Joshua 2:17-20 Meaning: The Conditions That Made the Oath Real
17The men said to her, “We will be guiltless of this your oath which you’ve made us to swear.
18Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household.
19It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him.
20But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear.”
17And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
18Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.
19And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
20And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.
17And the men said unto her, We will be guiltless of this thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.
18Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt gather unto thee into the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household.
19And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we shall be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
20But if thou utter this our business, then we shall be guiltless of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.
17And the men say unto her, `We are acquitted of this thine oath which thou hast caused us to swear:
18lo, we are coming into the land, this line of scarlet thread thou dost bind to the window by which thou hast caused us to go down, and thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all the house of thy father thou dost gather unto thee, to the house;
19and it hath been, any one who goeth out from the doors of thy house without, his blood is on his head, and we are innocent; and any one who is with thee in the house, his blood is on our head, if a hand is on him;
20and if thou declare this our matter, then we have been acquitted from thine oath which thou hast caused us to swear.'
17And the men said to her, We will be quit of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
18Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind in the window this line of scarlet thread by which thou hast let us down; and thou shalt gather to thee in the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household;
19and it shall be, that whoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, — his blood shall be upon his head, and we shall be innocent; but every one who shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be upon our head, if any hand be upon him.
20And if thou make known this our business, we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
Meaning in one sentence
The spies set clear conditions for Rahab: a scarlet cord in the window and her family gathered inside. Faith required a visible sign and an obedient stay.
Context
Joshua has sent two spies to scout Jericho. Rahab, a woman whose house sits on the city wall, has hidden them and asked for her family’s safety in return. The spies swear an oath, their lives for hers, but they add conditions. These verses record the terms: a scarlet cord in the window, her whole family gathered inside her house, and absolute silence about the mission. The oath is not unconditional; it demands a response that proves she trusts them. The rest of the chapter shows Rahab tying the cord and sending the spies safely to the hills. The conditions are not a test in the ordinary sense, they are the shape faith takes when it has to act.
Key Words
The Hebrew word behind “guiltless” or “blameless” is nekiyim (H5355), meaning free from liability or clean of charge. It appears three times in these verses, the spies are determined not to bear responsibility for any death unless their terms are broken. The word carries a legal weight: guilt is a real thing you can be bound by or released from.
Two other terms matter together. “Cord” or “line” is tikvah (H8615), the same root as “hope.” The word “scarlet” is shani (H8144), naming the deep crimson dye made from a small insect. Barnes points out that scarlet appears in Levitical ceremonies tied to cleansing from sin, so this colored thread, hung in a window, becomes a visible symbol of the hope for safety that rests on the blood of another.
How Christians Read This Verse
Many Christian readers have seen the scarlet cord as a clear type of Christ’s blood. Barnes notes how fathers from Clement of Rome onward compared it to the Passover blood, a sign of salvation common to both the messengers and those they visit. Keil and Delitzsch focus on the purpose of the conditions themselves: the spies needed to guard against any misunderstanding of their oath, making sure Rahab’s obedience was part of the agreement. Across traditions, the details of this passage are read as showing that genuine faith comes with observable actions, tying the cord, gathering the family, keeping the secret. The central tension, how an oath can bind without entrapping the oath-taker into irresponsible mercy, is resolved by these careful, concrete terms.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think the scarlet cord itself held protective power, as if the color or the string were a charm. In fact, the cord had no magic in it. It was a sign of Rahab’s trust and her obedience to the spies’ instructions. Her safety came from staying inside the house marked by that sign, not from the thread itself. The cord pointed to something real: the promise of men who feared God and meant to keep their word.
Living This Out
This passage asks you: what visible mark shows you are trusting God’s promise today? For Rahab, it was a red thread hanging where everyone could see it. For you, it might be a habit of prayer you keep even when you are tired, or a choice to gather your family under the same roof of faith, or a decision to hold your tongue when speaking could endanger others. The conditions the spies set were not complicated, they demanded one clear sign and one simple act of staying put. Look at the promise God has given you. Then ask: what one thing can I do this week that proves I mean it?
Main takeaway: Faith receives a promise by obeying the specific instructions that come with it, not by assuming the promise works no matter what.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Rahab had to hang a red string in her window. That was how the soldiers would know which house to keep safe. She did exactly what she was told.
For ages 9, 12
The spies gave Rahab clear instructions: tie this scarlet cord in the window, gather your whole family inside the house, and do not tell anyone what we are doing. Each part mattered. The cord showed she believed the promise. Staying inside showed she trusted them to protect her. Keeping quiet showed she was on their side. Faith is not just feeling something, it is doing what God says, even when it seems small.
Questions People Ask
Why did the spies use a scarlet cord as the sign?
Scarlet thread was common and visible, especially against a mud-brick wall. The color also carried deep meaning, it was used in Israel's rituals for cleansing from sin (Leviticus 14). Many early Christian teachers saw it as a picture of the blood of Christ that marks a house for salvation.
Did Rahab have to keep everyone inside the house to be safe?
Yes. The spies said that anyone who left the house would be responsible for their own death. Staying inside the marked house was the only way to be protected when the Israelites attacked. This echoes the Passover, where the Israelites stayed inside their blood-marked doors.
Was the spies' oath valid even though they added conditions after swearing?
The oath they swore in verse 14 was general, they promised to deal kindly. Here in verses 17-20 they are making the promise specific by stating the conditions that would release them from guilt. This is a common pattern in ancient covenants: the oath stands, but its application depends on the other party doing their part.
What does 'his blood shall be on his head' mean?
It is an idiom meaning the person is fully responsible for their own death. If someone walked out of Rahab's house into the street during the battle, they could not blame the Israelites. The responsibility rests entirely on the person who chose to leave.
Why did the spies care so much about being 'guiltless'?
They were taking an oath in the name of Yahweh. In Israel, swearing a false or broken oath was a serious sin (Leviticus 19:12). They wanted to be sure they were not bound to protect people who did not follow the plan. Setting clear conditions protected them from taking God's name in vain while still keeping their promise to Rahab.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study