Joshua 2:19 If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads.

◄ Joshua 2:19 ►

New International Version
If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them.

New Living Translation
If they go out into the street and are killed, it will not be our fault. But if anyone lays a hand on people inside this house, we will accept the responsibility for their death.

English Standard Version
Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head.

Berean Standard Bible
If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him.

New American Standard Bible
And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house outside will have his blood on his own head, and we will be innocent; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him.

NASB 1995
“It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him.

NASB 1977
“And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if a hand is laid on him.

Legacy Standard Bible
And it will be that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him.

Amplified Bible
But if anyone goes out the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head [that is, his own responsibility], and we shall be blameless and free [from our oath]; however, if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head.

Christian Standard Bible
If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his death will be his own fault, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his death will be our fault.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his blood will be on our heads.

American Standard Version
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 shall be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Whoever leaves your house will be responsible for his own life. We will be free from that responsibility. But we will take responsibility if anyone inside your house is harmed.

Good News Translation
If anyone goes out of the house, his death will be his own fault, and we will not be responsible; but if anyone in the house with you is harmed, then we will be responsible.

International Standard Version
Everyone who leaves through the doors of your house into the street will be responsible for his own death, but we'll be responsible for anyone who remains with you in the house if even so much as a hand is laid on him.

Majority Standard Bible
If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads.

NET Bible
Anyone who leaves your house will be responsible for his own death--we are innocent in that case! But if anyone with you in the house is harmed, we will be responsible.

New Heart English Bible
It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall be, that whoever 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 whoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

World English Bible
It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and it has been, anyone who goes out from the doors of your house outside, his blood [is] on his head, and we are innocent; and anyone who is with you in the house, his blood [is] on our head, if a hand is on him;

Young's Literal Translation
and it hath been, any one who goeth out from the doors of thy house without, his blood is on his head, and we are innocent; and any one who is with thee in the house, his blood is on our head, if a hand is on him;

Smith's Literal Translation
And it was all which went forth out of the doors of thy house without, his blood upon his head and we are free, and all which shall be with thee in the house, his blood upon our head if a hand shall be upon him.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Whosoever shall go out of the door of thy house, his blood shall be upon his own head, and we shall be quit. But the blood of all that shall be with thee in the house, shall light upon our head, if any man touch them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Whoever will have exited from the door of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be uninvolved. But the blood of all who will be with you in the house shall fall back upon our own head, if anyone touches them.

New American Bible
Should any of them pass outside the doors of your house, their blood will be on their own heads, and we will be guiltless. But if anyone in your house is harmed, their blood will be on our heads.

New Revised Standard Version
If any of you go out of the doors of your house into the street, they shall be responsible for their own death, and we shall be innocent; but if a hand is laid upon any who are with you in the house, we shall bear the responsibility for their death.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the door of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his head, and we will be guiltless; and whosoever shall be with you in the house, his blood shall be on our heads, and we are guilty if any man should harm him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And everyone whosoever goes outside of the door of your house, his blood is on his head, and we are saved from his vengeance, and everyone whoever will be with you within the house, his blood is on our head and we are condemned for his vengeance if a man will harm him

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall go outside the door of thy house, his guilt shall be upon him, and we shall be quit of this thine oath; and we will be responsible for all that shall be found with thee in thy house.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Promise to Rahab
…18unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother and brothers and all your family into your house. 19 If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads. 20And if you report our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Exodus 12:23
When the LORD passes through to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway; so He will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.

Ezekiel 33:4-5
Then if anyone hears the sound of the horn but fails to heed the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. / Since he heard the sound of the horn but failed to heed the warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life.

Numbers 35:26-27
But if the manslayer ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he fled / and the avenger of blood finds him outside of his city of refuge and kills him, then the avenger will not be guilty of bloodshed,

1 Kings 2:36-37
Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. / On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”

Genesis 7:1
Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.

Genesis 19:12-13
Then the two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—a son-in-law, your sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, / because we are about to destroy this place. For the outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that He has sent us to destroy it.”

1 Samuel 20:42
And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be a witness between you and me, and between your descendants and mine forever.’” Then David got up and departed, and Jonathan went back into the city.

2 Samuel 21:1
During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”

1 Kings 2:42
the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, ‘On the day you leave and go elsewhere, know for sure that you will die’? And you told me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will comply.’

2 Kings 10:24
And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and warned them, “If anyone allows one of the men I am delivering into your hands to escape, he will forfeit his life for theirs.”

Matthew 10:14
And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.

Matthew 27:25
All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

Acts 18:6
But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Acts 20:26
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.

Romans 3:19
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

Treasury of Scripture

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

whosoever

Exodus 12:13,23
And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt…

Numbers 35:26-28
But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; …

1 Kings 2:36-42
And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither…

street, his blood

Leviticus 20:8,11
And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you…

2 Samuel 1:16
And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.

2 Samuel 3:28,29
And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: …

house, his blood

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.

2 Samuel 4:11
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

1 Kings 2:32
And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

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Joshua 2

1. Rahab receives and conceals the two spies sent from Shittim
8. The covenant between her and them
23. Their return and description of events

Berean Study Bible

If anyone goes out the door of your house
This phrase emphasizes the importance of staying within the boundaries of safety and protection. In the Hebrew context, the "house" symbolizes a place of refuge and covenant. The house of Rahab, marked by the scarlet cord, becomes a sanctuary. The act of going "out the door" signifies leaving the protection of the covenant, akin to stepping outside God's will. This imagery is reminiscent of the Passover in Exodus, where the Israelites were instructed to stay indoors under the protection of the blood-marked doorposts.

into the street
The "street" represents the world outside the covenant, a place of danger and exposure. In ancient cities, streets were often chaotic and unpredictable, symbolizing the spiritual peril of stepping outside God's protection. Theologically, this can be seen as a metaphor for the spiritual risks of leaving the community of faith and venturing into secular or sinful environments.

his blood will be on his own head
This phrase is a legal idiom indicating personal responsibility for one's actions. In Hebrew culture, blood symbolizes life and guilt. The expression "on his own head" suggests that the individual bears the consequences of their decision. This reflects the biblical principle of personal accountability before God, as seen in Ezekiel 18:20, where each person is responsible for their own sin.

and we will be innocent
Here, the spies declare their innocence if the terms of the agreement are broken. This reflects the biblical concept of justice and covenant faithfulness. The Hebrew word for "innocent" often implies being free from guilt or obligation. The spies' statement underscores the importance of adhering to the covenant terms, highlighting the mutual responsibilities in a covenant relationship.

But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house
This phrase underscores the protection promised to those within the covenant. The "hand" symbolizes harm or violence, and the assurance given is that no harm will come to those who remain within the designated place of safety. This reflects God's promise of protection to His people, as seen throughout Scripture, where God is a refuge and fortress for those who trust in Him (Psalm 91:4).

his blood will be on our heads
In contrast to the earlier phrase, this indicates the spies' acceptance of responsibility should harm come to those under their protection. This reflects the seriousness of their oath and the weight of covenant obligations. The phrase "on our heads" signifies bearing the guilt or consequences, illustrating the biblical principle of vicarious responsibility, akin to Christ bearing our sins on the cross.

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."

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).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

If anyone
כֹּ֣ל (kōl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

goes out
יֵצֵא֩ (yê·ṣê)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

the doors
מִדַּלְתֵ֨י (mid·dal·ṯê)
Preposition-m | Noun - fdc
Strong's 1817: Something swinging, the valve of a, door

of your house
בֵיתֵ֧ךְ ׀ (ḇê·ṯêḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

into the street,
הַח֛וּצָה (ha·ḥū·ṣāh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2351: Separate by a, wall, outside, outdoors

his blood
דָּמ֥וֹ (dā·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

will be
וְהָיָ֡ה (wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

on his own head,
בְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ (ḇə·rō·šōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7218: The head

and we
וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ (wa·’ă·naḥ·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common plural
Strong's 587: We

will be innocent.
נְקִיִּ֑ם (nə·qî·yim)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 5355: Clean, free from, exempt

But if
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

a hand
יָ֖ד (yāḏ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

is laid
תִּֽהְיֶה־ (tih·yeh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

on anyone
וְ֠כֹל (wə·ḵōl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

with you
אִתָּךְ֙ (’it·tāḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

in the house,
בַּבַּ֔יִת (bab·ba·yiṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

his blood
דָּמ֣וֹ (dā·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

will be on our heads.
בְרֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ (ḇə·rō·šê·nū)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 7218: The head

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OT History: Joshua 2:19 It shall be that whoever goes out (Josh. Jos)