1   Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly with orders to reconnoitre the country. The two men came to Jericho and went to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and spent the night there. 2   It was reported to the king of Jericho that some Israelites had arrived that night to explore the country. 3   So the king sent to Rahab and said, ‘Bring out the men who have come to you and are now in your house; they are here to explore the whole country.’ 4   The woman, who had taken the two men and hidden them, ^note replied, ‘Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they came from; 5   and when it was time to shut the gate at nightfall, they had gone. I do not know where they were going, but if you hurry after them, you will catch them up.’ 6   In fact, she had taken them up on to the roof and concealed them among the stalks of flax which she had laid out there in rows. 7   The messengers went in pursuit of them down the road to the fords of the Jordan, and the gate was closed as soon as they had gone out. 8   The men had not yet settled down, when Rahab came up to them on the roof and said to them, 9   ‘I know that the Lord has given this land to you, that terror of you has descended upon us all, and that because of you the whole country is panic-stricken. 10   For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea ^note before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan, whom you put to death. 11   When we heard this, our courage failed us; your coming has left no spirit in any of us; for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. 12   Swear to me now by the Lord that you will keep faith with my family, as I have kept faith with you. 13   Give me a token of good faith; promise that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters and all who belong to them, and save us from death.’ 14   The men replied, ‘Our lives for yours, so long as you do not betray our business. When the Lord gives us the country, we will deal honestly and faithfully by you.’ 15   She then let them down through an opening by a rope; for the house where she lived was on an angle of the wall. 16   ‘Take to the hills,’ she said, ‘or the pursuers will come upon you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they come back, and then go on your way.’ 17   The men warned her that they would be released from the oath she had made them take unless she did what they told her. 18   ‘When we enter the land,’ they said, ‘you must fasten this strand of scarlet cord in the

Israel's entry into the promised land opening through which you have lowered us, and get everybody together here in the house, your father and mother, your brothers and all your family. 19   If anybody goes out of doors into the street, his blood shall be on his own head; we shall be quit of the oath. But if a hand is laid on anyone who stays indoors with you, his blood shall be on our heads. 20   Remember too that, if you betray our business, then we shall be quit of the oath you have made us take.’ 21   She replied, ‘It shall be as you say’, and sent them away. They set off, and she fastened the strand of scarlet cord in the opening. 22   The men made their way into the hills and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. They had searched all along the road, but had not found them. ^note 23   The two men then turned and came down from the hills, crossed the river and returned to Joshua son of Nun. They told him all that had happened to them and said to him, 24   ‘The Lord has put the whole country into our hands, and now all its people are panic-stricken at our approach.’

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