Joshua
Chapter 2
1 Joshua, Nun’s son, sent two spies from Shittim, telling them, “Go, look over the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and stayed at a prostitute named Rahab’s house.
2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, men from Israel came here tonight to explore the land.”
3 The king of Jericho sent a message to Rahab, telling her, “Send out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they came to spy on the whole land.”
4 The woman took the two men, hid them, and said, “Some men came to me, but I didn’t know where they were from.”
5 At the time when they closed the gate, at dark, the men left. I don’t know where they went. Go after them fast, and you will catch up to them.
6 She took them to the house’s roof and hid them under the flax stalks she had spread out there.
7 The men chased them toward the Jordan River crossings. When the chasers had passed by, they closed the gate.
8 Before they went to bed, she went up to the roof to meet them.
9 She told the men, “I know that God has given you the land, and we are all afraid of you, and everyone in the land is shaking in fear because of you.”
10 We heard how God made the Red Sea dry for you as you left Egypt, and what you did to the two Amorite kings across the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you totally destroyed.
11 As soon as we heard this, we were very afraid and lost all our courage because of you, for your God is the God in heaven above and on the earth below.
12 So now, please promise me by God that because I was kind to you, you will also be kind to my family, and give me a sign that you will keep your promise.
13 Please promise you will keep my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and everything they own safe, and save us from death.
14 The men said to her, “We will protect your life if you keep our plan secret. When God gives us the land, we will treat you well and honestly.”
15 She lowered them with a rope through the window because her house was on the city wall, where she lived.
16 She told them, “Go to the mountain so the chasers don’t find you; hide there for three days until the chasers go back; then you can leave.”
17 The men told her, “We won’t be responsible for your promise that you made us swear to.”
18 Look, when we enter the land, you must tie this red cord in the window you used to help us escape. Then you must bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your family to stay with you.
19 Anyone who leaves your house and goes into the street will be responsible for their own death, and we will not be to blame. But anyone who stays with you in the house, if they are hurt, we will be responsible.
20 If you tell others about our agreement, we will be free from the promise you made us give.
21 She said, “Okay, let’s do as you said.” She let them go, and they left. Then she tied the red cord in the window.
22 They went to the mountain and stayed there for three days until those chasing them had gone back. The chasers looked for them everywhere on the road but didn’t find them.
23 The two men went back, came down the mountain, crossed over, and met Joshua, Nun’s son, and told him everything that happened to them.
24 They told Joshua, “God has really given us all the land; the people living there are scared of us.”