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 out two spies from Shittim. “Go and explore the land, especially around Jericho,” he told them. So they went, and stayed at the house of woman named Rahab, a prostitute. There they spent the night.

2 It was told to the king of Jericho, “Look, men of Israel have come here to spy on the land.”

But the king of Jericho was told, “Look, some Israelites have come here this evening 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 orders to Rahab, telling her, “Hand over the men who came to visit you and stay in your house, for they've come to spy out our whole country.”

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.

The woman had taken the two men and had hidden them. She told the king's messengers, “Yes, it's true—the men did come to visit me, but I didn't know where they were 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.”

They left at sundown, just as the city gate was closing. I've no idea where they went. If you're quick, you can chase after them and maybe catch up with 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.

(She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under some bundles of flax that she had lying 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.

The king's messengers went chasing after the men down the road that leads to the Jordan River fords. As soon as the pursuers had left, the city gate was shut behind them.

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

Before the spies went to sleep, Rachel came up to the roof to talk to them.

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.

She told them, “I know that the Lord has given this land to you. We're all terrified of you. Everyone who lives here is dying of fright since you people arrived.

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.

We've heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you completely destroyed.

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 all this, our courage melted away. Nobody had any fighting spirit left because of you. For the Lord your God is God of heaven above and 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

So now promise me in the name of the Lord that because I have acted in good faith to you, then you will do the same for my family. Give me some sign that I can trust you,

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 my father and mother and brothers and sisters—and all who are part of their families—that you will save them 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 yours!” the men told her. “If you don't tell anyone about this, we will treat you honestly and faithfully 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 she lowered them down by a rope through the window since the house where she lived was built into the outside of the city wall.

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.”

“Run to the hills,” she told them. “That way those searching for you won't find you. Stay there three days until they've gone home, and then you can be 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 had told her, “We will be freed from the promise 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 this land, you hang a scarlet cord in the window through which you lowered us. You must gather together in the house your father and mother and brothers—all the family.

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 leaves your house and is killed, that's their fault—we're not responsible for their death. But if anyone lays a hand on someone who is inside your house, we take full responsibility for their death.

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

But if you tell anyone about this then we will be freed from the promise 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.

“I agree—may it be as you say,” she replied. She sent them off, and hung a 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.

They went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men searching for them looked all along the road, but couldn't find them, so they returned home.

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. They came down from the hill country and crossed over the Jordan. They went to Joshua and explained to him 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 placed this land in our hands,” they assured him. “All the people who live there are scared to death of us!”