Joshua 2

1Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, see the land and Jericho.” So they went and came to the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and they lay down there.

2And it was said to the king of Jericho, “Look, men have come here tonight from the Israelites to search out the land.”

3So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who came to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.”

4But the woman 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.”

5And when the gate was about to be shut at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.

6But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax laid out for her on the roof.

7And the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan, as far as the fords, and they shut the gate behind them as soon as the pursuers had gone out after them.

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 the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you.”

10For we have heard how Yahweh 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 beyond the Jordan—to Sihon and Og—whom you devoted to destruction.

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

12And now, please swear to me by Yahweh that, just as I have shown kindness to you, you also will show kindness to my father's house and give me a sure sign,

13and keep alive my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them; and deliver our lives from death.

14The men said to her, “Our lives for yours, even to death, if you do not tell this matter of ours. And when Yahweh gives us the land, we will deal with you in covenant faithfulness and truth.”

15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, because her house was in the wall of the city, and she was living in the wall.

16And she said to them, "Go to the hill country, lest the pursuers encounter you, and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers return. Afterward you may go on your way."

17And the 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, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household.

19Anyone who goes out through the doors of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be guiltless; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads if a hand is laid on him.

20But if you tell this matter of ours, then we will be free from your oath that you made us swear.

21And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they went; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

22So they went and came to the hill country, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers returned. The pursuers searched all along the road, but did not find them.

23Then the two men returned, came down from the hill country, crossed over, and came to Joshua son of Nun; and they told him all that had happened to them.

24And they said to Joshua, “Surely the LORD has given all the land into our hands, and indeed all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us.”