Joshua 2 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Rahab Hides the Spies(A)

2 Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men (B)from [a]Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.”

So they went, and (C)came to the house of a harlot named (D)Rahab, and [b]lodged there. 2 And (E)it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.”

3 So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.”

4 (F)Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.” 6 (But (G)she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.) 7 Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men: (H)“I know that the Lord has given you the land, that (I)the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land (J)are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord (K)dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and (L)what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you (M)utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we (N)heard these things, (O)our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for (P)the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, I beg you, (Q)swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to (R)my father’s house, and (S)give me [c]a true token, 13 and (T)spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”

14 So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that (U)we will deal kindly and truly with you.”

15 Then she (V)let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. 16 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.”

17 So the men said to her: “We will be (W)blameless[d] of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, 18 (X)unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, (Y)and unless you [e]bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home. 19 So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be [f]guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, (Z)his [g]blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be [h]free from your oath which you made us swear.”

21 Then she said, “According to your words, so be it.” And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window.

22 They departed and went to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but did not find them. 23 So the two men returned, descended from the mountain, and crossed over; and they came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “Truly (AA)the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.”

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 2:1 Heb. Shittim
  2. Joshua 2:1 Lit. lay down
  3. Joshua 2:12 a pledge of truth
  4. Joshua 2:17 free from obligation to this oath
  5. Joshua 2:18 Lit. gather
  6. Joshua 2:19 free from obligation
  7. Joshua 2:19 guilt of bloodshed
  8. Joshua 2:20 free from obligation to

Cross references

  1. Joshua 2:1 : Heb. 11:31
  2. Joshua 2:1 : Num. 25:1; Josh. 3:1
  3. Joshua 2:1 : Heb. 11:31; James 2:25
  4. Joshua 2:1 : Matt. 1:5
  5. Joshua 2:2 : Josh. 2:22
  6. Joshua 2:4 : 2 Sam. 17:19, 20
  7. Joshua 2:6 : Ex. 1:17; 2 Sam. 17:19
  8. Joshua 2:9 : Deut. 1:8
  9. Joshua 2:9 : Gen. 35:5; Ex. 23:27; Deut. 2:25; 11:25; Josh. 9:9, 10
  10. Joshua 2:9 : Ex. 15:15; Josh. 5:1
  11. Joshua 2:10 : Ex. 14:21; Josh. 4:23
  12. Joshua 2:10 : Num. 21:21–35
  13. Joshua 2:10 : Deut. 20:17; Josh. 6:21
  14. Joshua 2:11 : Ex. 15:14, 15
  15. Joshua 2:11 : Josh. 5:1; 7:5; Ps. 22:14; Is. 13:7
  16. Joshua 2:11 : Deut. 4:39
  17. Joshua 2:12 : 1 Sam. 20:14, 15, 17
  18. Joshua 2:12 : 1 Tim. 5:8
  19. Joshua 2:12 : Ex. 12:13; Josh. 2:18
  20. Joshua 2:13 : Josh. 6:23–25
  21. Joshua 2:14 : Gen. 47:29; Judg. 1:24; [Matt. 5:7]
  22. Joshua 2:15 : Acts 9:25
  23. Joshua 2:17 : Ex. 20:7
  24. Joshua 2:18 : Josh. 2:12
  25. Joshua 2:18 : Josh. 6:23
  26. Joshua 2:19 : 1 Kin. 2:32; Matt. 27:25
  27. Joshua 2:24 : Ex. 23:31; Josh. 6:2; 21:44

You Might Also Like:

Joshua 2 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

2 And Joshua son of Nun sendeth from Shittim, two men, spies, silently, saying, `Go, see the land -- and Jericho;' and they go and come into the house of a woman, a harlot, and her name [is] Rahab, and they lie down there. 2 And it is told to the king of Jericho, saying, `Lo, men have come in hither...
Read More

Joshua 2 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

2 Therefore Joshua, the son of Nun, sent from Shittim two men, spyers in huddles, and said to them, Go ye, and behold ye the land, and the city of Jericho. Which went, and entered into the house of a woman whore, Rahab by name, and rested at her. (And so Joshua, the son of Nun, secretly sent out two...
Read More

Joshua 2 - World English Bible (WEB)

2 Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there. 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Behold,[a] men of the children of Israel came in here tonig...
Read More

Joshua 2 - The Voice (VOICE)

Joshua has the promise of God that the Israelites will succeed, and the people have taken to his leadership with enthusiasm. They have begun well, and their faith will keep them strong. But in the conquest story they cannot expect God to do everything. A prayer from the Christian and Jewish traditio...
Read More

Joshua 2 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Rahab’s Faith2 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent out two spies from Shittim saying: “Go, explore the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came to the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and lodged there.[a] 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Some men from Bnei-Yisrael have just come ...
Read More

Joshua 2 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Spies Sent to Jericho2 And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went, and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, “Behold, certain men of Is...
Read More

Joshua 2 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Spies Sent to Jericho2 And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went, and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, “Behold, certain men of Is...
Read More

Joshua 2 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Spies Sent to Jericho2 Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and spent the night there. 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Some Israelites have come...
Read More

Joshua 2 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Spies Sent to Jericho2 Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho.’ So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and spent the night there. 2 The king of Jericho was told, ‘Some Israelites have come...
Read More

Joshua 2 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Spies Sent to Jericho2 Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and spent the night there.(A)2 The king of Jericho was told, “Some Israelites have come ...
Read More

Joshua 2 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Rahab Protects the Spies2 Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove.[a] He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed...
Read More

Joshua 2 - New Life Version (NLV)

2 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men from Shittim to go in secret to learn about the land. He said to them, “Go and spy out the land, and Jericho.” So they went and came to the house of Rahab, a woman who sold the use of her body, and they stayed there. 2 Then the king of Jericho was told, “Se...
Read More

Joshua 2 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Rahab Hides the Spies(A)2 Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men (B)from [a]Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.”So they went, and (C)came to the house of a harlot named (D)Rahab, and [b]lodged there. 2 And (E)it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Be...
Read More

Joshua 2 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Rahab and the spies2 Then 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. 2 The king of Jericho was told, ‘Look, some of the Israelites have come here ton...
Read More

Joshua 2 - New International Version (NIV)

Rahab and the Spies2 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies(A) from Shittim.(B) “Go, look over(C) the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.(D)” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab(E) and stayed there. 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites hav...
Read More

Joshua 2 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Rahab Helps the Spies2 Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two spies from Shittim. He sent them in secret. He said to them, “Go and look over the land. Most of all, check out Jericho.” So they went to Jericho. They stayed at the house of a prostitute. Her name was Rahab. 2 The king of Jericho was told, “Lo...
Read More

Joshua 2 - New English Translation (NET)

Joshua Sends Spies into the Land2 Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them:[a] “Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho.”[b] They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there.[c] 2 The king of Jericho received this...
Read More