Chapter 2

And Joshua the son of Nun sent⁴ out of Shittim two men to spy¹⁸ secretly, saying,² Go³ view³ the land, even Jericho. And they went,⁴ and came⁴ into an harlot's ^{2181 6} house, named Rahab, and lodged⁴ there.

And it was told¹¹ the king of Jericho, saying,² Behold, there came¹ men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out² the country.

And the king of Jericho sent⁴ unto Rahab, saying,² Bring forth⁵⁴ the men that are come⁶ to thee, which are entered¹ into thine house: for they be come¹ to search out² all the country.

And the woman took⁴ the two men, and hid⁴ them, and said⁴ thus, There came¹ men unto me, but I wist¹ not whence they [were]:

And it came to pass [about the time] of shutting² of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out:¹ whither the men went¹ I wot¹ not: pursue³ after them quickly; for ye shall overtake⁵⁵ them.

But she had brought them up⁵² to the roof of the house, and hid⁴ them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order⁷ upon the roof.

And the men pursued¹ after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued⁶ after them were gone out,¹ they shut¹ the gate.

And before they were laid down,⁴ she came up¹ unto them upon the roof;

And she said⁴ unto the men, I know¹ that the LORD hath given¹ you the land, and that your terror is fallen¹ upon us, and that all the inhabitants⁶ of the land faint⁸ because of you.

For we have heard¹ how the LORD dried up⁵² the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out² of Egypt; and what ye did¹ unto the two kings of the Amorites, that [were] on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.⁵²

And as soon as we had heard⁴ [these things], our hearts did melt,¹¹ neither did there remain¹ any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he [is] God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

Now therefore, I pray you, swear¹⁰ unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed¹ you kindness, that ye will also shew¹ kindness unto my father's house, and give¹ me a true token:

And [that] ye will save alive⁵² my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver⁵² our lives from death.

And the men answered⁴ her, Our life for yours,² if ye utter⁵⁵ not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given² us the land, that we will deal¹ kindly and truly with thee.

Then she let them down⁵⁵ by a cord through the window: for her house [was] upon the town wall, and she dwelt⁶ upon the wall.

And she said⁴ unto them, Get³ you to the mountain, lest the pursuers⁶ meet⁴ you; and hide⁸ yourselves there three days, until the pursuers⁶ be returned:² and afterward may ye go⁴ your way.

And the men said⁴ unto her, We [will be] blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.⁵²

Behold, [when] we come⁶ into the land, thou shalt bind⁴ this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down⁵² by: and thou shalt bring⁴ thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.

And it shall be, [that] whosoever shall go out⁴ of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood [shall be] upon his head, and we [will be] guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood [shall be] on our head, if [any] hand be upon him.

And if thou utter⁵⁵ this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.⁵²

And she said,⁴ According unto your words, so [be] it. And she sent them away,¹⁷ and they departed:⁴ and she bound⁴ the scarlet line in the window.

And they went,⁴ and came⁴ unto the mountain, and abode⁴ there three days, until the pursuers⁶ were returned:¹ and the pursuers⁶ sought¹⁷ [them] throughout all the way, but found¹ [them] not.

So the two men returned,⁴ and descended⁴ from the mountain, and passed over,⁴ and came⁴ to Joshua the son of Nun, and told¹⁷ him all [things] that befell⁶ them:

And they said⁴ unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered¹ into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants⁶ of the country do faint⁸ because of us.