| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. | 1Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them: "Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho." They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there. |
| 2And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” | 2The king of Jericho received this report: "Note well! Israelite men have come here tonight to spy on the land." |
| 3Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” | 3So the king of Jericho sent this order to Rahab: "Turn over the men who came to you--the ones who came to your house--for they have come to spy on the whole land!" |
| 4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. | 4But the woman hid the two men and replied, "Yes, these men were clients of mine, but I didn't know where they came from. |
| 5And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” | 5When it was time to shut the city gate for the night, the men left. I don't know where they were heading. Chase after them quickly, for you have time to catch them!" |
| 6But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. | 6(Now she had taken them up to the roof and had hidden them in the stalks of flax she had spread out on the roof.) |
| 7So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out. | 7Meanwhile the king's men tried to find them on the road to the Jordan River near the fords. The city gate was shut as soon as they set out in pursuit of them. |
| 8Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof | 8Now before the spies went to sleep, Rahab went up to the roof. |
| 9and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. | 9She said to the men, "I know the LORD is handing this land over to you. We are absolutely terrified of you, and all who live in the land are cringing before you. |
| 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. | 10For we heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan. |
| 11And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. | 11When we heard the news we lost our courage and no one could even breathe for fear of you. For the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below! |
| 12Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign | 12So now, promise me this with an oath sworn in the LORD's name. Because I have shown allegiance to you, show allegiance to my family. Give me a solemn pledge |
| 13that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” | 13that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and rescue us from death." |
| 14And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the LORD gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.” | 14The men said to her, "If you die, may we die too! If you do not report what we've been up to, then, when the LORD hands the land over to us, we will show unswerving allegiance to you." |
| 15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall. | 15Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window. (Her house was built as part of the city wall; she lived in the wall.) |
| 16And she said to them, “Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.” | 16She told them, "Head to the hill country, so the ones chasing you don't find you. Hide from them there for three days, long enough for those chasing you to return. Then you can be on your way." |
| 17The men said to her, “We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. | 17The men said to her, "We are not bound by this oath you made us swear unless the following conditions are met: |
| 18Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. | 18When we invade the land, tie this red rope in the window through which you let us down, and gather together in your house your father, mother, brothers, and all who live in your father's house. |
| 19Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head. | 19Anyone who leaves your house will be responsible for his own death--we are innocent in that case! But if anyone with you in the house is harmed, we will be responsible. |
| 20But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear.” | 20If you should report what we've been up to, we are not bound by this oath you made us swear." |
| 21And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. | 21She said, "I agree to these conditions." She sent them on their way and then tied the red rope in the window. |
| 22They departed and went into the hills and remained there three days until the pursuers returned, and the pursuers searched all along the way and found nothing. | 22They went to the hill country and stayed there for three days, long enough for those chasing them to return. Their pursuers looked all along the way but did not find them. |
| 23Then the two men returned. They came down from the hills and passed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they told him all that had happened to them. | 23Then the two men returned--they came down from the hills, crossed the river, came to Joshua son of Nun, and reported to him all they had discovered. |
| 24And they said to Joshua, “Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.” | 24They told Joshua, "Surely the LORD is handing over all the land to us! All who live in the land are cringing before us!" |
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