1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy
secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into
an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
2 And
it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to
night of the children of Israel to search out the country.
3 And
the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come
to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all
the country.
4 And
the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto
me, but I wist not whence they were:
5 And
it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was
dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them
quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
6 But
she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks
of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
7 And
the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as
they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
8 And
before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
9 And
she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that
your terror is 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 for you, when ye
came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on
the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
11 And
as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt,
neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the
LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth
beneath.
12 Now
therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you
kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a
true token:
13 And that ye
will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and
all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
14 And
the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business.
And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly
and truly with thee.
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 unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and
hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward
may ye go your way.
17 And
the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which
thou hast made us swear.
18 Behold, when we
come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window
which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy
mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
19 And
it shall be, that whosoever
shall go out 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.
20 And
if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou
hast made us to swear.
21 And
she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they
departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
22 And
they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the
pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout
all the way, but found them not.
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
befell them:
24 And
they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the
land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.
