Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from ^aShittim, saying, “Go, see the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of ^ba harlot whose name was Rahab and ¹lodged 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 ^awoman 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 ^ashe 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, ¹she came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “^aI know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the ^bterror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have ¹melted away before you. 10 ^aFor we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the ¹Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt and ^bwhat you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you ²devoted to destruction. 11 Indeed we heard it, ^aand our hearts melted, and a courageous spirit no longer rose up in any man because of you; for ^bYahweh 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 ^apledge of ¹truth, 13 and preserve my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters alive, with all who belong to them, and deliver our ¹lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our ¹life ²for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it will be when Yahweh gives us the land that we will ^ashow lovingkindness and truth to you.”

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, “^aGo 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, “^aWe shall be free from this oath ¹to you which you have made us swear, 18 ¹unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and ^agather 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, ^ahis 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 ¹all 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, ^aall the inhabitants of the land have ¹melted away before us.”

Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from ^aShittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of ^ba 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 ^awoman 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 ^ashe 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 ¹the spies lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “^aI know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the ^bterror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you. 10 ^aFor we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the ¹Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and ^bwhat you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you ²utterly destroyed. 11 When we heard these reports, ^aour hearts melted and no ¹courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for the ^bLORD 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 ^apledge of ¹truth, 13 and ¹spare my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them, and save our ²lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our ¹life ²for 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 ^adeal kindly and ³faithfully with you.”

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, “^aGo 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, “^aWe shall be exempt from this oath ¹to you which you have made us swear, 18 ¹unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and ^agather 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 ¹his blood on his own head, and we will be innocent; but anyone who is with you in the house, ^ahis 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 ¹all 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, ^aall the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of us.”

Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as scouts secretly from ^aShittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially ¹Jericho the walled city.” So they went and came to the house of ^ba prostitute named Rahab, and lodged there. 2 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.” 3 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.” 4 But the ^awoman 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. 5 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.” 6 But in fact ^ashe had brought the scouts up to the roof and had hidden them under the ¹stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof to dry. 7 So the king’s men pursued them on the road to the Jordan as far as the ¹fords east of Jericho; as soon as the pursuers had gone out after them, the gate of the city was shut.

8 Now before the two men lay down to sleep, Rahab came up to them on the roof, 9 and she said to the men, “^aI know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the ^bterror and dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted in despair because of you. 10 ^aFor we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the ¹Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and ^bwhat you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan on the east, to Sihon and Og, whom you ²utterly destroyed. 11 When we heard it, ^aour hearts melted in despair, and a fighting spirit no longer remained in any man because of you; for the ^bLORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. Heb 11:31 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 ^apledge 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 ^ashow you kindness and faithfulness and keep our agreement with you.”

15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built ¹into the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 And she said to them, “^aGo 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, “^aWe 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 ¹cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and ^abring 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, ^ahis 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 ^aall the inhabitants of the land have melted in despair because of us.”