Joshua 2

1 Then Ioshua the sonne of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spie secretly, saying, Go, view the land, and also Iericho: and they went, and came into an harlots house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

2 Then report was made to the King of Iericho, saying, Beholde, there came men hither to night, of the children of Israel, to spie out the countrey.

And it was reported to the king of Jericho: “Behold, some men of Israel have come here tonight to spy out the land.”

3 And the King of Iericho sent vnto Rahab, saying, Bring foorth the men that are come to thee, and which are entred into thine house: for they be come to search out all the land.

So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole land.”

4 (But ye woman had taken the two men, and hid them) Therefore saide she thus, There came men vnto me, but I wist not whence they were.

But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from.

5 And when they shut the gate in the darke, the men went out, whither the men went I wote not: follow ye after them quickly, for ye shall ouertake them.

At dusk, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I do not know which way they went. Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them!”

6 (But she had brought them vp to the roofe of the house, and hidde them with the stalkes of flaxe, which she had spread abroad vpon the roofe)

(But Rahab had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had laid out there.)

7 And certaine men pursued after them, the way to Iorden, vnto the foordes, and as soone as they which pursued after them, were gone out, they shut the gate.

So the king’s men set out in pursuit of the spies along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they had gone out, the gate was shut.

8 And before they were a sleepe, she came vp vnto them vpon the roofe,

Before the spies lay down for the night, Rahab went up on the roof

9 And saide vnto the men, I knowe that the Lord hath giuen you the land, and that the feare of you is fallen vpon vs, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you.

10 For we haue heard, howe the Lord dried vp the water of the redde Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt, and what you did vnto the two Kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Iorden, vnto Sihon and to Og, whom ye vtterly destroyed:

For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction.

11 And when wee heard it, our heartes did faint, and there remained no more courage in any because of you: for the Lord your God, he is the God in heauen aboue, and in earth beneath.

When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.

12 Now therefore, I pray you, sweare vnto me by the Lord; that as I haue shewed you mercie, ye will also shewe mercie vnto my fathers house, and giue me a true token,

Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign

13 And that yee will saue aliue my father and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they haue: and that yee will deliuer our soules from death.

that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will deliver us from death.”

14 And the men answered her, Our life for you to die, if ye vtter not this our businesse: and when the Lord hath giuen vs the lande, we will deale mercifully and truely with thee.

“Our lives for your lives!” the men agreed. “If you do not report our mission, we will show you kindness and faithfulness when the LORD gives us the land.”

15 Then she let them downe by a corde thorowe the windowe: for her house was vpon the towne wall, and she dwelt vpon the wall.

Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window, since the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city.

16 And she said vnto them, Goe you into the mountaine, least the pursuers meete with you, and hide your selues there three dayes, vntill the pursuers be returned: then afterwarde may yee goe your way.

“Go to the hill country,” she said, “so that your pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they have returned; then go on your way.”

17 And the men said vnto her, We will be blamelesse of this thine othe, which thou hast made vs sweare.

The men said to her, “We will not be bound by this oath you made us swear

18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this cord of red threde in the window, whereby thou lettest vs downe, and thou shalt bring thy father and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy fathers houshold home to thee.

unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother and brothers and all your family into your house.

19 And whosoeuer then doeth goe out at the doores of thine house into the streete, his blood shalbe vpon his head, and we will be giltlesse: but whosoeuer shall be with thee in the house, his blood shalbe on our head, if any hande touch him:

If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads.

20 And if thou vtter this our matter, we will be quite of thine othe, which thou hast made vs sweare.

And if you report our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”

21 And she answered, According vnto your wordes, so be it: then she sent them away, and they departed, and she bound the red cord in ye window.

“Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. And when they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

22 And they departed, and came into the mountaine, and there abode three dayes, vntil the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but founde them not.

So the spies went out into the hill country and stayed there three days, until their pursuers had returned without finding them, having searched all along the road.

23 So the two men returned, and descended from the mountaine, and passed ouer, and came to Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and tolde him all things that came vnto them.

Then the two men started back, came down from the hill country, and crossed the river. So they came to Joshua son of Nun and reported all that had happened to them.

24 Also they saide vnto Ioshua, Surely the Lord hath deliuered into our handes all the lande: for euen all the inhabitants of the countrey faint because of vs.

“The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands,” they said to Joshua. “Indeed, all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of us.”