Joshua 2:1-16

1Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from 1Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of 2a harlot whose name was Rahab, and 3lodged there. 2It was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3And the king of Jericho sent word 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 land.” 4But the 4woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6But 5she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8Now before they lay down, 6she came up to them on the roof, 9and said to the men, “7I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the 8terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have 9melted away before you. 1010For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the 11Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and 12what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you 13utterly destroyed. 11When we heard it, 14our hearts melted and no 15courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the 16Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12Now therefore, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a 17pledge of 18truth, 13and 19spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our 20lives from death.” 14So the men said to her, “Our 21life 22for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will 23deal kindly and 24faithfully with you.”

15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16She said to them, “25Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.”