The Meaning of Joshua 2:14 Explained

Joshua 2:14

KJV: 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.

YLT: And the men say to her, 'Our soul for yours -- to die; if ye declare not this our matter, then it hath been, in Jehovah's giving to us this land, that we have done with thee kindness and truth.'

Darby: And the men said to her, Our lives shall pay for yours, if ye do not make this our business known; and it shall be when Jehovah shall give us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

ASV: And the men said unto her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business; and it shall be, when Jehovah giveth us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Joshua 2:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 2:1-14 - A Heathen Woman's Act Of Faith
"To view the land" was a hazardous undertaking. The physiognomy of the Hebrews would certainly betray them, and it did. The sacred writer does not commend Rahab's mode of life nor her lies. Her morality was faulty enough, but beneath it, slowly smoldering, was a spark of pure love and faith, and this would consume the rubbish and burn clear, Hebrews 11:31.
The stalks of flax were probably laid out on the roof to dry. She believed, on the ground of the wonders wrought in Egypt, that Jehovah was the true God, and that His word was sure. Her faith proved itself in her works-in her efforts to save others, and in the confidence with which she rested behind her scarlet cord. That she was sneered at and persecuted is quite likely, but she persisted and became an ancestress of Christ, Matthew 1:5. How faith greatens the soul! James 2:25. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Joshua 2:14 mean?

So answered her the men Our lives for yours - if none of you tell - business of ours This and it shall be when has given Yahweh us the land that we will deal with you kindly and truly
וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ לָ֣הּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים נַפְשֵׁ֤נוּ תַחְתֵּיכֶם֙ לָמ֔וּת אִ֚ם לֹ֣א תַגִּ֔ידוּ אֶת־ דְּבָרֵ֖נוּ זֶ֑ה וְהָיָ֗ה בְּתֵת־ יְהוָ֥ה לָ֙נוּ֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ וְעָשִׂ֥ינוּ עִמָּ֖ךְ חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת

וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ  So  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָ֣הּ  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים  the  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
נַפְשֵׁ֤נוּ  Our  lives 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
תַחְתֵּיכֶם֙  for  yours 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
לָמ֔וּת  - 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
לֹ֣א  none 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תַגִּ֔ידוּ  of  you  tell 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דְּבָרֵ֖נוּ  business  of  ours 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
זֶ֑ה  This 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וְהָיָ֗ה  and  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְּתֵת־  when  has  given 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָ֙נוּ֙  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
הָאָ֔רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְעָשִׂ֥ינוּ  that  we  will  deal 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
עִמָּ֖ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
חֶ֥סֶד  kindly 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
וֶאֱמֶֽת  and  truly 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.