Joshua 2

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

3 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. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from.

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

9 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 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 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, 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 and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will deliver us from death.”

14 “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 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 “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 not be bound by this oath you made us swear

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

21 “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 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 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 “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.”

1 ¶ And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.

3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.

4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they [were]:

5 And it came to pass [about the time] of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

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

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

8 ¶ And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;

9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that [were] on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

11 And as soon as we had heard [these things], our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he [is] God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:

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

14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house [was] upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

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

17 And the men said unto her, We [will be] blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.

18 Behold, [when] we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.

19 And it shall be, [that] whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood [shall be] upon his head, and we [will be] guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood [shall be] on our head, if [any] hand be upon him.

20 And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

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

22 ¶ And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought [them] throughout all the way, but found [them] not.

23 So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all [things] that befell them:

24 And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent two spies secretly from Shittim, saying, Go, visit the land, and Jericho. And they went, and came into the house of a harlot named Rahab, and entered into her.

2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there are men come in this night of the children of Israel to search the land.

3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee into thine house: for they are come to search out all the land.

4 But the woman hid the two men, and said thus, Men came in unto me, but I knew not whence they were.

5 And when they were about to shut the gates, because it was dark, they went out, that I know not whither they went. Chase after them with haste; for ye shall seize them.

6 And she let them go up upon the roof, and hid them under the stalks of flax, which she had spread for them upon the roof.

7 And the men pursued after them by the way of Jordan unto the fords. And they shut the gate, when they were gone out that pursued after them.

8 And before the men lay down to sleep, she went up unto them upon the housetop.

9 And said unto them: I know that the LORD hath given you the land: for terror is fallen upon us because of you, and all the inhabitants of the land are become cowards before your coming.

10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red sea from before you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, on the other side Jordan, how ye destroyed them.

11 And since we have heard these things, our heart is troubled, and there is no more courage in any man for your future: for the LORD your God is one God, both in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

12 Now therefore swear unto me by the LORD, that, because I have shewed mercy unto you, ye also shew mercy unto my father's house; and give me a sure sign,

13 That ye save my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our souls from death.

14 And the men said unto her, If we do not do mercy and faithfulness unto thee, when the LORD giveth us the land, our soul shall be put to death for you, except thou betray our business.

15 And she let them down by the rope through the window: for her house was upon the wall of the city, and she dwelt upon the wall.

16 And she said unto them: Go up into the mountain, that they which pursue you meet not; and hide yourselves there three days, until they that pursue you come again: and afterward go your way.

17 And the men said unto her, But we will be loosed from the oath which thou hast taken from us,

18 When we come into the land, and thou hast not tied this red cord in the window, that thou mightest let us down, and gather unto thee into the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's house.

19 And whosoever goeth out at the door of thine house, let his blood be upon his head, and we be guiltless: but of all that are in thine house, if a hand be laid upon them, their blood shall be upon our head.

20 And if thou shalt say any thing of this business of ours, we will be loosed from the oath which thou hast taken of us.

21 And she said, Let it be as ye say; and let them go. And they went. And she knotted the red rope in the window.

22 And they went and came to the mountains, and abode there three days, until they that pursued them should return. For they sought them in all the highways, but found them not.

23 So the two men returned, and went down from the mountains, and passed over; and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things as they had found them,

24 And they said unto Joshua, The LORD hath delivered all the land into our hand: even so all the inhabitants of the land are cowardly before us.