Joshua 2:20 is the condition the two Israelite spies attach to their promise of safety for Rahab, the woman of Jericho who hid them. They will keep their oath to spare her and her household only if she keeps quiet about their mission. The words are spoken by the spies themselves, who have just been hidden on her roof and are now bargaining with her before they leave the city.
But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear.”
Joshua 2:20 (WEB)
What Joshua 2:20 Means
The verse opens with “But if you talk about this business of ours,” which names the condition. The spies are not threatening Rahab. They are stating a plain requirement: the protection they have promised depends on her discretion. The word “business” is a gentle way of referring to the secret mission that has brought them into Jericho to scout the city before Israel’s attack.
The second half, “then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear,” explains what the promise covers. The spies swore to deal kindly with her in return for her help. If she exposes them, they are released from that obligation. The verse is about a binding agreement with clear terms on both sides, not a general statement about God’s love or a guarantee that Rahab’s life will be safe whatever she does.
The Context of Joshua 2:20
The book of Joshua records Israel’s entry into the land of Canaan after the death of Moses, and this chapter opens the account of Jericho. The book is traditionally attributed to Joshua himself, though the closing chapters were likely added later by another hand. Its first readers were the people of Israel, who needed to see how God had brought them into the promised land and how their ancestors’ faith and obedience were tested in the process.
The verses just before and after this one, Joshua 2:17 through 2:23, show that the spies are answering Rahab’s earlier request for mercy. In verse 18 they tell her to tie a scarlet cord in her window as a sign, and in verse 19 they spell out the terms in detail. Verse 21 records her agreement, and verses 22 and 23 show the spies escaping and reporting back to Joshua. Read in that sequence, Joshua 2:20 is the final step of a negotiation, which makes the verse feel less like a warning and more like a careful, mutual pledge.
Key Phrases in Joshua 2:20
Matthew 5:37
But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.
(WEB)
Jesus teaches that plain yes and no should be enough for a person of integrity, without needing elaborate oaths. This connects to Joshua 2:20 because the spies’ promise and its condition show how seriously trust and speech were taken in that world, and Jesus calls his followers to a simple honesty that makes such bonds unnecessary.
Hebrews 6:18
That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.
(WEB)
This verse speaks of two unchangeable things, God’s promise and his oath, in which it is impossible for him to lie. It contrasts God’s faithfulness with the conditional oaths of people, and it helps readers see that Rahab’s story points toward a God whose promises do not depend on human discretion.
A Short Prayer From Joshua 2:20
Lord, you are faithful when we are not. Help me to keep my word and to guard the trust others place in me, especially when it costs me something to do so. Where I have made promises that are hard to keep, give me the courage to be honest and the wisdom to act rightly. Thank you that your promises stand firm even when human agreements are fragile. Teach me to reflect your faithfulness in my own words and actions. Amen.
