| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 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. | 1Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. |
| 2The king of Jericho received this report: "Note well! Israelite men have come here tonight to spy on the land." | 2And it was reported to the king of Jericho: “Behold, some men of Israel have come here tonight to spy out 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!" | 3So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole land.” |
| 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. | 4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from. |
| 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!" | 5At dusk, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I do not know which way they went. Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them!” |
| 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.) | 6(But Rahab had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had laid out there.) |
| 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. | 7So the king’s men set out in pursuit of the spies along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they had gone out, the gate was shut. |
| 8Now before the spies went to sleep, Rahab went up to the roof. | 8Before the spies lay down for the night, Rahab went up on the roof |
| 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. | 9and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. |
| 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. | 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. |
| 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! | 11When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below. |
| 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 | 12Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign |
| 13that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and rescue us from death." | 13that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will deliver us from death.” |
| 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." | 14“Our lives for your lives!” the men agreed. “If you do not report our mission, we will show you kindness and faithfulness when the LORD gives us the land.” |
| 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.) | 15Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window, since the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city. |
| 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." | 16“Go to the hill country,” she said, “so that your pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they have returned; then go on your way.” |
| 17The men said to her, "We are not bound by this oath you made us swear unless the following conditions are met: | 17The men said to her, “We will not be bound by this oath you made us swear |
| 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. | 18unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother and brothers and all your family into your house. |
| 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. | 19If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads. |
| 20If you should report what we've been up to, we are not bound by this oath you made us swear." | 20And if you report our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.” |
| 21She said, "I agree to these conditions." She sent them on their way and then tied the red rope in the window. | 21“Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. And when they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window. |
| 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. | 22So the spies went out into the hill country and stayed there three days, until their pursuers had returned without finding them, having searched all along the road. |
| 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. | 23Then the two men started back, came down from the hill country, and crossed the river. So they came to Joshua son of Nun and reported all that had happened to them. |
| 24They told Joshua, "Surely the LORD is handing over all the land to us! All who live in the land are cringing before us!" | 24“The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands,” they said to Joshua. “Indeed, all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of us.” |
|
