Jos 2 | NASB2020 | STEP | Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim , saying , “ Go , view the land , especially Jericho .” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab , and rested there .

Joshua 2

Rahab Shelters Spies

1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from ^aShittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of ^ba prostitute whose name was Rahab, and rested there. 2 But it was told to the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to spy 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 spy out all the land.” 4 But the ^cwoman 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 ^dshe 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 crossing places; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8 Now before ^{▼▼Lit they lay}the spies lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “ ^fI know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the ^gterror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you. 10 ^hFor we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the ^{▼▼Lit Sea of Reeds}Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and ^jwhat you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you ^{▼▼Or put under the ban}utterly destroyed. 11 When we heard these reports, ^lour hearts melted and no ^{▼▼Lit spirit arose}courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for the ⁿLord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a ^opledge of ^{▼▼Or faithfulness}truth, 13 and ^{▼▼Lit let live}spare my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them, and save our ^{▼▼Lit souls}lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our ^{▼▼Lit soul}life ^{▼▼Lit instead of you to die}for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will ^udeal kindly and ^{▼▼Or truly}faithfully with you.”

The Promise to Rahab

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 And she said to them, “ ^wGo to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not encounter you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” 17 And the men said to her, “ ^xWe shall be exempt from this oath ^{▼▼Lit of yours}to you which you have made us swear, 18 ^{▼▼Lit behold}unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and ^aagather into your house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house outside will have ^{▼▼I.e., responsibility for his death}his blood on his own head, and we will be innocent; but anyone who is with you in the house, ^achis blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be exempt from the oath which you have made us swear.” 21 She then 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 So they departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days, until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had searched for them ^{▼▼Lit through all the road}all along the road, but had not found them. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country, and they crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun. Then they reported to him all that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “The Lord has indeed handed over to us all the land; furthermore, ^aeall the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of us.”