The Meaning of Joshua 2:17 Explained

Joshua 2:17

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

YLT: And the men say unto her, 'We are acquitted of this thine oath which thou hast caused us to swear:

Darby: And the men said to her, We will be quit of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.

ASV: And the men said unto her, We will be guiltless of this thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Joshua 2:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 2:15-24 - The Escape And Report Of The Spies
Rahab's trust in the promise of the spies, and in the efficacy of the scarlet line around her window is a striking type of the faith that relies on the promise of God, that those who are united with Christ shall be saved in this world and the next. Her faith was not the result of impulse, but of a considerate review of the story of the Exodus. Would you have faith, soak your soul in the fact and teachings of Christ.
Note the strict conditions exacted by the spies as to the extent of their responsibility. Amid the general destruction, only those sheltered in the precincts of Rahab's house would escape. To be outside, though related to her, would not avail. So the great salvation of Jesus is available only to those who are found "in Him," having upon them the divine righteousness, Philippians 3:9. [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 2:17 mean?

So said to her the men blameless we [will be] of oath of yours this which you have made us swear
וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ אֵלֶ֖יהָ הָאֲנָשִׁ֑ים נְקִיִּ֣ם אֲנַ֔חְנוּ מִשְּׁבֻעָתֵ֥ךְ הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ  So  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלֶ֖יהָ  to  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הָאֲנָשִׁ֑ים  the  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
נְקִיִּ֣ם  blameless 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: נָקִי 
Sense: clean, free from, exempt, clear, innocent.
אֲנַ֔חְנוּ  we  [will  be] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common plural
Root: אֲנַחְנוּ  
Sense: we (first pers.
מִשְּׁבֻעָתֵ֥ךְ  of  oath  of  yours 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: oath, curse.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ  you  have  made  us  swear 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person feminine singular, first person common plural
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.