Joshua 2

Rahab Protects the Spies

2Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove

. He instructed them, "Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho." So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.H3091H1121H5126H7971H7851H8147H582H7270H2791H559H3212H7200H776H3405H3212H935H2181H802H1004H8034H7343H79012But someone told the king of Jericho, "Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land."H559H4428H3405H559H935H582H3915H1121H3478H2658H7763So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: "Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land."H4428H3405H7971H7343H559H3318H582H935H935H1004H935H2658H7764Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, "Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn't know where they were from.H802H3947H8147H582H6845H559H935H582H3045H3705They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don't know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them."H5462H8179H2822H582H3318H582H1980H3045H7291H310H4118H53816(Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.)H5927H1406H2934H6086H6593H6186H14067So the king's men went looking for the spies along the road leading to the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. And as soon as the king's men had left, the gate of Jericho was shut.H582H7291H310H1870H3383H4569H7291H310H3318H5462H81798Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them.H7901H5927H14069"I know the LORD has given you this land," she told them. "We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror.H559H582H3045H3068H5414H776H367H5307H3427H776H4127H644010For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea

when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed.H8085H3068H3001H4325H5488H3220H6440H3318H4714H6213H8147H4428H567H5676H3383H5511H5747H276311No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.H8085H3824H4549H6965H7307H376H6440H3068H430H430H8064H4605H77612"Now swear to me by the LORD that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee thatH7650H3068H3588H6213H2617H6213H2617H1H1004H5414H571H22613when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families."H2421H1H517H251H269H5337H5315H419414"We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety," the men agreed. "If you don't betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the LORD gives us the land."H582H559H5315H4191H5046H1697H3068H5414H776H6213H2617H57115Then, since Rahab's house was built into the town wall, she let them down by a rope through the window.H3381H2256H1157H2474H1004H7023H2346H3427H234616"Escape to the hill country," she told them. "Hide there for three days from the men searching for you. Then, when they have returned, you can go on your way."H559H3212H2022H7291H6293H2247H7969H3117H7291H7725H310H3212H187017Before they left, the men told her, "We will be bound by the oath we have taken only if you follow these instructions.H582H559H5355H7621H765018When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window through which you let us down. And all your family members—your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives—must be here inside the house.H935H776H7194H8615H8144H2339H2474H3381H622H1H517H251H1H1004H100419If they go out into the street and are killed, it will not be our fault. But if anyone lays a hand on people inside this house, we will accept the responsibility for their death.H834H3318H1817H1004H2351H1818H7218H5355H1004H1818H7218H302720If you betray us, however, we are not bound by this oath in any way."H5046H1697H5355H7621H765021"I accept your terms," she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window.H559H1697H7971H3212H7194H8144H8615H247422The spies went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men who were chasing them searched everywhere along the road, but they finally returned without success.H3212H935H2022H3427H7969H3117H7291H7725H7291H1245H1870H467223Then the two spies came down from the hill country, crossed the Jordan River, and reported to Joshua all that had happened to them.H8147H582H7725H3381H2022H5674H935H3091H1121H5126H5608H467224"The LORD has given us the whole land," they said, "for all the people in the land are terrified of us."H559H3091H3588H3068H5414H3027H776H3427H776H4127H6440