Joshua 2:9-24

9and said to the men, “1I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the 2terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you. 103For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the 4Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and 5what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you 6utterly destroyed. 11When we heard these reports, 7our hearts melted and no 8courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for the 9Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below. 12Now then, 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 10pledge of 11truth, 13and 12spare my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them, and save our 13lives from death.” 14So the men said to her, “Our 14life 15for 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 16deal kindly and 17faithfully 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. 16And she said to them, “18Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not encounter you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” 17And the men said to her, “19We shall be exempt from this oath 20to you which you have made us swear, 1821unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and 22gather into your house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house outside will have 23his blood on his own head, and we will be innocent; but anyone who is with you in the house, 24his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be exempt from the oath which you have made us swear.” 21She then said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

22So they departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days, until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had searched for them 25all along the road, but had not found them. 23Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country, and they crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun. Then they reported to him all that had happened to them. 24And they said to Joshua, “The Lord has indeed handed over to us all the land; furthermore, 26all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of us.”