Joshua 2
World English Bible
2 Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there.
2 The king of Jericho was told, “Behold,[a] men of the children of Israel came in here tonight to spy out the land.”
3 Jericho’s king sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to spy out all the land.”
4 The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they came from. 5 About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with 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 on the roof. 7 The men pursued them along the way to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate. 8 Before they had lain down, she came up to them on the roof. 9 She said to the men, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10 For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, please swear to me by Yahweh, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true sign; 13 and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.”
14 The men said to her, “Our life for yours, if you don’t talk about this business of ours; and it shall be, when Yahweh gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”
15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way.”
17 The men said to her, “We will be guiltless of this your oath which you’ve made us to swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him. 20 But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear.”
21 She said, “Let it be as you have said.” She sent them away, and they departed. Then she tied the scarlet line in the window.
22 They went and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but didn’t find them. 23 Then the two men returned, descended from the mountain, crossed the river, and came to Joshua the son of Nun. They told him all that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “Truly Yahweh has delivered all the land into our hands. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us.”
Footnotes
- 2:2 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Joshua 2
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 2[a]
Rahab Saves the Spies.[b] 1 Joshua, the son of Nun, secretly dispatched two spies from Shittim.[c] He told them, “Go reconnoiter the land, especially Jericho.” They went and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, where they stayed. 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some Israelites came here tonight to spy throughout the land.” 3 The king of Jericho sent a message to Rahab saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you and entered your house, for they are here to spy through the whole countryside.” 4 But the woman had taken the two spies and she had hidden them. She said, “The men came to me, but I did not know where they were coming from. 5 When it was time to close the gates at dusk, they left. I do not know where they went. Chase after the men quickly, you may catch up with them.” 6 She had really taken them up on the roof and hidden them under stalks of flax[d] that she had laid out on the roof. 7 The men set out after them on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan. The gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out after them.
8 Before they went to sleep, she came up on the roof 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you this land. We are terrified and all the inhabitants of the land are trembling at your approach. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came up out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan, how you annihilated them. 11 When we heard about this, our hearts grew faint and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord, your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below. 12 Now, I beg you, swear to the Lord that since I showed you kindness, you will also show kindness to my father’s household. Give me a pledge of your fidelity. 13 Spare my father and my mother, my brothers and my sisters, and all their households, saving us from sure death.” 14 The men answered her, “Our lives for your lives. If you do not inform on what we are doing, then we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord has given us the land.”
15 She let them down by a rope through the window, for the house in which she lived was built upon the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go into the hills so that the pursuers will not find you. Hide there for three days until the pursuers shall have returned here. Then you can go on your way.” 17 The men said to her, “We will not be bound to the promise that you made us swear 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have a scarlet cord tied to the window from which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father, and your mother, and your brothers, and all of your father’s household into your house. 19 Whoever goes outside of the doors of your house will be responsible for his own death, we will not be at fault. But whoever is in the house with you, it will be our responsibility if anyone lays a hand on him. 20 However, if you inform on what we are doing, then we will not be bound to the promise that you made us swear.” 21 She said, “Let it be as you have said.” She sent them away, and they departed. She then tied a scarlet cord to the window.
22 The Spies Report to Joshua. They left, and went into the hills where they remained for three days until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers had searched all along that way, but had not found them. 23 [e]The two men then went back home. They came down from the hills and forded the river, coming to Joshua, the son of Nun. They told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “Surely the Lord has delivered the entire land into our hands, for all of the people in the land are overcome with fear of us.”
Footnotes
- Joshua 2:1 The crossing of the Jordan is here a miracle of no less importance than the crossing of the Red Sea.
- Joshua 2:1 Because of the aid which Rahab gives to the scouts, she will escape the disaster in Jericho. The profession of faith in the irresistible action of the God of Israel that is placed on her lips (vv. 9-11) will cause her to be cited for her exemplary faith (Heb 11; Jas 2:25) and win her a place in the genealogy of Jesus (Mt 1:5), for she will have been given a place in Israel and then will have given birth to Boaz (see Jos 6:25; Mt 1:5).
- Joshua 2:1 Shittim: a place east of the Jordan (see Num 33:49).
- Joshua 2:6 Stalks of flax: because of its height (3–4 ft.), it made an excellent hiding place when stacked on the rooftop to dry in preparation for making linen cloth.
- Joshua 2:23 Joshua was among those sent out 39 years earlier on a spy mission and had encouraged the Israelites to remain steadfast in following God’s plan (Num 13–14). To avoid any controversy, however, Joshua kept this spy mission a secret from the people.
Joshua 2
Legacy Standard Bible
Rahab Hides the Spies
2 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from (A)Shittim, saying, “Go, see the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of (B)a harlot whose name was Rahab and [a]lodged there. 2 And it was told to the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 And the king of Jericho sent word 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 land.” 4 But the (C)woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 Now it happened when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.” 6 But (D)she had brought them up to the roof and concealed them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.
8 Now before they lay down, [b]she came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “(E)I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the (F)terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have [c]melted away before you. 10 (G)For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the [d]Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt and (H)what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you [e]devoted to destruction. 11 Indeed we heard it, (I)and our hearts melted, and a courageous spirit no longer rose up in any man because of you; for (J)Yahweh your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 So now, please swear to me by Yahweh, since I have shown lovingkindness to you, that you also will show lovingkindness to my father’s household and give me a (K)pledge of [f]truth, 13 and preserve my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters alive, with all who belong to them, and deliver our [g]lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our [h]life [i]for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it will be when Yahweh gives us the land that we will (L)show lovingkindness and truth to you.”
The Oath to Rahab
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 And she said to them, “(M)Go to the hill country, lest the pursuers reach you. And hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” 17 And the men said to her, “(N)We shall be free from this oath [j]to you which you have made us swear, 18 [k]unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and (O)gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household. 19 And it will be that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, (P)his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear.” 21 And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they went; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
22 And they went and came to the hill country and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers had sought them [l]all along the road but had not found them. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they recounted to him all that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “Surely Yahweh has given all the land into our hands; moreover, (Q)all the inhabitants of the land have [m]melted away before us.”
Footnotes
- Joshua 2:1 Lit lay down
- Joshua 2:8 Lit then she
- Joshua 2:9 Or become demoralized
- Joshua 2:10 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Joshua 2:10 Or put under the ban
- Joshua 2:12 Or faithfulness
- Joshua 2:13 Lit souls
- Joshua 2:14 Lit soul
- Joshua 2:14 Lit instead of you to die
- Joshua 2:17 Lit of yours
- Joshua 2:18 Lit behold
- Joshua 2:22 Lit through all the road
- Joshua 2:24 Or become demoralized
by Public Domain. The name "World English Bible" is trademarked.
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.