| New Living Translation | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night. | 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 woman, a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed there. |
| 2But someone told the king of Jericho, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” | 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 orders to Rahab: “Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land.” | 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." |
| 4Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t 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. |
| 5They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.” | 5At nightfall, when the 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(Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.) | 6But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. |
| 7So the king’s men went looking for the spies along the road leading to the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. And as soon as the king’s men had left, the gate of Jericho was shut. | 7The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the gate was shut. |
| 8Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. | 8Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof |
| 9“I know the LORD has given you this land,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. | 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 made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. | 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 Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. |
| 11No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below. | 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. |
| 12“Now swear to me by the LORD that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that | 12Now please swear to me by the LORD that you will also show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign |
| 13when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families.” | 13that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death." |
| 14“We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety,” the men agreed. “If you don’t betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the LORD gives us the land.” | 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, since Rahab’s house was built into the town wall, she let them down by a rope through the window. | 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. " |
| 16“Escape to the hill country,” she told them. “Hide there for three days from the men searching for you. Then, when they have returned, you can go on your way.” | 16Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won't find you," she said to them. "Hide yourselves there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way." |
| 17Before they left, the men told her, “We will be bound by the oath we have taken only if you follow these instructions. | 17The men said to her, "We will be free from this oath you made us swear, |
| 18When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window through which you let us down. And all your family members—your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives—must be here inside the house. | 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. |
| 19If they go out into the street and are killed, it will not be our fault. But if anyone lays a hand on people inside this house, we will accept the responsibility for their death. | 19If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his blood will be on our heads. |
| 20If you betray us, however, we are not bound by this oath in any way.” | 20And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear."" |
| 21“I accept your terms,” she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window. | 21Let it be as you say," she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window. |
| 22The spies went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men who were chasing them searched everywhere along the road, but they finally returned without success. | 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. |
| 23Then the two spies came down from the hill country, crossed the Jordan River, and reported to Joshua all that had happened to 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. |
| 24“The LORD has given us the whole land,” they said, “for all the people in the land are terrified 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." |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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