Joshua 2

1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men as spies secretly, saying, Go, view the land, and Jericho. And they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lay down there.

Then Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men from Shittim secretly, with the purpose of searching out the land, and Jericho. So they went and came to the house of a loose woman of the town, named Rahab, where they took their rest for the night.

2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, men came in here tonight of the sons of Israel to search out the land.

And it was said to the king of Jericho, See, some men have come here tonight from the children of Israel with the purpose of searching out the land.

3 And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men who came to thee, who have entered into thy house, for they have come to search out all the land.

Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Send out the men who have come to you and are in your house; for they have come with the purpose of searching out all the land.

4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them. And she said, Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know from where they were.

And the woman took the two men and put them in a secret place; then she said, Yes, the men came to me, but I had no idea where they came from;

5 And it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I know not. Pursue after them quickly, for ye will overtake them.

And when it was the time for shutting the doors at dark, they went out; I have no idea where the men went: but if you go after them quickly, you will overtake them.

6 But she had brought them up to the roof, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.

But she had taken them up to the roof, covering them with the stems of flax which she had put out in order there.

7 And the men pursued after them the way to the Jordan to the fords, and as soon as those who pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.

So the men went after them on the road to Jordan as far as the river-crossing: and when they had gone out after them, the door into the town was shut.

8 And before they were laid down, she came up to them upon the roof.

And before the men went to rest, she came up to them on the roof,

9 And she said to the men, I know that Jehovah has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us. And that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.

And said to them, It is clear to me that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has come on us;

10 For we have heard how Jehovah dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when ye came out of Egypt, and what ye did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

For we have had news of how the Lord made the Red Sea dry before you when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, on the other side of Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you gave up to the curse.

11 And as soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man because of you, for Jehovah your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.

And because of this news, our hearts became like water, and there was no more spirit in any of us because of you; for the Lord your God is God in heaven on high and here on earth.

12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear to me by Jehovah, since I have dealt kindly with you, that ye also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a true token,

So now, will you give me your oath by the Lord, that, because I have been kind to you, you will be kind to my father's house,

13 and that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.

And that you will keep safe my father and mother and my brothers and sisters and all they have, so that death may not come on us?

14 And the men said to her, Our life for yours if ye do not utter this our business. And it shall be, when Jehovah gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

And the men said to her, Our life for yours if you keep our business secret; and when the Lord has given us the land, we will keep faith and be kind to you.

15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window, for her house was upon the side of the wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

Then she let them down from the window by a cord, for the house where she was living was on the town wall.

16 And she said to them, Get you to the mountain lest the pursuers come upon you. And hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned, and afterward ye may go your way.

And she said to them, Get away into the hill-country, or the men who have gone after you will overtake you; keep yourselves safe there for three days, till the searchers have come back, and then go on your way.

17 And the men said to her, We will be guiltless of this thine oath which thou have made us to swear.

And the men said to her, We will only be responsible for this oath which you have made us take,

18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shall bind this line of scarlet cord in the window which thou let us down by. And thou shall gather to thee into the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy brothers, and all thy father's household.

If, when we come into the land, you put this cord of bright red thread in the window from which you let us down; and get your father and mother and your brothers and all your family into the house;

19 And 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 guiltless. And whoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head if any hand be upon him.

Then if anyone goes out of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, we will not be responsible; but if any damage comes to anyone in the house, his blood will be on our heads.

20 But if thou utter this our business, then we shall be guiltless of thine oath which thou have made us to swear.

But if you say anything about our business here, then we will be free from the oath you have made us take.

21 And she said, According to your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet line in the window.

And she said, Let it be as you say. Then she sent them away, and they went; and she put the bright red cord in the window.

22 And they went, and came to the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned. And the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but did not find them.

And they went into the hill-country and were there three days, till the men who had gone after them had come back; and those who went after them were searching for them everywhere without coming across them.

23 Then the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun. And they told him all that had befallen them.

Then the two men came down from the hill-country and went over and came back to Joshua, the son of Nun; and they gave him a complete account of what had taken place.

24 And they said to Joshua, Truly Jehovah has delivered into our hands all the land, and moreover all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us.

And they said to Joshua, Truly, the Lord has given all the land into our hands; and all the people of the land have become like water because of us.