2
1 Joshua
the son of
Nun secretly sent
two men out
of Shittim as
spies, saying, “Go,
view the land,
including Jericho.”
They went and
came into the
house of a
prostitute whose
name was Rahab,
and slept there.
2 The
king of Jericho
was told, “Behold,
men of the
children of Israel
came in here
tonight to spy out
the land.”
3 Jericho’s
king sent to
Rahab, saying, “Bring
out the men
who have come
to you, who
have entered into
your house; for
they have come
to spy out all
the land.”
4 The woman
took the two
men and hid
them. Then she
said, “Yes, the
men came to
me, but I didn’t
know where they
came from.
5 About
the time of
the shutting of
the gate, when
it was dark,
the men went
out. Where the
men went, I don’t
know. Pursue them
quickly. You may
catch up with
them.”
6 But
she had brought
them up to
the roof, and
hidden them under
the stalks of
flax which she
had laid in
order on the
roof.
7 The men
pursued them along
the way to
the fords of
the Jordan River.
As soon as
those who pursued
them had gone
out, they shut
the gate.
8 Before
they had lain
down, she came
up to them
on the roof.
9 She said
to the men, “I
know that the
LORD has given
you the land,
and that the
fear of you
has fallen upon
us, and that
all the
inhabitants of the
land melt away
before you.
10 For
we have heard
how the LORD
dried up the
water of the
Red Sea before
you, when you
came out of
Egypt; and what
you did to
the two kings
of the Amorites,
who were beyond
the Jordan, to
Sihon and to
Og, whom you
utterly destroyed.
11 As
soon as we
had heard it,
our hearts melted,
and there wasn’t
any more spirit
in any man,
because of you:
for the LORD
your God, he
is God in
heaven above, and
on earth beneath.
12 Now
therefore, please
swear to me
by the LORD,
since I have
dealt kindly with
you, that you
also will deal
kindly with
my father’s house,
and give me
a true sign;
13 and
that you will
save alive
my father, my mother,
my brothers, and
my sisters, and
all that they
have, and will
deliver our lives
from death.”
14 The
men said to
her, “Our life
for yours, if
you don’t talk
about this
business of ours;
and it shall
be, when the
LORD gives us
the land, that we
will deal kindly
and truly with
you.”
15 Then
she let them
down by a
cord through the
window; for her
house was on
the side of
the wall, and
she lived on
the wall.
16 She said
to them, “Go
to the mountain,
lest the
pursuers find you.
Hide yourselves
there three days,
until the pursuers
have returned. Afterward,
you may go
your way.”
17 The men said
to her, “We will be
guiltless of this
your oath which
you’ve made us to
swear.
18 Behold,
when we come
into the land, tie
this line of
scarlet thread in
the window which
you used to
let us down. Gather
to yourself into
the house
your father, your mother,
your brothers, and
all your father’s
household.
19 It
shall be that
whoever goes out
of the doors
of your house
into the street,
his blood will
be on his
head, and we
will be guiltless.
Whoever is with
you in the
house, his blood
shall be on
our head, if
any hand is
on him.
20 But
if you talk
about this
business of ours,
then we shall
be guiltless of
your oath which
you’ve made us
to swear.”
21 She
said, “Let it
be as you
have said.” She
sent them away,
and they departed.
Then she tied
the scarlet line
in the window.
22 They
went and came
to the mountain,
and stayed there
three days, until
the pursuers had
returned. The
pursuers sought
them all along
the way, but didn’t
find them.
23 Then
the two men
returned, descended
from the mountain,
crossed the river,
and came to
Joshua the son
of Nun. They
told him all
that had happened
to them.
24 They said
to Joshua, “Truly
the LORD has
delivered all the
land into our
hands. Moreover,
all the
inhabitants of the
land melt away
before us.”