| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1After this, Nun's son Joshua sent two men from the Acacia groves as undercover scouts. He told them, "Go and look over the land. Pay special attention to Jericho." So they went out, came to the house of a prostitute named 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. |
| 2Then the king of Jericho was told, "Look! Israeli men arrived tonight to scout out the land." | 2The king of Jericho received this report: "Note well! Israelite men have come here tonight to spy on the land." |
| 3So the king of Jericho sent for Rahab and ordered her, "Bring out the men who came to visit you and lodged in your house, because they've come to scout out the entire 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!" |
| 4Now the woman had taken the two men and hid them. So she replied, "The men really did come to me, but I didn't know from where they came. | 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. |
| 5At dusk, when it was time to close the city gates, the men left. I don't know where the men went. Go after them quickly, and you might 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 taken them up to the roof and had hidden them among stalks of flax that she had laid out 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 them along the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as the search party had left, they shut the city gate after them. | 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 scouts had lain down, she went up to them on the roof | 8Now before the spies went to sleep, Rahab went up to the roof. |
| 9"I'm really convinced that the LORD has given you the land," she said, "because we're overwhelmed with fear of you. All the other inhabitants of the land are demoralized at your presence, | 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. |
| 10because we heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Reed Sea right in front of you as you were coming out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan River—to Sihon and Og—whom you completely destroyed. | 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. |
| 11When we heard these reports, we all became terrified and discouraged because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven 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 therefore, since I've treated you so kindly, please swear in the name of the LORD that you'll also be kind to my father's household by giving me this 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 |
| 13Spare my father, my mother, and my brothers and sisters, along with everyone who belongs with them so we won't be killed." | 13that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and rescue us from death." |
| 14So the men told her, "Our life for yours—even to death—if you don't betray this mission of ours. Then when the LORD gives us this land, we'll treat you graciously and faithfully." | 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." |
| 15So she let them down by a rope through the window, since her house was built into the town wall where she lived. | 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.) |
| 16She told them, "Go out to the hill country, so the search party won't find you, and hide for three days. After that, you may go on your own 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 replied, "We'll be free from our commitment to you to which you've obligated us | 17The men said to her, "We are not bound by this oath you made us swear unless the following conditions are met: |
| 18when we invade the land, if you don't tie this rope made with red cords in the window through which you let us down, and if you don't gather your father, your mother, your brothers, and all of the rest of your father's household into your house. | 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. |
| 19Everyone who leaves through the doors of your house into the street will be responsible for his own death, but we'll be responsible for anyone who remains with you in the house if even so much as a hand is laid on him. | 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 report this incident, we'll be free from the oath to which you've made us swear." | 20If you should report what we've been up to, we are not bound by this oath you made us swear." |
| 21"Since you put it that way," she replied, "I agree." After she sent them on their way and they had left, she tied the red 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. |
| 22The scouts left for the hill country and remained there for three days until the search party returned. The search party searched the entire road, but was unable to find them. | 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. |
| 23Later, the two men returned from the hill country, crossed over the Jordan River, approached Nun's son Joshua, and told him everything 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. |
| 24They reported to Joshua, "The LORD really has given the entire land into our control. The inhabitants of the land have melted away right in front 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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