Joshua 2
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Spies Sent to Jericho
2 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies(A) from the Acacia Grove,[a] saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a woman, a prostitute named Rahab,(B) and stayed there.
2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land.”
4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them.(C) So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from. 5 At nightfall, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don’t know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!” 6 But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them(D) among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. 7 The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the gate was shut.
The Promise to Rahab
8 Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land(E) and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you.[b] 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt,(F) and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed(G) across the Jordan. 11 When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed[c] because of you,(H) for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. 12 Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you.[d] Give me a sure sign[e] 13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.”
14 The men answered her, “We will give our lives for yours. If you don’t report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land.”
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, since she lived in a house that was built into the wall of the city. 16 “Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won’t find you,” she said to them. “Hide yourselves there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way.”
17 The men said to her, “We will be free from this oath you made us swear, 18 unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father’s family into your house. 19 If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his blood will be on his own head,(I) and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed,[f] his blood will be on our heads. 20 And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear.”
21 “Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window.
22 So the two men went into the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers had returned. They searched all along the way, but did not find them. 23 Then the men returned, came down from the hill country, and crossed the Jordan. They went to Joshua son of Nun and reported everything that had happened to them. 24 They told Joshua, “The Lord has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us.”[g]
Footnotes
- Joshua 2:1 Or from Shittim
- Joshua 2:9 Or land panics at your approach
- Joshua 2:11 Lit and spirit no longer remained in anyone
- Joshua 2:12 Lit to your father’s house
- Joshua 2:12 Or a sign of truth
- Joshua 2:19 Lit if a hand should be on him
- Joshua 2:24 Or also panics at our approach
Joshua 2
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
2 Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as scouts, saying, Go, view the land, especially Jericho. And they went and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab and lodged there.
2 It was told the king of Jericho, Behold, there came men in here tonight of the Israelites to search out the country.
3 And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out the land.
4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, Yes, two men came to me, but I did not know from where they had come.
5 And at gate closing time, after dark, the men went out. Where they went I do not know. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake 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 there.
7 So the men pursued them to the Jordan as far as the fords. As soon as the pursuers had gone, the city’s gate was shut.
8 Before the two men had lain down, Rahab came up to them on the roof,
9 And she said to the men, I know that the Lord has 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 you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the [east] side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
11 When we heard it, our hearts melted, neither did spirit or courage remain any more in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.(A)
12 Now then, I pray 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 sure sign,
13 And save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all they have, and deliver us from death.
14 And the men said to her, Our lives for yours! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the [town] wall so that she dwelt in the wall.
16 And she said to them, Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; hide yourselves there three days until the pursuers have returned; and afterward you may go your way.
17 The men said to her, We will be blameless of this oath you have made us swear. [The responsibility is now yours.]
18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall bind this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall bring your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household into your house.
19 And if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless; but if a hand is laid upon anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head.
20 But if you tell this business of ours, we shall be guiltless of your oath which you made us swear.
21 And she said, According to your words, so it is. Then she sent them away and they departed; and she bound the [a]scarlet cord in the window.
22 They left and went to the mountain and stayed there three days, until the pursuers returned, who had searched all along the way without finding them.
23 So the two men descended from the mountain, passed over [the Jordan], and came to Joshua son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them.
24 They said to Joshua, Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands; for all the inhabitants of the country are faint because of us.
Footnotes
- Joshua 2:21 What the blood on the doorposts on the first Passover night in Egypt was to the houses of Israel (Exod. 12:13), the scarlet cord in the window was to the house of Rahab. Her sinful years of ignorance God ignored (Acts 17:30, 31); she became an ancestress, as did Ruth, of David and of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:1, 5, 6).
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