Joshua 2

1Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, "Go, see the land and Jericho." They went, entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and lay down there.

2Someone told the king of Jericho, "Look, men from the sons of Israel came here tonight to search out the land."

3The king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Produce the men who came to you, who entered your house, because they came to scout the whole land."

4The woman took the two men and hid them, and she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from."

5When darkness fell and the gate was closing, the men went out. Where the men went I do not know. Chase after them quickly, for you will overtake them.

6But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the flax stalks arranged for her on the roof.

7The men pursued them along the road to the Jordan to the fords, and when the pursuers had gone out after them, they shut the gate.

8Before they lay down, she went up to them on the roof.

9And she said to the men, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that your dread has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted before you.”

10For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out from Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.

11When we heard it, our hearts melted and no spirit remained any longer in any man because of you, for Yahweh your God—he is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

12Now therefore, please swear to me by Yahweh, because I have shown you kindness, that you also show kindness to my father's house and give me a true sign.

13and that you keep my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have alive, and rescue our lives from death.

14The men said to her, "Our lives for yours unto death, if you do not disclose this matter of ours; and when Yahweh gives us the land, we will show you kindness and faithfulness."

15She lowered them by a cord through the window because her house was against the wall and she dwelt on the wall.

16She said to them, "Go to the mountain lest the pursuers encounter you; hide there three days until the pursuers return, and afterward go your way."

17The men said to her, "We will be free from this oath of yours that you made us swear."

18Look, when we come into the land, bind this scarlet cord in the window by which you let us down. Gather your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household into your house.

19Whoever goes out from the doors of your house to the outside will have his blood on his head, and we will be blameless. Whoever is with you in the house will have his blood on our head if any hand is on him.

20But if you disclose this matter of ours, we will be innocent of your oath that you made us swear.

21She said, “Let it be just as you said.” She sent them away, and they left. She bound the scarlet cord in the window.

22They went and came to the mountain and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers searched for them all along the road, but did not find them.

23The two men returned, came down from the mountain, crossed over, and arrived at Joshua son of Nun, and they recounted to him everything that had happened to them.

24They said to Joshua, "Surely Yahweh has given all the land into our hands, and all who dwell in the land have melted before us."