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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Jos C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24
Jos 2 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24
OET (OET-LV) And_it_was every one_who he_will_go_out from_the_doors_of your_house_of_your to_the_outside blood_of_his will_be_of_on_his_own_head and_we will_be_free and_all/each/any/every one_who he_will_be with_you in_house blood_of_his will_be_of_on_our_head if a_hand it_will_be in/on/over_him/it.
OET (OET-RV) If any of them leaves the house, their life will then be in their own hands and we’ll be innocent if they’re killed. But if anyone with you in this house gets injured, we’ll be responsible for that.
Joshua sent two men to look at Jericho, a town in the land of Canaan. A woman of Jericho called Rahab hid the two men so that the king’s soldiers could not find them. She did this because she believed that Yahweh would help the Israelites conquer their land. The men promised Rahab that if she did not betray them, they would rescue her and her family when the Israelites conquered the town. Rahab helped the men escape from Jericho and they hid in the hills for three days. When the soldiers of Jericho stopped looking for them, they returned to Joshua.
Here are some other possible section headings:
The spies went to Jericho
The spies and Rahab
Rahab helped the spies
Rahab helped the spies escape. Before they left, they explained what she must do so that they can save her and her family.
If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street,
If anyone goes outside the doors of your(sing) house,
If anyone leaves your house and goes outside,
If anyone goes out the door of your house: The clause If anyone goes out the door of your house indicates that Rahab’s family must stay inside the house and not leave it. In some languages it may be more natural to omit the phrase the door.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
If any of them go outside your house (NIV)
into the street: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as into the street is more literally “outside.” If your translation of “out the door of your house” already contains the meaning “outside” you may not need to repeat it.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
If any of them goes outside the house
Anyone who leaves your house (NET)
his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent.
his death will be his own responsibility. We will be innocent of his death.
it will be his own fault if he gets killed. We will not be responsible for what happens.
his blood will be on his own head: This is an idiom. It means “his death will be his fault.” The spies said that if any of Rahab’s family does not obey their instructions, it will be that person’s fault when they die. It will not be the fault of the spies.
his blood: The term blood is a figure of speech. It refers to death. The pronoun his is masculine but in this context it refers to every member of Rahab’s family, the women as well as the men.
and we will be innocent: The term innocent is the same Hebrew word that was used in verse 17b (translated in the BSB as “not…bound”). If it is possible you should use the same term here as in verse 17b. If it is not natural to use the same term, here are some other ways to translate it:
we will be innocent of his death
we will not be responsible for his death
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
he will be responsible for his own death, and we will be innocent
If he dies it will be his own fault. We will not be guilty
But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house,
However, if our people harm anyone who is indoors with you,
But, if anyone who remains with you in the house gets hurt,
But: The Hebrew conjunction that the BSB translates as But introduces a contrast.2:19 Williams, p, 71 paragraph 433. Verse 19a-b explains what will happen to someone who leaves Rahab’s house. Verse 19c-d explains what will happen to someone who stays in the house. Use a connecting word in your language that indicates this contrast.
if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house: The Hebrew idiom that the BSB translates as a hand is laid on indicates that someone gets hurt.
Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:
But if any one inside the house gets hurt
But if someone harms one of your family inside the house
his blood will be on our heads.
his death will be our responsibility.
we will be responsible.
his blood will be on our heads: This indicates that the two spies will be responsible if Rahab’s family dies. See the notes on verse 19b.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical
וְהָיָ֡ה כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵא֩ מִדַּלְתֵ֨י בֵיתֵ֧ךְ ׀ הַח֛וּצָה דָּמ֥וֹ בְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ נְקִיִּ֑ם וְ֠כֹל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִֽהְיֶ֤ה אִתָּךְ֙ בַּבַּ֔יִת דָּמ֣וֹ בְרֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ אִם־יָ֖ד תִּֽהְיֶה־בּֽוֹ
and=it_was all which/who goes_out from,the_doors_of your_house_of,your to,the,outside blood_of,his [will,be]_of,on_his_own_head and,we innocent and=all/each/any/every which/who will_belong with,you in,house blood_of,his [will,be]_of,on_our_head if hand you(ms)_will_be in/on/over=him/it
The spies are saying what would happen in the case of two different possibilities. They are describing what second event would follow a first event in each case. If it would be helpful in your language, you could add a connecting word before the second event. Alternate translation: [Now suppose someone goes out from the doors of your house to the outside and is killed. Then his blood will be on his head, and we will be innocent. But suppose someone stays with you in the house. Then his blood will be on our heads if a hand is laid on him]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche
מִדַּלְתֵ֨י בֵיתֵ֧ךְ
from,the_doors_of your_house_of,your
The spies are using one part of Rahab’s house, its doors, to mean all it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [from inside your house]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
דָּמ֥וֹ בְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ & דָּמ֣וֹ בְרֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ
blood_of,his [will,be]_of,on_his_own_head & blood_of,his [will,be]_of,on_our_head
The spies are using the term blood by association to mean “death.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [his death will be on his head … his death will be on our head]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
דָּמ֥וֹ בְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ & דָּמ֣וֹ בְרֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ
blood_of,his [will,be]_of,on_his_own_head & blood_of,his [will,be]_of,on_our_head
The spies are using a common expression that means that someone was morally and legally responsible for something. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [he will be responsible for his own death … we will be responsible for his death]
Note 5 topic: grammar-collectivenouns
בְרֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ
[will,be]_of,on_our_head
Since the spies are referring to themselves, and there are two of them, it might be more natural in your language to use the plural form of head. Alternate translation: [on our heads]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
יָ֖ד תִּֽהְיֶה־בּֽוֹ
hand you(ms)_will_be in/on/over=him/it
The spies are using the expression a hand shall be upon to mean that someone would be injured or harmed. If it would be clearer in your language, you could use an equivalent idiom or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [anyone harms that person]
2:19 it will not be our fault. But . . . we will accept the responsibility: The spies used a standard formula to accept responsibility for any of Rahab’s family remaining with her in her house, but not for those who did not.
OET (OET-LV) And_it_was every one_who he_will_go_out from_the_doors_of your_house_of_your to_the_outside blood_of_his will_be_of_on_his_own_head and_we will_be_free and_all/each/any/every one_who he_will_be with_you in_house blood_of_his will_be_of_on_our_head if a_hand it_will_be in/on/over_him/it.
OET (OET-RV) If any of them leaves the house, their life will then be in their own hands and we’ll be innocent if they’re killed. But if anyone with you in this house gets injured, we’ll be responsible for that.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.
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