Joshua 2:16 "Go to the hill country," she said, "so that your pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they have returned; then go on your way."

◄ Joshua 2:16 ►

New International Version
She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”

New Living Translation
“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.”

English Standard Version
And she said to them, “Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.”

Berean Standard Bible
“Go to the hill country,” she said, “so that your pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they have returned; then go on your way.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And she said to them, “Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward you may go your way.”

New American Standard Bible
And she said to them, “Go 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.”

NASB 1995
She said to them, “Go 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.”

NASB 1977
And she said to them, “Go to the hill country, lest the pursuers happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days, until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And she said to them, “Go to the hill country, lest the pursuers reach you. And hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.”

Amplified Bible
And she said to them, “Go [west] to the hill country, so that the pursuers [who have headed east] will not encounter you; hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you can go your way.”

Christian Standard Bible
“Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won’t find you,” she said to them. “Hide there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Go 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.”

American Standard Version
And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers light upon you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.

Contemporary English Version
Then hide in the hills. The men who are looking for you won't be able to find you there. They'll give up and come back after a few days, and you can be on your way."

English Revised Version
And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers light upon you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
She told them, "Go to the mountains so that the men who are pursuing you will not find you. Hide there for three days until they return to Jericho. Then you can go on your way."

Good News Translation
"Go into the hill country," she said, "or the king's men will find you. Hide there for three days until they come back. After that, you can go on your way."

International Standard Version
She told them, "Go out to the hill country, so the search party won't find you, and hide for three days. After that, you may go on your own way."

Majority Standard Bible
“Go to the hill country,” she said, “so that your pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they have returned; then go on your way.”

NET Bible
She told them, "Head to the hill country, so the ones chasing you don't find you. Hide from them there for three days, long enough for those chasing you to return. Then you can be on your way."

New Heart English Bible
She said to them, "Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way."

Webster's Bible Translation
And she said to them, Depart to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned: and afterward ye may go your way.

World English Bible
She said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and she says to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers come on you; and you have been hidden there three days until the turning back of the pursuers, and afterward you go on your way.”

Young's Literal Translation
and she saith to them, 'To the mountain go, lest the pursuers come upon you; and ye have been hidden there three days till the turning back of the pursuers, and afterwards ye go on your way.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And she will say to them, Go to the mountain, lest they pursuing shall meet with you; and hide yourselves there three days till they pursuing turn back: and afterward ye shall go to your way.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And she said to them: Get ye up to the mountains, lest perhaps they meet you as they return: and there lie ye hid three days, till they come back, and so you shall go on your way.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And she said to them: “Climb up to the mountains; otherwise, they may meet you as they are returning. And lay hidden there for three days, until they return. And then you will go on your way.”

New American Bible
“Go up into the hill country,” she said, “that your pursuers may not come upon you. Hide there for three days, until they return; then you may go on your way.”

New Revised Standard Version
She said to them, “Go toward the hill country, so that the pursuers may not come upon you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned; then afterward you may go your way.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And she said to them, Go by way of the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned, and then you shall go on your way.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And she said to them: “Immediately go to the mountain, lest those who have gone out after you will meet you, and hide there three days until they return, and then you shall go on your way”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And she said unto them: 'Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers light upon you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned; and afterward may ye go your way.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and she said to them, Depart into the hill-country, lest the pursuers meet you, and ye shall be hidden there three days until your pursuers return from after you, and afterwards ye shall depart on your way.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Promise to Rahab
…15Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window, since the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city. 16“Go to the hill country,” she said, “so that your pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they have returned; then go on your way.” 17The men said to her, “We will not be bound by this oath you made us swear…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Hebrews 11:31
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.

James 2:25
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?

Exodus 2:15
When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.

1 Samuel 19:11-12
Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” / So Michal lowered David from the window, and he ran away and escaped.

Acts 9:25
One night, however, his disciples took him and lowered him in a basket through a window in the wall.

Matthew 1:5
Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,

2 Corinthians 11:33
But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his grasp.

Judges 1:24-25
and when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us how to get into the city, and we will treat you kindly.” / So the man showed them the entrance to the city, and they put the city to the sword but released that man and all his family.

1 Kings 2:36-38
Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. / On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.” / “The sentence is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.

Genesis 19:17
As soon as the men had brought them out, one of them said, “Run for your lives! Do not look back, and do not stop anywhere on the plain! Flee to the mountains, or you will be swept away!”

1 Samuel 20:42
And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be a witness between you and me, and between your descendants and mine forever.’” Then David got up and departed, and Jonathan went back into the city.

1 Samuel 23:13
Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.

2 Samuel 15:14
And David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! We must leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.”

2 Kings 6:19
And Elisha told them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are seeking.” And he led them to Samaria.

Matthew 2:13
When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”

Treasury of Scripture

And she said to 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 you go your way.

Get you

Joshua 2:22
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.

1 Samuel 23:14,29
And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand…

Psalm 11:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

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Joshua 2

1. Rahab receives and conceals the two spies sent from Shittim
8. The covenant between her and them
23. Their return and description of events

Berean Study Bible

Go to the hill country
The phrase "Go to the hill country" is a directive given by Rahab to the spies. The Hebrew word for "hill country" is "הָהָר" (ha-har), which often refers to a mountainous or elevated region. In the context of ancient Israel, the hill country was a place of refuge and strategic advantage. It was rugged and difficult to traverse, making it an ideal hiding place. This instruction reflects Rahab's wisdom and understanding of the terrain, which she uses to aid the spies in their escape.

so that your pursuers will not find you
The word "pursuers" in Hebrew is "רֹדְפֵיכֶם" (rodefeichem), meaning those who chase or hunt. Rahab's concern for the spies' safety is evident here. Her knowledge of the local search patterns and her strategic thinking are crucial. This phrase underscores the danger the spies were in and the urgency of their need to evade capture. It also highlights Rahab's role as a protector, which is significant given her status as a Canaanite woman aiding Israelite spies.

Hide yourselves there for three days
The instruction to "hide yourselves" uses the Hebrew verb "חָבָא" (chava), meaning to conceal or keep out of sight. The number "three" often holds symbolic significance in the Bible, representing completeness or divine intervention. The three days of hiding could symbolize a period of divine protection and preparation before the spies continue their mission. This time frame also allows for the pursuers to abandon their search, ensuring the spies' safety.

until they have returned
The phrase "until they have returned" indicates a waiting period for the pursuers to give up and return to Jericho. This reflects a strategic patience, emphasizing the importance of timing in God's plans. The Hebrew root "שׁוּב" (shuv), meaning to return or turn back, is often used in the context of repentance or change of direction, which can be seen as a metaphor for the turning back of danger.

then go on your way
The phrase "then go on your way" is a release to continue their mission. The Hebrew word "דֶּרֶךְ" (derech) means way, path, or journey. This signifies not just a physical journey but also a spiritual mission. The spies' path is ordained by God, and Rahab's guidance is part of His providential care. This phrase encapsulates the transition from hiding to action, from safety to fulfilling God's purpose.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) Get you to the mountain.--The mountains between Jerusalem and Jericho have often been a refuge for worse characters than Joshua's two spies (Luke 10:30).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - Get you to the mountains. No hint is given why the mountains were to be so safe a refuge. But a reference to the geography of the district will supply the reason. Any mountain district is usually less accessible and less thickly inhabited than the plains. But within five miles of Jericho lay the remarkable range called Quarantania, or Kuruntul, which is literally honeycombed with caves, so that a man might be concealed for months in the immediate neighbourhood of Jericho with a very slight risk of discovery. It is obvious how strongly this fact confirms the accuracy of the narrative. An inventor would have been certain in some way or other to draw attention to a statement intended to give an air of probability to his narrative. But there is nothing of the kind here, and yet the narrative displays a thorough acquaintance with the geographical features of the neighbourhood. Canon Tristram ('Land of Israel,' p. 207, sqq.) carefully explored the caverns. On one face of the rock, which is perpendicular, he found "some thirty or forty habitable caves," and on the southern face, towards Jericho, he supposed there were a good many more than this. The scouts of the king of Jericho might be excused a very diligent search, for we are told that the "foot hold was hazardous and the height dizzy." From the days of the spies till long after the Christian era, these caves have been in existence. They have been tenanted by Greek, Syrian, and even Abyssinian monks, and Canon Tristram found many Greek and Ethiopic inscriptions, as well as figures of our Lord and the saints. The Abyssinian Christians make a yearly pilgrimage there even now. The reason of the reverence in which the place is held, is the tradition (not, however, eight hundred years old, see Bitter, 3:37) that, as the name Quarantania implies, the forty days' fast of our Lord took place there. As a specimen of the mystical interpretations in which the Fathers indulged, we find Origen expounding the advice, "Get you to the mountains," as follows: "Humilia et dejecta refugite, quae excelsa sunt et sublimia, praedicate."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

“Go
לֵּ֔כוּ (lê·ḵū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

to the hill country,”
הָהָ֣רָה (hā·hā·rāh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

she said,
וַתֹּ֤אמֶר (wat·tō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“so that your pursuers
הָרֹדְפִ֑ים (hā·rō·ḏə·p̄îm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7291: To pursue, chase, persecute

will not
פֶּֽן־ (pen-)
Conjunction
Strong's 6435: Removal, lest

find you.
יִפְגְּע֥וּ (yip̄·gə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6293: To impinge, by accident, violence, by importunity

Hide
וְנַחְבֵּתֶ֨ם (wə·naḥ·bê·ṯem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2247: To withdraw, hide

yourselves there
שָׁ֜מָּה (šām·māh)
Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

for three
שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת (šə·lō·šeṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice

days
יָמִ֗ים (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

until
עַ֚ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

they
הָרֹֽדְפִ֔ים (hā·rō·ḏə·p̄îm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7291: To pursue, chase, persecute

have returned;
שׁ֣וֹב (šō·wḇ)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

then
וְאַחַ֖ר (wə·’a·ḥar)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

go
תֵּלְכ֥וּ (tê·lə·ḵū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

on your way.”
לְדַרְכְּכֶֽם׃ (lə·ḏar·kə·ḵem)
Preposition-l | Noun - common singular construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

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OT History: Joshua 2:16 She said to them Go to (Josh. Jos)