Rahab and the Spies
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 thehouse of a prostitute named Rahab
and stayed there.
2
The king of Jericho was told, "Look! Some of the Israelites have come here
tonight to spy out the land."
3
So the king of Jericho sent this 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 he 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 knw 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 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 my family, because I have shown 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 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 give us the land."
15
So she let 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 brothers 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."
