Joshua 2:19

And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) Whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head.—Comp. Exodus 12:22 (the account of the Passover), “Ye shall. . . . strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the bason: and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning; for the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians.” What the blood was to the houses of Israel in Egypt, that the scarlet line in the window was to the house of Rahab. Both alike prefigured “the precious blood of Christ.”

Benson Commentary

Joshua 2:19. Upon his head — The blame of his death shall rest wholly upon himself, as being occasioned by his own neglect of the means of safety. Our head — We are willing to bear the sin, and shame, and punishment of it. If any hand be upon him — So as to kill him.

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

The "line" or cord was spun of threads dyed with cochineal: i. e., of a deep and bright scarlet color. The color would catch the eye at once, and supplied an obvious token by which the house of Rahab might be distinguished. The use of scarlet in the Levitical rites, especially in those more closely connected with the idea of putting away of sin and its consequences (compare e. g., Leviticus 14:4, Leviticus 14:6,Leviticus 14:51; Numbers 19:6), naturally led the fathers, from Clement of Rome onward, to see in this scarlet thread, no less than in the blood of the Passover (Exodus 12:7, Exodus 12:13, etc.), an emblem of salvation by the Blood of Christ; a salvation common alike to Christ's messengers and to those whom they visit.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16-21. she said—rather "she had said," for what follows must have been part of the previous conversation.

Get you to the mountain—A range of white limestone hills extends on the north, called Quarantania (now Jebel Karantu), rising to a height of from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred feet, and the sides of which are perforated with caves. Some one peak adjoining was familiarly known to the inhabitants as "the mountain." The prudence and propriety of the advice to flee in that direction rather than to the ford, were made apparent by the sequel.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

His blood shall be upon his head; the blame of his death shall rest wholly upon himself, as being occasioned by his own neglect or contempt of the means of safety.

His blood shall be on our head; we are willing to bear the sin, and shame, and punishment of it.

If any hand be upon him, to wit, so as to kill him, as this phrase is used, Esther 6:2 Job 1:12.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the door of thy house into the street,.... After they have been taken in, and when the Israelites were come into the city:

his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless; if he is killed by any person, his death will be owing to himself, and no blame to be laid on us; nor shall we reckon ourselves guilty of the breach of the oath taken:

and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him: if anyone within doors is killed by an Israelite entering in, the guilt of the blood shall lie upon us, and we will be answerable, according to the tenor of the oath, "our life for yours", Joshua 2:14.

Geneva Study Bible

And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, {i} his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

(i) He shall be guilty of his own death.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. his blood] = his “bloodguiltiness,” his “responsibility for blood.” Compare 2 Samuel 21:1, “It is for Saul, and his bloody (= “blood-thirsty”) house, because he slew the Gibeonites;” Ezekiel 22:2, “Wilt thou judge the bloody (= “bloodguilty”) city? yea thou shalt shew her all her abominations.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 19. - His blood shall be upon his head (cf. Leviticus 20:9). "If we will wander out of the limits that God has set us, we cast ourselves out of His protection." (Bp. Hall). Joshua 2:19

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Whoever went outside the door, his blood should be upon his own head; i.e., if he was slain outside by the Israelitish soldiers, he should bear his death as his own fault. But every one who was with her in the house, his blood should fall upon their (the spies') head, if any hand was against them, i.e., touched them or did them harm (vid., Exodus 9:3). The formula, "his blood be upon his head," is synonymous with the legal formula, "his blood be upon him" (Leviticus 20:9). The third condition (Joshua 2:20) is simply a repetition of the principal condition laid down at the very outset (Joshua 2:14).