1: And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy
secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into
an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. |
|
2: And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in
hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. |
|
3:
And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men
that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to
search out all the country. |
|
4: And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There
came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: |
|
5: And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it
was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after
them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. |
|
6: But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them
with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. |
|
7: And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and
as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
|
|
8: And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
|
|
9: And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the
land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of
the land faint because of you. |
|
10: For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for
you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the
Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly
destroyed. |
|
11: And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt,
neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the
LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. |
|
12: Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have
shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and
give me a true token: |
|
13: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my
brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from
death. |
|
14: And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this
our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we
will deal kindly and truly with thee. |
|
15: Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house
was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. |
|
16: And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers
meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned:
and afterward may ye go your way. |
|
17: And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath
which thou hast made us swear. |
|
18: Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of
scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt
bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's
household, home unto thee. |
|
19: And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy
house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be
guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on
our head, if any hand be upon him. |
|
20: And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine
oath which thou hast made us to swear. |
|
21: And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them
away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. |
|
22: And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three
days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout
all the way, but found them not. |
|
23: So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed
over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell
them: |
|
24: And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our
hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because
of us. |