< יהושע 2 >

וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ־בִּן־נוּן מִֽן־הַשִּׁטִּים שְׁנַֽיִם־אֲנָשִׁים מְרַגְּלִים חֶרֶשׁ לֵאמֹר לְכוּ רְאוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְאֶת־יְרִיחוֹ וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ בֵּית־אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה וּשְׁמָהּ רָחָב וַיִּשְׁכְּבוּ־שָֽׁמָּה׃ 1
And so Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men from Shittim to explore in secret. And he said to them, “Go and consider the land and the city of Jericho.” And while traveling, they entered into the house of a harlot woman named Rahab, and they rested with her.
וַיֵּאָמַר לְמֶלֶךְ יְרִיחוֹ לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה אֲנָשִׁים בָּאוּ הֵנָּה הַלַּיְלָה מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַחְפֹּר אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ 2
And it was reported to the king of Jericho, and it was said: “Behold, men have entered to this place in the night, from the sons of Israel, so that they might explore the land.”
וַיִּשְׁלַח מֶלֶךְ יְרִיחוֹ אֶל־רָחָב לֵאמֹר הוֹצִיאִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הַבָּאִים אֵלַיִךְ אֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ לְבֵיתֵךְ כִּי לַחְפֹּר אֶת־כׇּל־הָאָרֶץ בָּֽאוּ׃ 3
And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying: “Bring out the men who came to you, and who entered into your house. For certainly they are spies, and they have arrived to consider the entire land.”
וַתִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה אֶת־שְׁנֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים וַֽתִּצְפְּנוֹ וַתֹּאמֶר ׀ כֵּן בָּאוּ אֵלַי הָאֲנָשִׁים וְלֹא יָדַעְתִּי מֵאַיִן הֵֽמָּה׃ 4
And the woman, taking the men, hid them. And she said: “I admit that they came to me, but I did not know where they were from.
וַיְהִי הַשַּׁעַר לִסְגּוֹר בַּחֹשֶׁךְ וְהָאֲנָשִׁים יָצָאוּ לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אָנָה הָלְכוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים רִדְפוּ מַהֵר אַחֲרֵיהֶם כִּי תַשִּׂיגֽוּם׃ 5
And when the gate was closed, they went out together in the darkness. I do not know where they have gone. Pursue them quickly, and you will overtake them.”
וְהִיא הֶעֱלָתַם הַגָּגָה וַֽתִּטְמְנֵם בְּפִשְׁתֵּי הָעֵץ הָעֲרֻכוֹת לָהּ עַל־הַגָּֽג׃ 6
But she caused the men to ascend to the roof of her house, and she covered them with the stalks of flax that were there.
וְהָאֲנָשִׁים רָדְפוּ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם דֶּרֶךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן עַל הַֽמַּעְבְּרוֹת וְהַשַּׁעַר סָגָרוּ אַחֲרֵי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ הָרֹדְפִים אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ 7
But those who had been sent pursued after them along the way that leads to the ford of the Jordan. And as soon as they went out, the gate was closed.
וְהֵמָּה טֶרֶם יִשְׁכָּבוּן וְהִיא עָלְתָה עֲלֵיהֶם עַל־הַגָּֽג׃ 8
Those who were hiding had not yet fallen asleep, and behold, the woman went up to them, and she said:
וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָאֲנָשִׁים יָדַעְתִּי כִּֽי־נָתַן יְהֹוָה לָכֶם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְכִֽי־נָפְלָה אֵֽימַתְכֶם עָלֵינוּ וְכִי נָמֹגוּ כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ מִפְּנֵיכֶֽם׃ 9
“I know that the Lord has given this land to you. For the terror of you has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land have languished.
כִּי שָׁמַעְנוּ אֵת אֲשֶׁר־הוֹבִישׁ יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֵי יַם־סוּף מִפְּנֵיכֶם בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרָיִם וַאֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם לִשְׁנֵי מַלְכֵי הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן לְסִיחֹן וּלְעוֹג אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱרַמְתֶּם אוֹתָֽם׃ 10
We have heard that the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea upon your arrival, when you were departing from Egypt, and we heard of the things that you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you put to death.
וַנִּשְׁמַע וַיִּמַּס לְבָבֵנוּ וְלֹא־קָמָה עוֹד רוּחַ בְּאִישׁ מִפְּנֵיכֶם כִּי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הוּא אֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל־הָאָרֶץ מִתָּֽחַת׃ 11
And upon hearing these things, we were very afraid, and our heart languished. Neither did there remain in us any spirit at your arrival. For the Lord your God is the very God in heaven above and on earth below.
וְעַתָּה הִשָּֽׁבְעוּ־נָא לִי בַּֽיהֹוָה כִּֽי־עָשִׂיתִי עִמָּכֶם חָסֶד וַעֲשִׂיתֶם גַּם־אַתֶּם עִם־בֵּית אָבִי חֶסֶד וּנְתַתֶּם לִי אוֹת אֱמֶֽת׃ 12
Now, therefore, swear to me by the Lord that in the same way that I have acted with mercy toward you, so also shall you act toward the house of my father. And may you give me a true sign
וְהַחֲיִתֶם אֶת־אָבִי וְאֶת־אִמִּי וְאֶת־אַחַי וְאֶת־[אַחְיוֹתַי] (אחותי) וְאֵת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם וְהִצַּלְתֶּם אֶת־נַפְשֹׁתֵינוּ מִמָּֽוֶת׃ 13
that you will save my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all that is theirs, and that you may rescue our souls from death.”
וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהּ הָאֲנָשִׁים נַפְשֵׁנוּ תַחְתֵּיכֶם לָמוּת אִם לֹא תַגִּידוּ אֶת־דְּבָרֵנוּ זֶה וְהָיָה בְּתֵת־יְהֹוָה לָנוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְעָשִׂינוּ עִמָּךְ חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃ 14
They responded to her: “May our lives be yours unto death, if only you do not betray us. And when the Lord will have delivered the land to us, we will act toward you with mercy and truth.”
וַתּוֹרִדֵם בַּחֶבֶל בְּעַד הַחַלּוֹן כִּי בֵיתָהּ בְּקִיר הַחוֹמָה וּבַֽחוֹמָה הִיא יוֹשָֽׁבֶת׃ 15
Therefore, she sent them down from a window with a rope. For her house was joined to the wall.
וַתֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הָהָרָה לֵּכוּ פֶּֽן־יִפְגְּעוּ בָכֶם הָרֹֽדְפִים וְנַחְבֵּתֶם שָׁמָּה שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים עַד שׁוֹב הָרֹֽדְפִים וְאַחַר תֵּלְכוּ לְדַרְכְּכֶֽם׃ 16
And she said to them: “Climb up to the mountains; otherwise, they may meet you as they are returning. And lay hidden there for three days, until they return. And then you will go on your way.”
וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלֶיהָ הָאֲנָשִׁים נְקִיִּם אֲנַחְנוּ מִשְּׁבֻעָתֵךְ הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ׃ 17
And they said to her: “We shall be innocent of this oath, to which you have sworn us,
הִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ בָאִים בָּאָרֶץ אֶת־תִּקְוַת חוּט הַשָּׁנִי הַזֶּה תִּקְשְׁרִי בַּֽחַלּוֹן אֲשֶׁר הוֹרַדְתֵּנוּ בוֹ וְאֶת־אָבִיךְ וְאֶת־אִמֵּךְ וְאֶת־אַחַיִךְ וְאֵת כׇּל־בֵּית אָבִיךְ תַּאַסְפִי אֵלַיִךְ הַבָּֽיְתָה׃ 18
if, when we enter into the land, this scarlet cord has been placed as a sign, and you have tied it at the window by which you let us down. And so, gather your father, and mother, and brothers, and all your family into your house.
וְהָיָה כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵא מִדַּלְתֵי בֵיתֵךְ ׀ הַחוּצָה דָּמוֹ בְרֹאשׁוֹ וַאֲנַחְנוּ נְקִיִּם וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִֽהְיֶה אִתָּךְ בַּבַּיִת דָּמוֹ בְרֹאשֵׁנוּ אִם־יָד תִּֽהְיֶה־בּֽוֹ׃ 19
Whoever will have exited from the door of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be uninvolved. But the blood of all who will be with you in the house shall fall back upon our own head, if anyone touches them.
וְאִם־תַּגִּידִי אֶת־דְּבָרֵנוּ זֶה וְהָיִינוּ נְקִיִּם מִשְּׁבֻעָתֵךְ אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ׃ 20
But if you will have betrayed us, so that you spread this word in their midst, we will be free from this oath, to which you have sworn us.”
וַתֹּאמֶר כְּדִבְרֵיכֶם כֶּן־הוּא וַֽתְּשַׁלְּחֵם וַיֵּלֵכוּ וַתִּקְשֹׁר אֶת־תִּקְוַת הַשָּׁנִי בַּחַלּֽוֹן׃ 21
And she responded, “Just as you have spoken, so let it be done.” And sending them to travel on, she hung the scarlet cord at the window.
וַיֵּֽלְכוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ הָהָרָה וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים עַד־שָׁבוּ הָרֹֽדְפִים וַיְבַקְשׁוּ הָרֹדְפִים בְּכׇל־הַדֶּרֶךְ וְלֹא מָצָֽאוּ׃ 22
And truly, walking on, they arrived at the mountains, and they stayed there for three days, until those who had been pursuing them returned. For having sought them along the entire way, they did not find them.
וַיָּשֻׁבוּ שְׁנֵי הָֽאֲנָשִׁים וַיֵּרְדוּ מֵֽהָהָר וַיַּֽעַבְרוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן וַיְסַפְּרוּ־לוֹ אֵת כׇּל־הַמֹּצְאוֹת אוֹתָֽם׃ 23
And when they returned and entered the city, the explorers descended from the mountain. And crossing the Jordan, they went to Joshua, the son of Nun, and they reported to him all that had happened to them.
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כִּֽי־נָתַן יְהֹוָה בְּיָדֵנוּ אֶת־כׇּל־הָאָרֶץ וְגַם־נָמֹגוּ כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ מִפָּנֵֽינוּ׃ 24
And they said, “The Lord has delivered this entire land into our hands, and all its inhabitants have been struck down by fear.”

< יהושע 2 >