| New King James Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there. | 1Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies from the Acacia Grove, saying, "Go and scout the land, especially Jericho." So they left, and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed there. |
| 2And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.” | 2The king of Jericho was told, "Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land." |
| 3So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.” | 3Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, "Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land." |
| 4Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. | 4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, "Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn't know where they were from. |
| 5And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.” | 5At nightfall, when the city gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don't know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!" |
| 6(But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.) | 6But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. |
| 7Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate. | 7The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the city gate was shut. |
| 8Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, | 8Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof |
| 9and said to the men: “I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. | 9and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you. |
| 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. | 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 Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. |
| 11And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. | 11When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. |
| 12Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, | 12Now please swear to me by the LORD that you will also show kindness to my father's family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign |
| 13and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, 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 save us from death." |
| 14So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the LORD has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.” | 14The men answered her, "We will give our lives for yours. If you don't report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the LORD gives us the land." |
| 15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. | 15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, since she lived in a house that was built into the wall of the city. |
| 16And she said to them, “Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward you may go your way.” | 16"Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won't find you," she said to them. "Hide there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way." |
| 17So the men said to her: “We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, | 17The men said to her, "We will be free from this oath you made us swear, |
| 18unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home. | 18unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father's family into your house. |
| 19So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. | 19If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his death will be his own fault, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his death will be our fault. |
| 20And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear.” | 20And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear." |
| 21Then she said, “According to your words, so be it.” And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window. | 21"Let it be as you say," she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window. |
| 22They departed and went to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but did not find them. | 22So the two men went into the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers had returned. They searched all along the way, but did not find them. |
| 23So the two men returned, descended from the mountain, and crossed over; and they came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them. | 23Then the men returned, came down from the hill country, and crossed the Jordan. They went to Joshua son of Nun and reported everything that had happened to them. |
| 24And they said to Joshua, “Truly the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.” | 24They told Joshua, "The LORD has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
|
