Joshua 2

1 And Joshua son of Nun sent two young men out of Shittim as spies. He said, “Go up and look at the land, and at Jericho.” And the two young men went and came into Jericho, and they came into the house of a woman who was a prostitute, whose name was Rahab, and they stayed there. 2 And it was reported to the king of Jericho: “Men of the children of Israel have come in here to spy out the land.” 3 And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came into your house tonight, for they have come to spy out the land.”

4 And the woman took the men and hid them; and she said to the king's men, “The men did come in to me, 5 but when the gate was being shut, in the dark, the men went out. I do not know where they have gone. Chase after them — you may yet catch them.” 6 But she had brought them up onto the roof and hidden them in the flax stalks she had stacked there on the roof. 7 And the men chased after them along the road to the Jordan, to the fords; and the gate was shut. And when those chasing them had gone out, [a] 8 and before the two had lain down to sleep, she came up to them on the roof.

9 And she said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, for the fear of you has fallen on us. 10 For we have heard how the Lord God dried up the Red Sea in front of you when you were coming out of the land of Egypt, and everything he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were across the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you destroyed. 11 And when we heard it we were stunned in our heart, and no spirit was left standing in any of us because of you; for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

12 And now swear to me by the Lord God: since I am showing mercy to you, you are to show mercy to my father's house too, 13 and keep alive my father's house, and my mother, and my brothers, and my whole household, and everything that is theirs; and you will rescue my life from death.” 14 And the men said to her, “Our life for yours, to the death.” And she said, “When the Lord hands the city over to you, you are to show me mercy and truth.” [b]

15 And she let them down through the window, [c] 16 and said to them, “Go off into the hill country, so that the men chasing you do not meet you; and stay hidden there three days, until those chasing you have turned back, and after that go on your way.” 17 And the men said to her, “We are free of this oath of yours. 18 See — we are coming into a part of the city, and you are to put out the sign: you are to tie this scarlet cord in the window you let us down through, and you are to gather your father and your mother and your brothers and your father's whole household to yourself, into your house. [d] 19 And whoever goes outside the door of your house, his guilt will be on his own head, and we are free of this oath of yours; but for all who are with you in your house, we will answer. 20 But if anyone wrongs us, or gives away these words of ours, we are free of this oath of yours.” 21 And she said to them, “Let it be as you have said.” And she sent them off. [e]

22 And they went and came into the hill country and stayed there three days; and the men chasing them searched all the roads and did not find them. 23 And the two young men turned back and came down out of the mountain and crossed over to Joshua son of Nun, and told him everything that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “The Lord has handed the whole land over into our hand, and everyone living in that land cowers before us.”