Joshua 2

Revised Geneva Translation

2 Then Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men out of Shittim to spy, secretly, saying, “Go view the land, and Jericho.” And they went and came into a harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

² And it was told to the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the children of Israel have come here tonight to spy on the country.”

³ And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring forth the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house. For they have come to spy on all the land.”

⁴ But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. Therefore, she said this, “Men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

⁵ “And when they shut the gate in the dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Follow after them quickly, for you shall overtake them!”

⁶ But she had brought them up to the roof of the house and hidden them with the stalks of flax which she had spread out upon the roof.

⁷ And the men pursued after them on the road to Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued after them had gone out, they shut the gate.

⁸ And before they were asleep, she came up to them on the roof,

⁹ and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

¹⁰ “For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan (to Sihon and to Og), whom you utterly destroyed.

¹¹ “And when we heard it, our hearts fainted. And there remained no more courage in anyone, because of you. For the LORD your God, He is the God in Heaven above, and on Earth beneath.

¹² “Now, therefore, please swear to me, by the LORD, that as I have shown you mercy, you will also show mercy to my father’s house. And give me a true sign

¹³ “that you will save alive my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters and all that they have; and that you will deliver our souls from death.”

¹⁴ And the men answered her, “Our life for yours if you do not utter this business of ours. And when the LORD has given us the land, we will deal mercifully and truly with you.”

¹⁵ Then she let them down by a cord through the window, for her house was upon the town wall; and she dwelt upon the wall.

¹⁶ And she said to them, “Go into the mountain, lest the pursuers encounter you, and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have turned back. Then, afterward, you may go your way.”

¹⁷ And the men said to her, “We will be blameless of this oath which you have made us swear

¹⁸ if, when we come into the land, you shall bind this cord of red in the window whereby you let us down. And you shall bring your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household home to you.

¹⁹ “And whoever then goes out at the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head. And we will be guiltless. But, whoever shall be with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if any hand touches him.

²⁰ “And if you utter this matter, we will be released from your oath which you have made us swear.”

²¹ And she answered, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away and they departed. And she bound the red cord in the window.

²² And they departed and came into the mountain and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. And the pursuers sought them all along the road but did not find them.

²³ So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua, the son of Nun, and told him all things that happened to them.

²⁴ Also they said to Joshua, “Surely the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands. For all the inhabitants of the country faint because of us.”