Joshua 2
Expanded Bible
Spies Sent to Jericho
2 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent out two spies from ·Acacia [L Shittim; C a Hebrew word meaning “acacia”] and said to them, “Go and ·look at [check out] the land, particularly at the city of Jericho.”
So the men went to Jericho and ·stayed [lodged] at the house of a prostitute named Rahab.
2 Someone told the king of Jericho, “[L Look; T Behold] Some men from Israel 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. They have come to spy out our whole land.”
4 But the woman had hidden the two men. She said, “They did come here, but I didn’t know where they came from. 5 In the evening, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know where they went, but if you go quickly, maybe you can catch them.” 6 (The woman had taken the men up to the roof and had hidden them there under stalks of flax that she had spread out.) 7 So the king’s men went out looking for the spies on the road that leads to the ·crossings [fords] of the Jordan River. The city gate was closed just after the king’s men left the city.
8 Before the spies went to sleep for the night, Rahab went up to the roof. 9 She said to them, “I know the Lord has given this land to your people. ·You frighten us very much [L A terror of you has fallen on us]. Everyone living in this land is ·terribly afraid of [L melting away before] you 10 because we have heard how the Lord dried up the ·Red Sea [or Sea of Reeds] when you came out of Egypt [Ex. 14:15–31]. We have heard how you ·destroyed [or devoted to the Lord for destruction; see 6:17; Deut. 20:15–18] Sihon and Og, two Amorite kings who lived ·east of [beyond] the Jordan. 11 When we heard this, ·we were very frightened [L our hearts melted]. ·Now our men are afraid to fight you [L And there rose up no spirit/breath in a man because of you] because the Lord your God ·rules [L is God in] the heavens above and the earth below! 12 So now, ·promise [swear to] me ·before [or by] the Lord that you will show ·kindness [loyalty] to my family just as I showed ·kindness [loyalty] to you. Give me ·some proof [a sure sign; a solemn pledge] that you will do this. 13 Allow my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all of their families to live. ·Save [Rescue; Preserve] us from death.”
14 The men agreed and said, “It will be our lives for your lives if you don’t tell anyone what we are doing. When the Lord gives us the land, we will be ·kind [loyal] and ·true [faithful] to you.”
15 The house Rahab lived in was built on the city wall, so she used a rope to let the men down through a window. 16 She said to them, “Go into the hills so the ·king’s men [L pursuers] will not find you. Hide there for three days. After the ·king’s men [L pursuers] return, you may go on your way.”
17 The men said to her, “You must do as we say. If not, we ·cannot be responsible for keeping [will be free from] this oath you have made us swear. 18 When we return to this land, you must tie this ·red [scarlet] rope in the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your ·family [L father’s house] into your house. 19 If anyone leaves your house and is killed, ·it is his own fault [L his blood is on his head]. We ·cannot be responsible for him [are innocent]. If anyone in your house ·is hurt [L has a hand laid on them], ·we will be responsible [his blood will be on our head]. 20 But if you tell anyone about this, we will be free from the oath you made us swear.”
21 Rahab answered, “·I agree to this [L Let it be according to your words].” So she sent them away, and they left. Then she tied the ·red [scarlet] rope in the window.
22 The men left and went into the hills where they stayed for three days. The ·king’s men [pursuers] looked for them all along the road, but after three days, they returned to the city without finding them. 23 Then the two men started back. They left the hills and crossed the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said, “The Lord surely has given ·us all of the land [L all the land into our hand]. All the people in that land are ·terribly afraid of [melting away before] us.”
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Joshua 2
New American Standard Bible
Rahab Shelters Spies
2 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from (A)Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of (B)a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and rested there. 2 But it was told to the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to spy 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 spy 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 It came about, 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 will overtake them.” 6 But (D)she had brought them up to the roof and hidden 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 crossing places; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.
8 Now before [a]the spies lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “(E)I know that the Lord 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 despaired because of you. 10 (G)For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the [b]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 [c]utterly destroyed. 11 When we heard these reports, (I)our hearts melted and no [d]courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for the (J)Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a (K)pledge of [e]truth, 13 and [f]spare my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them, and save 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 shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will (L)deal kindly and [j]faithfully with you.”
The Promise 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, so that the pursuers will not encounter 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 exempt from this oath [k]to you which you have made us swear, 18 [l]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 into your house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house outside will have [m]his blood on his own head, and we will be innocent; but anyone who is with you in the house, (P)his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be exempt from the oath which you have made us swear.” 21 She then said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
22 So they departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days, until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had searched for them [n]all along the road, but had not found them. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country, and they crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun. Then they reported to him all that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “The Lord has indeed handed over to us all the land; furthermore, (Q)all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of us.”
Read full chapterNotas al pie
- Joshua 2:8 Lit they lay
- Joshua 2:10 Lit Sea of Reeds
- Joshua 2:10 Or put under the ban
- Joshua 2:11 Lit spirit arose
- Joshua 2:12 Or faithfulness
- Joshua 2:13 Lit let live
- Joshua 2:13 Lit souls
- Joshua 2:14 Lit soul
- Joshua 2:14 Lit instead of you to die
- Joshua 2:14 Or truly
- Joshua 2:17 Lit of yours
- Joshua 2:18 Lit behold
- Joshua 2:19 I.e., responsibility for his death
- Joshua 2:22 Lit through all the road
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
