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.
My Notes
Commentary
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Gill's Exposition
And the men answered her,.... The two spies:
our life for yours; or "our souls in your stead to die" (i); that is, we engage for the security of your lives, should they be in danger; we promise to…
Barnes' Notes
Our life for yours - See the margin. This is (see Jos 2:17) a form of oath, in which God is in effect invoked to punish them with death if they did not perform their promise to save Rahab’s life.…
Adam Clarke
Our life for yours - "May our life be destroyed if we suffer yours to be injured!" This is what was anciently called in our country pledging - staking, a man's life for that of his neighbor or friend.
The matter is here settled between Rahab and the spies respecting the service she was now to do for them, and the favour they were afterwards to show to her. She secures them on condition that they…
Cambridge Bible
Our life for yours Literally, Our soul instead of yours for death, or instead of yours to die, as in the margin. "Oure soule be for you into deth," Wyclif.
Cross References
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