12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a (A)pledge of [a]truth, 13 and [b]spare my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them, and save our [c]lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our [d]life [e]for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will (B)deal kindly and [f]faithfully with you.”

The Promise to Rahab

15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 And she said to them, “(C)Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not encounter you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” 17 And the men said to her, “(D)We shall be exempt from this oath [g]to you which you have made us swear, 18 [h]unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and (E)gather into your house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house outside will have [i]his blood on his own head, and we will be innocent; but anyone who is with you in the house, (F)his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him.

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 2:12 Or faithfulness
  2. Joshua 2:13 Lit let live
  3. Joshua 2:13 Lit souls
  4. Joshua 2:14 Lit soul
  5. Joshua 2:14 Lit instead of you to die
  6. Joshua 2:14 Or truly
  7. Joshua 2:17 Lit of yours
  8. Joshua 2:18 Lit behold
  9. Joshua 2:19 I.e., responsibility for his death

12 “Now then, please swear to me(A) by the Lord that you will show kindness(B) to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign(C) 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them(D)—and that you will save us from death.”

14 “Our lives for your lives!”(E) the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully(F) when the Lord gives us the land.”

15 So she let them down by a rope(G) through the window,(H) for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hills(I) so the pursuers(J) will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days(K) until they return, and then go on your way.”(L)

17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath(M) you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord(N) in the window(O) through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family(P) into your house. 19 If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads;(Q) we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head(R) if a hand is laid on them.

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12 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:

13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

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.

15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.

17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.

18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.

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.

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