CHAPTER 2
Then Joshua
son
of Nun
secretly
sent
two
spies
from
Acacia Grove,
saying,
“Go,
inspect
the land,
especially Jericho.”
So they went
and entered
the house
of a prostitute
named
Rahab
and stayed
there.
And it was reported
to the king
of Jericho:
“Behold,
some men
of Israel
have come
here
tonight
to spy out
the land.”
So the king
of Jericho
sent
to
Rahab
and said,
“Bring out
the men
who came
to
you
and entered
your house,
for
they have come
to spy out
the whole
land.”
But the woman
had taken
the two
men
and hidden them.
So she said,
“Yes,
the men
did come
to me,
but I did not
know
where
they had come from.
At dusk,
when the gate
was
about to close,
the men
went out,
and I do not
know
which way
they
went.
Pursue
them
quickly,
and
you may catch them!”
(But Rahab
had taken them up
to the roof
and hidden them
among the stalks
of flax
that she had laid out
there.)
So the king's men
set out in pursuit
of the spies
along the road
to
the fords
of the Jordan,
and as
soon as they
had gone out,
the gate
was shut.
and said
to them,
“I know
that
the LORD
has given
you this land
and that
the fear of you
has fallen
on us,
so that
all
the inhabitants
of the land
are melting in fear
of you.
For
we have heard
how
the LORD
dried up
the waters
of the Red
Sea
before you
when you came out
of Egypt,
and what
you did
to Sihon
and Og,
the two
kings
of the Amorites
across
the Jordan,
whom
you completely destroyed.
When we heard this,
our hearts
melted
and everyone’s
courage
failed
because of you,
for
the LORD
your God
is God
in the heavens
above
and on
the earth
below.
Now therefore,
please
swear
to me
by the LORD
that you
will indeed
show
kindness
to
my family
because
I showed
kindness
to you.
Give
me a sure
sign
that you will spare the lives
of my father
and
mother,
my brothers
and
sisters,
and all
who belong to them,
and that you will deliver
us
from death.”
“Our lives
for your
lives!”
the men
agreed.
“If
you do not
report
our mission,
we will show
you
kindness
and faithfulness
when the LORD
gives
us
the land.”
Then Rahab let them down
by a rope
through
the window,
since
the house
where she
lived
was built into the wall
of the city.
“Go
to the hill country,”
she said,
“so that your pursuers
will not
find you.
Hide
yourselves there
for three
days
until
they
have returned;
then
go
on your way.”
unless,
when we
enter
the land,
you have tied
this
scarlet
cord
in the window
through which
you let us down,
and unless
you have brought
your father
and
mother
and
brothers
and all
your family
into your house.
If anyone
goes out
the doors
of your house
into the street,
his blood
will be
on his own head,
and we
will be innocent.
But if
a hand
is laid
on anyone
with you
in the house,
his blood
will be on our heads.
“Let it
be as you say,”
she replied,
and sent them away.
And when they had gone,
she tied
the scarlet
cord
in the window.
So the spies went out
into the hill country
and stayed
there
three
days,
until
their pursuers
had returned
without
finding them,
having searched
all
along the road.
Then the two men
started back,
came down
from the hill country
and crossed the river.
So they came
to
Joshua
son
of Nun
and reported
all
that had happened
to them.
“The LORD
has surely
delivered
the entire
land
into our hands,”
they said
to
Joshua.
“Indeed,
all
the inhabitants
of the land
are melting in fear
of us.”