1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from ANum 25:1; Josh 3:1Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of BHeb 11:31; James 2:25a harlot whose name was Rahab, and 1Lit lay downlodged there. 2 It was told 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 A2 Sam 17:19woman 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 AJames 2:25she 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 fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8 Now before they lay down, 1Lit then sheshe came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “ANum 20:24; Josh 9:24I know that the Loʀᴅ has given you the land, and that the BEx 23:27; Deut 2:25; Josh 9:9, 10terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have 1Or become demoralizedmelted away before you. 10  “AEx 14:21; Num 23:22; 24:8For we have heard how the Loʀᴅ dried up the water of the 1Lit Sea of ReedsRed Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and BNum 21:21-35what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you 2Or put under the banutterly destroyed. 11  “When we heard it, AJosh 5:1; 7:5; Ps 22:14; Is 13:7; 19:1our hearts melted and no 1Lit spirit arosecourage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the BDeut 4:39Loʀᴅ your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12  “Now therefore, please swear to me by the Loʀᴅ, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a AJosh 2:18, 19pledge of 1Or faithfulnesstruth, 13 and 1Lit let livespare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our 2Lit soulslives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our 1Lit soullife 2Lit instead of you to diefor yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Loʀᴅ gives us the land that we will AGen 24:49deal kindly and 3Or trulyfaithfully 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 She said to them, “AJames 2:25Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” 17 The men said to her, “AGen 24:8We shall be free from this oath 1Lit of yoursto you which you have made us swear, 18 1Lit beholdunless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and AJosh 2:12gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household. 19  “It shall come about 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, AMatt 27:25his 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 She 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 They departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had sought them 1Lit through all the roadall 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 related to him all that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “Surely the Loʀᴅ has given all the land into our hands; moreover, AJosh 2:9all the inhabitants of the land have 1Or become demoralizedmelted away before us.”