And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
Parallel translations
- WEB The men said to her, “We will be guiltless of this your oath which you’ve made us to swear.
- BSB The men said to her, “We will not be bound by this oath you made us swear
- NKJV So the men said to her: “We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear,
- NASB And the men said to her, “We shall be exempt from this oath to you which you have made us swear,
- NLT Before they left, the men told her, “We will be bound by the oath we have taken only if you follow these instructions.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The spies clarify that they will be released from their oath unless Rahab follows their conditions. The promise of rescue carries specific obligations.
Overview
The men set out the terms under which their oath remains binding, showing that the covenant of deliverance involves Rahab's faithful response. This is not arbitrary but ensures the promise is kept in good order. The conditional structure underscores that saving faith is shown in obedient compliance with the appointed means of rescue.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Num 30:2If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
- 2 Sam 21:7But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
- Gen 24:3–8And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
- 2 Sam 21:1–2Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.
- Lev 19:11–12Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
- Josh 2:20And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.
- Exod 20:7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 2:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.