Joshua 2
2
Spies Sent to Jericho
1Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies#Gn 42:9; Nm 13:2,16–17; Jos 7:2; Jdg 18:2 from the Acacia Grove,#2:1 Or from Shittim saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab,#Heb 11:31; Jms 2:25 and stayed there.
2The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.” 3Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house,#Gn 19:5 for they came to investigate the entire land.”
4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them.#2Sm 17:19 So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from. 5At nightfall, when the city 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!” 6But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them#Jms 2:25 among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. 7The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the city gate was shut.
The Promise to Rahab
8Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof 9and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land#Nm 20:24; Jos 9:24 and that the terror of you has fallen on us,#Ex 15:16; 23:27; Ezr 3:3; Jb 9:34; 13:21; Is 33:18; Jr 50:38 and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you.#2:9 Or land panics at your approach#Ex 15:15; Jos 2:24; 1Sm 14:16 10For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt,#Ex 14:21–30 and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed#Nm 21:23–30,33–35; Dt 2:32–34; 3:1–3; Jos 6:21 across the Jordan. 11When we heard this, we lost heart,#Dt 1:28; 20:8; Jos 5:1; 7:5; 2Sm 17:10; Is 13:7; 19:1; Ezk 21:7; Nah 2:10 and everyone’s courage failed#2:11 Lit and spirit no longer remained in anyone because of you,#Jos 5:1; 7:5; Ps 22:14; Is 13:7; 19:1 for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.#Dt 4:39; 1Kg 8:23 12Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my father’s family, because I showed kindness to you.#Gn 21:23; Jdg 1:24; 2Sm 2:5; 10:2 Give me a sure sign#2:12 Or a sign of truth 13that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.”
14The 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.”
15Then 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 there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way.”
17The men said to her, “We will be free from this oath you made us swear, 18unless, 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. 19If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his death will be his own fault,#Mt 27:25 and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his death will be our fault. 20And 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.
22So 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. 23Then 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. 24They told Joshua, “The Lord has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us.”#2:24 Or land also panics at our approach
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Joshua 2
2
1 And so Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men from Shittim to explore in secret. And he said to them, "Go and consider the land and the city of Jericho." And while traveling, they entered into the house of a harlot woman named Rahab, and they rested with her.
2 And it was reported to the king of Jericho, and it was said: "Behold, men have entered to this place in the night, from the sons of Israel, so that they might explore the land."
3 And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying: "Bring out the men who came to you, and who entered into your house. For certainly they are spies, and they have arrived to consider the entire land."
4 And the woman, taking the men, hid them. And she said: "I admit that they came to me, but I did not know where they were from.
5 And when the gate was closed, they went out together in the darkness. I do not know where they have gone. Pursue them quickly, and you will overtake them."
6 But she caused the men to ascend to the roof of her house, and she covered them with the stalks of flax that were there.
7 But those who had been sent pursued after them along the way that leads to the ford of the Jordan. And as soon as they went out, the gate was closed.
8 Those who were hiding had not yet fallen asleep, and behold, the woman went up to them, and she said:
9 "I know that the Lord has given this land to you. For the terror of you has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land have languished.
10 We have heard that the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea upon your arrival, when you were departing from Egypt, and we heard of the things that you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you put to death.
11 And upon hearing these things, we were very afraid, and our heart languished. Neither did there remain in us any spirit at your arrival. For the Lord your God is the very God in heaven above and on earth below.
12 Now, therefore, swear to me by the Lord that in the same way that I have acted with mercy toward you, so also shall you act toward the house of my father. And may you give me a true sign
13 that you will save my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all that is theirs, and that you may rescue our souls from death."
14 They responded to her: "May our lives be yours unto death, if only you do not betray us. And when the Lord will have delivered the land to us, we will act toward you with mercy and truth."
15 Therefore, she sent them down from a window with a rope. For her house was joined to the wall.
16 And she said to them: "Climb up to the mountains; otherwise, they may meet you as they are returning. And lay hidden there for three days, until they return. And then you will go on your way."
17 And they said to her: "We shall be innocent of this oath, to which you have sworn us,
18 if, when we enter into the land, this scarlet cord has been placed as a sign, and you have tied it at the window by which you let us down. And so, gather your father, and mother, and brothers, and all your family into your house.
19 Whoever will have exited from the door of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be uninvolved. But the blood of all who will be with you in the house shall fall back upon our own head, if anyone touches them.
20 But if you will have betrayed us, so that you spread this word in their midst, we will be free from this oath, to which you have sworn us."
21 And she responded, "Just as you have spoken, so let it be done." And sending them to travel on, she hung the scarlet cord at the window.
22 And truly, walking on, they arrived at the mountains, and they stayed there for three days, until those who had been pursuing them returned. For having sought them along the entire way, they did not find them.
23 And when they returned and entered the city, the explorers descended from the mountain. And crossing the Jordan, they went to Joshua, the son of Nun, and they reported to him all that had happened to them.
24 And they said, "The Lord has delivered this entire land into our hands, and all its inhabitants have been struck down by fear."
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