1
Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. "Go, look
over the land," he said, "especially Jericho." So they went and entered
the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
2
The king of Jericho was told, "Look! Some ot the Israelites have come
here tonight to spy out the land."
3
So the king of Jericho sent his message to Rahab: "Bring out the men
who came to you and entered your house, because they have come
to spy out the whole land."
4
But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said,
"Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come
from.
5
At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don't
know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up
with them."
6
(But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the
stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.)
7
So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to
the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out,
the gate was shut.
8
Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof
9
and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given this land to you
and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in
this country are melting in fear because of you.
10
We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea
for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon
and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom
you have completely destroyed.
11
When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage
failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven
above and on the earth below.
12
Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show
kindness to you. Giveme a sure sign
13
that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers
and sisters, and all who belongs to them, and that you will save us
from death."
14
"Our lives for your lives!" the men assured her. "If you don't tell
what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when
the LORD gives us the land."
15
So she led them down by a rope through the window, for the house
she lived in was part of the city wall.
16
Now she had said to them, "Go to the hills so the pursuers will
not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return,
and then go on your way."
17
The men said to her, "This oath you made us swear will not be
binding on us
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, your brother and all
your family into your house.
19
If anyone goes outside your house into the street, his blood
will be on his own head; we will not be responsible. As for
anyone who is in the house with you, his blood will be on
our head if a hand is laid on him.
20
But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from
the oath you made us swear."
21
"Agreed," she replied. "Let it be as you say." So she sent them
away and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the
window.
22
When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three
days, until the pursuers had searched all along the road and
returned without finding them.
23
Then the two men started back. They went down out of the
hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and
told him everything that had happened to them.
24
They said to Joshua, "The LORD has surely given the whole land
into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us."
Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. "Go, look
over the land," he said, "especially Jericho." So they went and entered
the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
15
So she led them down by a rope through the window, for the house
she lived in was part of the city wall.