The Meaning of Joshua 2:18 Explained

Joshua 2:18

KJV: Behold, 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.

YLT: lo, 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;

Darby: Behold, 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;

ASV: Behold, 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, [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. 

What does Joshua 2:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 2:15-24 - The Escape And Report Of The Spies
Rahab's trust in the promise of the spies, and in the efficacy of the scarlet line around her window is a striking type of the faith that relies on the promise of God, that those who are united with Christ shall be saved in this world and the next. Her faith was not the result of impulse, but of a considerate review of the story of the Exodus. Would you have faith, soak your soul in the fact and teachings of Christ.
Note the strict conditions exacted by the spies as to the extent of their responsibility. Amid the general destruction, only those sheltered in the precincts of Rahab's house would escape. To be outside, though related to her, would not avail. So the great salvation of Jesus is available only to those who are found "in Him," having upon them the divine righteousness, Philippians 3:9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 2

1  Rahab receives and conceals the two spies sent from Shittim
8  The covenant between her and them
23  Their return and description of events

What do the individual words in Joshua 2:18 mean?

Unless [when] we come into the land - line of cord scarlet this you bind in the window through which you let us down in and unless your father and your mother your brothers and all household of your father you bring to your own home
הִנֵּ֛ה אֲנַ֥חְנוּ בָאִ֖ים בָּאָ֑רֶץ אֶת־ תִּקְוַ֡ת חוּט֩ הַשָּׁנִ֨י הַזֶּ֜ה תִּקְשְׁרִ֗י בַּֽחַלּוֹן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הוֹרַדְתֵּ֣נוּ ב֔וֹ וְאֶת־ אָבִ֨יךְ וְאֶת־ אִמֵּ֜ךְ אַחַ֗יִךְ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔יךְ תַּאַסְפִ֥י אֵלַ֖יִךְ הַבָּֽיְתָה

הִנֵּ֛ה  Unless  [when] 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
בָאִ֖ים  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בָּאָ֑רֶץ  into  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תִּקְוַ֡ת  line 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תִּקְוָה 
Sense: cord.
חוּט֩  of  cord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חוּט  
Sense: a thread, cord, line, string.
הַשָּׁנִ֨י  scarlet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁנִי  
Sense: scarlet, crimson.
הַזֶּ֜ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
תִּקְשְׁרִ֗י  you  bind 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: קָשַׁר  
Sense: to bind, tie, bind together, league together, conspire.
בַּֽחַלּוֹן֙  in  the  window 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: חַלֹּון 
Sense: window (piercing of the wall).
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  through  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הוֹרַדְתֵּ֣נוּ  you  let  us  down 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person feminine singular, first person common plural
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
וְאֶת־  and  unless 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אָבִ֨יךְ  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אִמֵּ֜ךְ  your  mother 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: אֵם  
Sense: mother.
אַחַ֗יִךְ  your  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person feminine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
בֵּ֣ית  household 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אָבִ֔יךְ  of  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
תַּאַסְפִ֥י  you  bring 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
אֵלַ֖יִךְ  to  your  own 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַבָּֽיְתָה  home 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.