Joshua 2

1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men out from Shittim as spies. He said, “Go, look over the land, especially Jericho.” They went away and came to the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and they 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 It was told to the king of Jericho, “Look, men of Israel have come here to spy on the land.”

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

3 The king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who have come to you who entered your house, for they have come to spy on the whole 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 the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She replied, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

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 They left when it was dusk, when it was time for the city gate to shut. I do not know where they went. You will probably catch them if you hurry after 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 taken them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax that she had laid out on the roof.

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

7 So the men pursued them on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan. The gate was shut as soon as the pursuers went out.

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 The men had not yet lain down for the night, when she came up to them on the roof.

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

9 She said, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land and that the fear of you has come upon us. All those who live in the land will melt away before 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 We have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Sea of Reeds for you when you came out of Egypt. We also heard what you did to the two kings of the Amorites on other side of the Jordan—Sihon and Og—whom you completely 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 As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted and there was no courage left in anyone—for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

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 then, please swear to me by Yahweh that, just as I have been kind to you, you will also deal kindly with my father's house. Give me a sure sign

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 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters and all their families, and that you will save us 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 The men said to her, “Our life for yours, even to death! If you do not speak about our business, then, when Yahweh gives us this land we will be merciful and faithful to you.”

“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 So she let them down out through the window using a rope. The house in which she lived was built into the wall of the city.

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 She said to them, “Go in the hills and hide or the pursuers will find you. Hide there for three days until the pursuers have returned. Then go on 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 The men said to her, “We will be not be bound to the promises of the oath you made us swear to, if you do not do this.

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

18 When we come into the land, you must tie this scarlet rope in the window through which you let us down, and you will gather into the house your father and mother, your brothers and all your father's household.

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 Whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, their blood will be upon their own heads and we will be guiltless. But if a hand is laid upon any who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our head.

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 But if you speak about our business, we will be free from the oath you made us swear.”

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

21 Rahab replied, “May what you say be done.” She sent them away and they left. Then she tied the scarlet rope in the 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 They left and went up into the hills and they stayed there three days until their pursuers returned. The pursuers searched all along the road and found nothing.

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 The two men returned and crossed over and came back to Joshua son of Nun, and they told him everything that had happened to 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 They said to Joshua, “Truly Yahweh has given this land to us. All the inhabitants of the land are melting away because of us.”

“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.”