nostra pro vobis ad moriendum", Pagninus, Montanus. (k) "verbum nostrum hoc", Pagninus, Montanus; "sermonem nostrum hunc", Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius.

Geneva Study Bible

And the men answered her, {f} 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.

(f) We warrant you on pain of our lives.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. Our life for yours] Literally, Our soul instead of yours for death, or instead of yours to die, as in the margin. “Oure soule be for you into deth,” Wyclif.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - Our life for yours. Literally, our souls (נֶפֶשׁ, answering to the Greek ψυχή - the principle of life in men and animals) in the place of you to die; i.e., may we die if you are not preserved safe and sound. A similar expression is used by Ignatius, ad Ephesians 1, ad Polyc. 2, 6, etc. If ye utter not, i.e., Rahab and her kindred (Rosenmuller). Many MSS., however, read "if thou utterest not." Joshua 2:14

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

After this confession Rahab entreated the spies to spare her family (father's house), and made them promise her on oath as a sign of their fidelity, that on the capture of Jericho, which is tacitly assumed as self-evident after what had gone before, they would save alive her parents, and brothers and sisters, and all that belonged to them (i.e., according to Joshua 6:23, the children and families of her brothers and sisters), and not put them to death; all of which they promised her on oath. "A true token," lit. a sign of truth, i.e., a sign by which they guaranteed the truth of the kindness for which she asked. This sign consisted in nothing but the solemn oath with which they were to confirm their assurance, and, according to Joshua 2:14, actually did confirm it. The oath itself was taken in these words, "our soul shall die for you," by which they pledged their life for the life of Rahab and her family in this sense: God shall punish us with death if we are faithless, and do not spare thy life and the lives of thy relations. Though the name of God is not really expressed, it was implied in the fact that the words are described as swearing by Jehovah. But the spies couple their assurance with this condition, "if ye utter not this our business," do not betray us, sc., so that we should be pursued, and our life endangered; "then will we show thee mercy and truth" (cf. Genesis 24:27).