| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies from the Acacia Grove, saying, "Go and scout the land, especially Jericho." So they left, and they came to the house of a woman, a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed there. | 1Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them: "Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho." They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there. |
| 2The king of Jericho was told, "Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land." | 2The king of Jericho received this report: "Note well! Israelite men have come here tonight to spy on the land." |
| 3Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, "Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land." | 3So the king of Jericho sent this order to Rahab: "Turn over the men who came to you--the ones who came to your house--for they have come to spy on the whole land!" |
| 4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, "Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn't know where they were from. | 4But the woman hid the two men and replied, "Yes, these men were clients of mine, but I didn't know where they came from. |
| 5At nightfall, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don't know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!" | 5When it was time to shut the city gate for the night, the men left. I don't know where they were heading. Chase after them quickly, for you have time to catch them!" |
| 6But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. | 6(Now she had taken them up to the roof and had hidden them in the stalks of flax she had spread out on the roof.) |
| 7The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the gate was shut. | 7Meanwhile the king's men tried to find them on the road to the Jordan River near the fords. The city gate was shut as soon as they set out in pursuit of them. |
| 8Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof | 8Now before the spies went to sleep, Rahab went up to the roof. |
| 9and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you. | 9She said to the men, "I know the LORD is handing this land over to you. We are absolutely terrified of you, and all who live in the land are cringing before you. |
| 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. | 10For we heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan. |
| 11When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. | 11When we heard the news we lost our courage and no one could even breathe for fear of you. For the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below! |
| 12Now please swear to me by the LORD that you will also show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign | 12So now, promise me this with an oath sworn in the LORD's name. Because I have shown allegiance to you, show allegiance to my family. Give me a solemn pledge |
| 13that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death." | 13that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and rescue us from death." |
| 14The men answered her, "We will give our lives for yours. If you don't report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the LORD gives us the land." | 14The men said to her, "If you die, may we die too! If you do not report what we've been up to, then, when the LORD hands the land over to us, we will show unswerving allegiance to you." |
| 15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, since she lived in a house that was built into the wall of the city. " | 15Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window. (Her house was built as part of the city wall; she lived in the wall.) |
| 16Go 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." | 16She 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." |
| 17The men said to her, "We will be free from this oath you made us swear, | 17The men said to her, "We are not bound by this oath you made us swear unless the following conditions are met: |
| 18unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father's family into your house. | 18When we invade the land, tie this red rope in the window through which you let us down, and gather together in your house your father, mother, brothers, and all who live in your father's house. |
| 19If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his blood will be on our heads. | 19Anyone who leaves your house will be responsible for his own death--we are innocent in that case! But if anyone with you in the house is harmed, we will be responsible. |
| 20And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear."" | 20If you should report what we've been up to, we are not bound by this oath you made us swear." |
| 21Let it be as you say," she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window. | 21She said, "I agree to these conditions." She sent them on their way and then tied the red rope in the window. |
| 22So the two men went into the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers had returned. They searched all along the way, but did not find them. | 22They went to the hill country and stayed there for three days, long enough for those chasing them to return. Their pursuers looked all along the way but did not find them. |
| 23Then the men returned, came down from the hill country, and crossed the Jordan. They went to Joshua son of Nun and reported everything that had happened to them. | 23Then the two men returned--they came down from the hills, crossed the river, came to Joshua son of Nun, and reported to him all they had discovered. |
| 24They told Joshua, "The LORD has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us." | 24They told Joshua, "Surely the LORD is handing over all the land to us! All who live in the land are cringing before us!" |
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