Joshua 2:19

19 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,^[a] his blood will be on our heads.

Joshua 2:19 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 2:19

And it shall be, [that] whosoever shall go out of the door of
thy house into the street
After they have been taken in, and when the Israelites were come into the city:

his blood [shall be] upon his head, and we [will be] guiltless;
if he is killed by any person, his death will be owing to himself, and no blame to be laid on us; nor shall we reckon ourselves guilty of the breach of the oath taken:

and whosoever [shall be] with thee in the house, his blood shall be on
our head, if [any] hand be upon him:
if anyone within doors is killed by an Israelite entering in, the guilt of the blood shall lie upon us, and we will be answerable, according to the tenor of the oath, "our life for yours", ( Joshua 2:14 ) .

Joshua 2:19 In-Context

17 The men said to her, "We will be free from this oath you made us swear,

18 unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father's family into your house.

19 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.

20 And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear."

21 "Let it be as you say," she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit if a hand should be on him