The Spies Enter Jericho
Study note
Joshua sent two spies from the Israelite camp at Shittim to look over the land, especially the fortified city of Jericho. The spies stayed at the house of a woman named Rahab, who was known in the city. When the king of Jericho found out that Israelite spies were in the city, he sent soldiers to Rahab's house. But Rahab had already hidden the spies on her roof under stalks of flax, which were drying there. She told the soldiers the men had already left, sending them on a wild chase toward the Jordan River.
1 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from their camp at Shittim. He told them, "Go scout the land, especially Jericho." The two men went and arrived at the house of a woman named Rahab, who was a prostitute, and they spent the night there. And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
2 Word reached the king of Jericho: "Some Israelite men slipped into town tonight to spy on our land." And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.
3 The king of Jericho sent a message to Rahab: "Hand over the men who came to your house. They are here to spy on our entire country." And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
4 But Rahab had already hidden the two men. She replied, "Yes, two men did come to my house, but I had no idea where they were from." And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:
5 "They left around dark, right before the city gate closed. I have no idea which direction they went. Hurry after them -- you can probably still catch up." And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
6 The truth was, she had taken the spies up to her roof and buried them under piles of flax stalks she had spread out there. But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
7 The king's soldiers rushed out after the spies, heading toward the Jordan River crossing points. As soon as the search party left town, the city gate was locked behind them. And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
Rahab's Declaration of Faith
Study note
After the soldiers left, Rahab went up to the roof and spoke to the spies. She told them that everyone in Canaan was terrified of Israel because they had heard how God dried up the Red Sea and defeated two Amorite kings. Rahab declared that the Lord is the true God of heaven and earth. This was a remarkable statement of faith from someone who was not an Israelite. She asked the spies to promise to spare her and her family when Israel attacked. The spies agreed, swearing an oath to protect her.
8 Before the spies fell asleep that night, Rahab climbed up to the roof to talk to them. And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
9 She told them, "I know the Lord has given this land to your people. Everyone here is scared to death of you. The whole country is paralyzed with fear." And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
10 "We have heard the stories. We know how the Lord dried up the Red Sea so you could cross when you left Egypt. We also heard how you completely wiped out Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan." For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
11 "When those stories reached us, our courage melted away. Nobody has the nerve to face you, because the Lord your God rules heaven above and earth below." And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
12 "So please, since I have treated you kindly, swear to me by the Lord that you will treat my family the same way. Give me something solid I can count on." Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:
13 "Promise me you will save the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and everyone connected to them. Rescue us from death." And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
14 The two men told her, "We stake our lives on it. As long as you keep our mission a secret, we will show you kindness and faithfulness when the Lord gives us this land." And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
The Spies Escape
Study note
Rahab's house was built into the city wall, so she could lower the spies out through her window using a rope. She told them to hide in the hills for three days until the search party gave up. The spies told Rahab to tie a bright red cord in her window as a signal, and to gather her entire family inside her house when Israel attacked. Anyone inside would be safe, but anyone who went outside would not be protected. The spies hid in the hills for three days, then returned safely to Joshua with their report: the people of the land were afraid of Israel.
15 Rahab lowered them down through the window on a rope, since her house was part of the city wall. Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
16 She advised them, "Head for the hills so the search party does not find you. Stay hidden for three days until they give up and come back. After that, you can safely continue your journey." 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.
17 The men told her, "We will only be bound by the oath you made us swear if you follow our instructions exactly." And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
18 "When our army enters the land, tie this bright red rope in the window you are lowering us through. Make sure your father, mother, brothers, and your whole family are together inside your house." Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
19 "Anyone who steps outside your front door will be responsible for their own death -- we will not be to blame. But if anyone inside your house is harmed, that will be on us." And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
20 "But if you tell anyone about our mission, then the oath you made us take no longer applies." And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.
21 Rahab agreed to everything. "Let it be exactly as you say." She sent them off, and as soon as they left, she tied the red rope in her window. And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
22 The spies went into the hills and stayed hidden for three days. The soldiers searched every road but never found them. 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.
23 Then the two spies came down from the hills, crossed the Jordan River, and made it back to Joshua son of Nun. They told him everything that had happened. So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:
24 They said to Joshua, "There is no question -- the Lord has given us the entire land. The people there are terrified of us." And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.