| Holman Christian Standard Bible | New International Version |
| 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. | 1Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. "Go, look over the land," he said, "especially Jericho." So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed 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 was told, "Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out 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 message to Rahab: "Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out 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 had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come 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!" | 5At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don't know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with 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(But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid 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. | 7So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut. |
| 8Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof | 8Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on 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. | 9and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of 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. | 10We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. |
| 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 of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the 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 | 12"Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign |
| 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 and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them--and that you will save 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." | 14"Our lives for your lives!" the men assured her. "If you don't tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land." |
| 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. " | 15So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city 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 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." |
| 17The men said to her, "We will be free from this oath you made us swear, | 17Now the men had said to her, "This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us |
| 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. | 18unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your 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. | 19If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. |
| 20And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear."" | 20But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the 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. | 21"Agreed," she replied. "Let it be as you say." So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord 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. | 22When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had searched all along the road and returned without finding 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 started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. |
| 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 said to Joshua, "The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us." |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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