| New King James Version | NET 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 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 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 received this report: "Note well! Israelite men have come here tonight to spy on 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.” | 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!" |
| 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 hid the two men and replied, "Yes, these men were clients of mine, but I didn't know where they came 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.” | 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!" |
| 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.) | 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.) |
| 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. | 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. |
| 8Now before they 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, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of 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 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 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 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 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, 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, | 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 |
| 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 rescue 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 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 on the city wall; she dwelt on 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, “Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned. 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." |
| 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 are not bound by this oath you made us swear unless the following conditions are met: |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 20And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear.” | 20If you should report what we've been up to, we are not bound by this 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. | 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 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. | 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. |
| 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 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 delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted 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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