1 N ow Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.

Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men from Shittim to go in secret to learn about the land. He said to them, “Go and spy out the land, and Jericho.” So they went and came to the house of Rahab, a woman who sold the use of her body, and they stayed there.

2 A nd it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.”

Then the king of Jericho was told, “See, men of Israel have come here to spy out the land.”

3 S o the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.”

So the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you and have gone into your house. For they have come to spy out all the land.”

4 T hen the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

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 were from.

5 A nd it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.”

When it was time for the gate to be shut after dark, the men went out. I do not know where they went. Be quick to go after them, for you will catch them.”

6 ( But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.)

But she had brought them up to the roof and had hidden them under the grain she had put up there.

7 T hen the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.

The men went after them on the road to the Jordan as far as the river crossing. As soon as those going after them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8 N ow before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof,

Before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof.

9 a nd said to the men: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you.

And she said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land. The fear of you has come upon us. All the people living in the land have become weak with fear because of you.

10 F or 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 the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.

For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt. We have heard how you destroyed the two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan.

11 A nd as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

When we heard it, our hearts became weak. No man had strength of heart any more because of you. For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.

12 N ow therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token,

Now I have shown you kindness. So I beg of you, promise me by the Lord that you will show kindness to those of my father’s house. Give me something to show that you will be faithful.

13 a nd spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”

Do not kill my father and mother and my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them. Save us from death.”

14 S o the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”

So the men said to her, “Our life for yours! If you do not tell anyone what we are doing, we will be faithful and show you kindness when the Lord gives us the land.”

15 T hen she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall.

Then she let them down by a rope through the window. She lived in her house that was built on top of the city wall.

16 A nd she said to them, “Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward you may go your way.”

She said to them, “Go to the hill country, or those who are looking for you might find you. For three days hide yourselves there until those who are looking for you return. Then you may go on your way.”

17 S o the men said to her: “We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear,

The men said to her, “We will be free from this promise you have made us swear

18 u nless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home.

unless, when we come into the land, you tie this red rope in the window you let us down through. Bring your father and mother, your brothers and all those of your father’s house into your house.

19 S o it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him.

If anyone goes out through the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head. We will not be guilty for his death. But if a hand is laid upon anyone who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our head.

20 A nd if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear.”

And we will be free from the promise you made us swear if you tell anyone what we are doing.”

21 T hen she said, “According to your words, so be it.” And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window.

She said, “Let it be as you have said.” Then she sent them away, and tied the red rope in the window.

22 T hey departed and went to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but did not find them.

They left and came to the hill country and stayed there for three days until those who were looking for them returned. The men had looked for them all along the road, but had not found them.

23 S o the two men returned, descended from the mountain, and crossed over; and they came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them.

Then the two men came down from the hill country, crossed over the Jordan, and came to Joshua the son of Nun. They told him all that had happened to them.

24 A nd they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.”

They said to Joshua, “For sure the Lord has given all the land into our hands. All the people living in the land have become weak with fear because of us.”