Joshua 2

¹And so Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men from Shittim to explore in secret. And he said to them, “Go and consider the land and the city of Jericho.” And while traveling, they entered into the house of a harlot woman named Rahab, and they rested with her.

²And it was reported to the king of Jericho, and it was said: “Behold, men have entered to this place in the night, from the sons of Israel, so that they might explore the land.”

³And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying: “Bring out the men who came to you, and who entered into your house. For certainly they are spies, and they have arrived to consider the entire land.”

⁴And the woman, taking the men, hid them. And she said: “I admit that they came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

⁵And when the gate was closed, they went out together in the darkness. I do not know where they have gone. Pursue them quickly, and you will overtake them.”

⁶But she caused the men to ascend to the roof of her house, and she covered them with the stalks of flax that were there.

⁷But those who had been sent pursued after them along the way that leads to the ford of the Jordan. And as soon as they went out, the gate was closed.

⁸Those who were hiding had not yet fallen asleep, and behold, the woman went up to them, and she said:

⁹“I know that the Lord has given this land to you. For the terror of you has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land have languished.

¹⁰We have heard that the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea upon your arrival, when you were departing from Egypt, and we heard of the things that you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you put to death.

¹¹And upon hearing these things, we were very afraid, and our heart languished. Neither did there remain in us any spirit at your arrival. For the Lord your God is the very God in heaven above and on earth below.

¹²Now, therefore, swear to me by the Lord that in the same way that I have acted with mercy toward you, so also shall you act toward the house of my father. And may you give me a true sign

¹³that you will save my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all that is theirs, and that you may rescue our souls from death.”

¹⁴They responded to her: “May our lives be yours unto death, if only you do not betray us. And when the Lord will have delivered the land to us, we will act toward you with mercy and truth.”

¹⁵Therefore, she sent them down from a window with a rope. For her house was joined to the wall.

¹⁶And she said to them: “Climb up to the mountains; otherwise, they may meet you as they are returning. And lay hidden there for three days, until they return. And then you will go on your way.”

¹⁷And they said to her: “We shall be innocent of this oath, to which you have sworn us,

¹⁸if, when we enter into the land, this scarlet cord has been placed as a sign, and you have tied it at the window by which you let us down. And so, gather your father, and mother, and brothers, and all your family into your house.

¹⁹Whoever will have exited from the door of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be uninvolved. But the blood of all who will be with you in the house shall fall back upon our own head, if anyone touches them.

²⁰But if you will have betrayed us, so that you spread this word in their midst, we will be free from this oath, to which you have sworn us.”

²¹And she responded, “Just as you have spoken, so let it be done.” And sending them to travel on, she hung the scarlet cord at the window.

²²And truly, walking on, they arrived at the mountains, and they stayed there for three days, until those who had been pursuing them returned. For having sought them along the entire way, they did not find them.

²³And when they returned and entered the city, the explorers descended from the mountain. And crossing the Jordan, they went to Joshua, the son of Nun, and they reported to him all that had happened to them.

²⁴And they said, “The Lord has delivered this entire land into our hands, and all its inhabitants have been struck down by fear.”

Joshua 2

¹And Joshua, the son of Nun, sent from Setim two men, to spy secretly: and said to them: Go, and view the land, and the city of Jericho. They went, and entered into the house of a woman that was a harlot, named Rahab, and lodged with her.

²And it was told the king of Jericho, and was said: Behold there are men come in hither, by night, of the children of Israel, to spy the land.

³And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying: Bring forth the men that came to thee, and are entered into thy house: for they are spies, and are come to view all the land.

⁴And the woman taking the men, hid them, and said: I confess they came to me, but I knew not whence they were:

⁵And at the time of shutting the gate in the dark, they also went out together. I know not whither they are gone: pursue after them quickly, and you will overtake them.

⁶But she made the men go up to the top of her house, and covered them with the stalks of flax, which was there.

⁷Now they that were sent, pursued after them, by the way that leadeth to the fords of the Jordan: and as soon as they were gone out, the gate was presently shut.

⁸The men that were hid were not yet asleep, when behold the woman went up to them, and said:

⁹I know that the Lord hath given this land to you: for the dread of you is fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land have lost all strength.

¹⁰We have heard that the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea, at your going in, when you came out of Egypt: and what things you did to the two kings of the Amorrhites, that were beyond the Jordan, Sehon and Og whom you slew.

¹¹And at the hearing these things, we were affrighted, and our heart fainted away, neither did there remain any spirit in us, at your coming in: for the Lord your God he is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath.

¹²Now, therefore, swear ye to me by the Lord, that as I have shewed mercy to you, so you also will shew mercy to my father's house: and give me a true token.

¹³That you will save my father and mother, my brethren and sisters, and all things that are theirs, and deliver our souls from death.

¹⁴They answered her: Be our lives for you unto death, only if thou betray us not. And when the Lord shall have delivered us the land, we will shew thee mercy and truth.

¹⁵Then she let them down with a cord out of a window: for her house joined close to the wall.

¹⁶And she said to them: Get ye up to the mountains, lest perhaps they meet you as they return: and there lie ye hid three days, till they come back, and so you shall go on your way.

¹⁷And they said to her: We shall be blameless of this oath, which thou hast made us swear,

¹⁸If, when we come into the land, this scarlet cord be a sign, and thou tie it in the window, by which thou hast let us down: and gather together thy father and mother, and brethren, and all thy kindred into thy house.

¹⁹Whosoever shall go out of the door of thy house, his blood shall be upon his own head, and we shall be quit. But the blood of all that shall be with thee in the house, shall light upon our head, if any man touch them.

²⁰But if thou wilt betray us, and utter this word abroad, we shall be quit of this oath, which thou hast made us swear.

²¹And she answered: As you have spoken, so be it done: and sending them on their way, she hung the scarlet cord in the window.

²²But they went and came to the mountains, and stayed there three days, till they that pursued them were returned. For having sought them through all the way, they found them not.

²³And when they were gone back into the city, the spies returned, and came down from the mountain: and passing over the Jordan, they came to Joshua, the son of Nun, and told him all that befel them,

²⁴And said: the Lord hath delivered all this land into our hands, and all the inhabitants thereof are overthrown with fear.