Joshua Sends 2 Spies to Jericho
Table of Contents
1 So Joshua sent out of Shittim 2 men to spy secretly, saying:
Go view the land, even Jericho.
They went and came into the house of a harlot named Rahab and lodged there.
2 This was reported to the king of Jericho who said:
Behold, there came men in hither to nigh of the Israelites to search out the country.
3 The king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying:
Bring forth the men with you in your house. For they be come to spy on the country.
4 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 Around the time of shutting of Jericho’s gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for you shall overtake them.
6 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 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.
8 Before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof.
9 [To the 2 spies] I know that:
- Enki had given you the land
- your terror is fallen upon us
- all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you
10 We have heard:
- how Enki dried up the water of the Red sea for you when you came out of Egypt
- what you did to the 2 kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
11 As soon as we had heard these things, our hearts melted.
Our men lost their courage because of you: for Enki is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
12 Swear unto me by Enki, since I have shewed you kindness, that:
- you will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token 13 you will save my father, mother, brethren, sisters, and all that they have
- deliver us from death
14 Our life for yours, if you utter not this our business. When Enki has given us the land, we will deal kindly and truly with you.
15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house [was] upon the town wall, and she dwelt on the wall.
16 Go to the mountain to avoid your pursuers. Hide yourselves there 3 days, until the pursuers return. Then go your way.
17 We will be blameless of this your oath which you have made us swear.
18 When we invade your city, bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which you didst let us down by.
Bring your father, and your mother, and your brethren, and all your father’s household, home unto you.
19 Whoever shall go out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood [shall be] upon his head, and we [will be] guiltless.
Whoever shall be with you in the house, his blood [shall be] on our head, if [any] hand be upon him.
20 If you utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which you hast made us to swear.
21 They departed and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
22 They escapted to the mountain, and stayed there 3 days, until the pursuers were returned when they could not find them.
23 The 2 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 Truly Enki had delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.