喇合营救探子

嫩的儿子约书亚暗中从什亭派出两个探子去侦察对岸,特别是耶利哥的情况。他们来到一个名叫喇合的妓女家中,就住在那里。 有人告诉耶利哥王说:“今天晚上有以色列人来这里刺探。” 耶利哥王便派人到喇合那里,对她说:“把来到你家里的人交出来,因为他们是来刺探我们的。” 但喇合已经把二人藏起来了,她答道:“不错,他们来过,可是我不知他们是从哪里来的。 天黑要关闭城门的时候,他们就离开了,我不知道他们去了哪里。你们快去追吧,还可以追得上。” 其实喇合已经把二人带到屋顶上,藏在那里的麻秆堆里了。 搜查的人便沿着通往约旦河渡口的路追去,他们一出城,城门便关闭了。

在两个探子睡觉前,喇合上到屋顶对他们说: “我知道耶和华已经把这地方赐给你们,我们十分害怕。这里所有的居民都吓得胆战心惊。 10 因为你们离开埃及过红海的时候,耶和华怎样使红海在你们面前成为干地,你们怎样对付约旦河东的两个亚摩利王西宏和噩,怎样把他们彻底消灭,我们都听说了。 11 我们听了这些事,感到心惊胆战、勇气尽失。你们的上帝耶和华是天地万物的上帝。 12 我既然恩待了你们,现在请你们凭耶和华向我起誓,你们也照样恩待我家,并且给我一个可靠的凭据, 13 保证让我的父母、兄弟、姐妹和他们所有的亲人免于一死。” 14 二人便对她说:“如果你不泄露我们的事,我们愿意用性命担保,当耶和华把这地方赐给我们的时候,我们一定守信善待你。”

15 喇合的房子就在城墙边,她就住在城墙上,于是她用绳子把二人从窗口缒下去, 16 并对他们说:“你们往山上去,免得被追捕的人发现。你们要在那里躲三天,等追捕的人回城以后才可以走。” 17 二人对她说:“要让我们信守誓言,你必须这样做, 18 我们来攻占这座城的时候,你要把这条朱红色的绳子系在缒我们下去的窗户上,并且把你的父母、兄弟、姊妹和他们的亲人都召集到你家里。 19 倘若有人因离开这房子跑到街上而遭遇不测,我们不负任何责任。我们一定保证屋内所有人的性命安全。 20 如果你泄露我们的事,你要我们起的誓也就作废了。” 21 喇合答道:“一言为定!”于是她送走他们,把朱红色的绳子系在窗户上。

22 二人到山上躲藏了三天,等待追捕的人回去。追捕的人沿途搜索,毫无所获,便回去了。 23 二人便下山,过河回到嫩的儿子约书亚那里,向他禀告整个经过, 24 又说:“耶和华确实将那整片土地交给我们了,那里的居民听到我们的消息,都吓得胆战心惊。”

Rahab Shelters Spies

Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as scouts secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially [a]Jericho [the walled city].” So they went and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and lodged there. Now the king of Jericho was told, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to spy and search out the land.” So the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, because they have come [as spies] to search out all the land.” 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 where they were from. When it was time to close the [city] gate at dark, the men left; I do not know where they went. Pursue them quickly, for [if you do] you will overtake them.” But [in fact] she had brought the scouts up to the roof and had hidden them under the [b]stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof [to dry]. So the [king’s] men pursued them on the road to the Jordan as far as the [c]fords [east of Jericho]; as soon as the pursuers had gone out after them, the gate [of the city] was shut.

Now before the two men lay down [to sleep], Rahab came up to them on the roof, and she said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror and dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted [in despair] because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the [d]Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan [on the east], to Sihon and Og, whom you [e]utterly destroyed. 11 When we heard it, our hearts melted [in despair], and a [fighting] spirit no longer remained in any man because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.(A) 12 And now, please swear [an oath] to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s household (family), and give me a pledge of truth and faithfulness, 13 and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, along with everyone who belongs to them, and let us all live.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our lives for yours if you do not tell [anyone about] this business of ours; then when the Lord gives us the land we will show you kindness and faithfulness [and keep our agreement with you].”

The Promise to Rahab

15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built [f]into the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 And she said to them, “Go [west] to the hill country, so that the pursuers [who have headed east] will not encounter you; hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you can go your way.” 17 The men said to her, “We shall be blameless and free from this oath which you have made us swear, 18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this [g]cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and bring into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household [so that they will be safe]. 19 But if anyone goes out the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head [that is, his own responsibility], and we shall be blameless and free [from our oath]; however, if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head. 20 But if you tell [anyone] this business of ours, we shall be blameless and free from the oath which you made us swear.” 21 She said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then Rahab sent them off, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

22 They left and went [on their way] to the hill country [west of Jericho], and stayed there [hidden in the caves] three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers had searched all along the road but had not found them. 23 Then the two men turned back and came down from the hill country and crossed over [the Jordan] and came to Joshua the son of Nun [at Shittim], and told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “Certainly the Lord has given all the land into our hands; for all the inhabitants of the land have melted [in despair] because of us.”

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 2:1 Jericho, an oasis near the Jordan River, is believed to be one of the world’s oldest inhabited sites. Its name is derived from the Hebrew word for “moon,” implying that it may have been a center of worship for various lunar gods.
  2. Joshua 2:6 Flax was used to make linen and the flat rooftop of a house was a convenient place to lay the stalks in the sun to dry.
  3. Joshua 2:7 I.e. narrow or shallow places where the river could be crossed by wading.
  4. Joshua 2:10 Lit Sea of Reeds.
  5. Joshua 2:10 The conquest of the land and the destruction of its inhabitants were acts of divine judgment decreed by God, and carried out through acts of obedience by Joshua and the sons of Israel.
  6. Joshua 2:15 Modern archaeology indicates that the house may have been built against the wall, so that the city wall also formed the back wall of the house. Otherwise, it may have been built partially or entirely in the wall. The Hebrew preposition (“into/in”) has too wide a range of meaning to be precise.
  7. Joshua 2:18 The scarlet cord in Rahab’s window may be considered analogous to the blood on the doorposts on the first Passover night in Egypt (Ex 12:13). God allowed her life to be saved and also changed. She became an ancestress, as did Ruth, of David and of Jesus Christ (Matt 1:1, 5, 6).

Rahab Hides the Spies(A)

Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men (B)from [a]Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.”

So they went, and (C)came to the house of a harlot named (D)Rahab, and [b]lodged there. And (E)it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.”

So 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.”

(F)Then 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. And 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.” (But (G)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.) Then 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.

Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men: (H)“I know that the Lord has given you the land, that (I)the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land (J)are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord (K)dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and (L)what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you (M)utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we (N)heard these things, (O)our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for (P)the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, I beg you, (Q)swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to (R)my father’s house, and (S)give me [c]a true token, 13 and (T)spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”

14 So 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 (U)we will deal kindly and truly with you.”

15 Then she (V)let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. 16 And 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.”

17 So the men said to her: “We will be (W)blameless[d] of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, 18 (X)unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, (Y)and unless you [e]bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home. 19 So 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 [f]guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, (Z)his [g]blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be [h]free from your oath which you made us swear.”

21 Then 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.

22 They 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. 23 So 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. 24 And they said to Joshua, “Truly (AA)the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.”

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 2:1 Heb. Shittim
  2. Joshua 2:1 Lit. lay down
  3. Joshua 2:12 a pledge of truth
  4. Joshua 2:17 free from obligation to this oath
  5. Joshua 2:18 Lit. gather
  6. Joshua 2:19 free from obligation
  7. Joshua 2:19 guilt of bloodshed
  8. Joshua 2:20 free from obligation to

And Yehoshua ben Nun sent out of Sheetim shnayim anashim (two men) to spy secretly, saying, Go view HaAretz, even Yericho. And they went, and entered into bais isha zonah, and her name was Rachav, and they lodged there.

And it was told Melech Yericho, saying, Hinei, anashim have come here halailah of the Bnei Yisroel to spy out HaAretz.

And the Melech Yericho sent unto Rachav, saying, Bring forth the anashim that are come to thee, who entered into thine bais; for they have come to spy out kol HaAretz.

And the isha took the two anashim, and hid them, and said thus, There came anashim unto me, but I knew not where they had come from;

And it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the sha’ar, when it was choshech, that the anashim went out; where the anashim went I know not; pursue after them quickly; for ye may overtake them.

But she had brought them up to the gag (roof), and hid them with the pishtei haetz (stalks of flax), which she had laid out upon the gag.

So the anashim pursued after them the derech (road) to Yarden unto the fords; and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they closed the sha’ar.

And before they [the two spies] lay down, she went up unto them upon the gag;

And she said unto the anashim, I know that Hashem hath given you HaAretz, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of HaAretz faint because of you.

10 For we have heard how Hashem dried up the waters of the Yam Suf from before you, when ye came out of Mitzrayim; and what ye did unto the two melachim of the Emori, that were beyond the Yarden, Sichon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed [put under cherem ban].

11 And as soon as we had heard these things, levaveinu (our hearts) did melt, neither did there remain any more ruach in any ish, because of you; for Hashem Eloheichem hu Elohim baShomayim above, and on HaAretz beneath.

12 Therefore, now, swear unto me by Hashem, since I have showed you chesed, that ye will also show chesed unto Bais Avi, and give me an ot emes (sign of truth);

13 And that ye will save alive avi, and immi, and my ach and my achot, and all that they have, and deliver nafshoteinu (our lives, souls) from mavet (death).

14 And the anashim answered her, Nafsheinu (our soul) shall die for you, if ye utter not what we are doing. And it shall be, when Hashem hath given us HaAretz, that we will deal chesed v’emes with thee.

15 Then she let them down by a chevel (cord, rope) through the chalon (window); for her bais was in the city wall, and she dwelt in the chomah (wall).

16 And she said unto them, Get you to the hill country, lest the rodefim (pursuers) meet you; and hide yourselves there shloshet yamim, until the rodefim return; and afterward may ye go your way.

17 And the anashim said unto her, We will be nekiyyim (free ones) of this thine shevu’ah (oath) which thou hast made us swear,

18 Unless when we come into HaAretz, thou shalt tie this rope of scarlet cord in the chalon by which thou didst let us down; and thou shalt bring thy av, and thy em, and thy achim, and all thy bais avi, with thee inside the bais.

19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the delatot of thy bais into the chutzah (street, outside), his dahm shall be upon his rosh, and we will be nekiyyim (free ones); and whosoever shall be with thee in the bais, his dahm shall be on rosheinu (our head), if any yad be laid upon him.

20 And if thou utter what we are doing, then we will be nekiyyim (free ones) of thine shevu’ah (oath) which thou hast made us to swear.

21 And she said, According unto your devarim, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the chalon.

22 And they went, and came unto the hill country, and abode there shloshet yamim, until the rodefim returned; and the rodefim sought them all along the derech, but found them not.

23 So the two anashim returned, and descended from the hill country, and passed over, and came to Yehoshua ben Nun, and told him all things that befell them;

24 And they said unto Yehoshua, Truly Hashem hath delivered into yadeinu kol HaAretz; for even all the inhabitants of HaAretz do faint because of us.