Joshua 2

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 From Shittim, Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men to reconnoitre. He said, 'Go and explore thecountry and Jericho.' They left; they went into the house of a prostitute called Rahab, to spend the night there.	1 Then Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two spies from Shittim, saying, "Go, reconnoiter the land and Jericho." When the two reached Jericho, they went into the house of a harlot named Rahab, where they lodged.
2 The king of Jericho was told, 'Some men have come here tonight from the Israelites, to reconnoitre thecountry.'	2 But a report was brought to the king of Jericho that some Israelites had come there that night to spy out the land.
3 The king of Jericho then sent a message to Rahab, 'Send out the men who came to you and are lodgingin your house, for they have come to reconnoitre the whole country.'	3 So the king of Jericho sent Rahab the order, "Put out the visitors who have entered your house, for they have come to spy out the entire land."
4 But the woman took the two men and hid them. 'It is true,' she said, 'the men did come to me, but I didnot know where they came from.	4 The woman had taken the two men and hidden them, so she said, "True, the men you speak of came to me, but I did not know where they came from.
5 When the city gate was about to be closed at nightfal , the men went out and I cannot say where theyhave gone. Follow them quickly and you wil overtake them.'	5 At dark, when it was time for the gate to be shut, they left, and I do not know where they went. You will have to pursue them immediately to overtake them."
6 She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under some stalks of flax which she had laid outthere.	6 Now, she had led them to the roof, and hidden them among her stalks of flax spread out there.
7 The men hurried in pursuit of them towards the Jordan, as far as the fords, and the gate was shut oncethe pursuers had gone through.	7 But the pursuers set out along the way to the fords of the Jordan, and once they had left, the gate was shut.
8 The two men had not yet settled down for the night when Rahab came up to them on the roof.	8 Before the spies fell asleep, Rahab came to them on the roof
9 She said to them, 'I know that Yahweh has given you this country, that we are afraid of you and thateveryone living in this country has been seized with terror at your approach;	9 and said: "I know that the LORD has given you the land, that a dread of you has come upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are overcome with fear of you.
10 for we have heard how Yahweh dried up the Sea of Reeds before you when you came out of Egyptand what you did to the two Amorite kings across the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you put under the curse ofdestruction.	10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and how you dealt with Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan, whom you doomed to destruction.
11 When we heard this, our hearts failed us, and now no one has any courage left to resist you, sinceYahweh your God is God both in heaven above and on earth beneath.	11 At these reports, we are disheartened; everyone is discouraged because of you, since the LORD, your God, is God in heaven above and on earth below.
12 So, swear to me now by Yahweh, since I have been kind to you,	12 Now then, swear to me by the LORD that, since I am showing kindness to you, you in turn will show kindness to my family; and give me an unmistakable token
13 that you in your turn will be kind to my father's family; and give me a sure sign of this: that you wilspare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters and al who belong to them, and will preserveus from death.'	13 that you are to spare my father and mother, brothers and sisters, and all their kin, and save us from death."
14 The men replied, 'We pledge you our lives, provided that you say nothing about our mission. WhenYahweh has given us the country, we shal treat you kindly and faithful y.'	14 "We pledge our lives for yours," the men answered her. "If you do not betray this errand of ours, we will be faithful in showing kindness to you when the LORD gives us the land."
15 She then let them down from the window on a rope, as her house was against the city wal and sheactual y lived in the wal .	15 Then she let them down through the window with a rope; for she lived in a house built into the city wall.
16 'Make for the hil s,' she said, 'or you may run into your pursuers. Hide there for three days, until yourpursuers have come back, and then go on your way.'	16 "Go up into the hill country," she suggested to them, "that your pursuers may not find you. Hide there for three days, until they return; then you may proceed on your way."
17 The men said, 'This is how we shall fulfil the oath which you have made us swear:	17 The men answered her, "This is how we will fulfill the oath you made us take:
18 when we invade the country, you must tie this scarlet cord to the window from which you let us down,and collect your father, mother, brothers and entire family inside your house.	18 When we come into the land, tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you are letting us down; and gather your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house.
19 If anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood wil be on his own head and weshall not be to blame; but the blood of al staying inside the house with you wil be on our heads if a hand is laidon any of them.	19 Should any of them pass outside the doors of your house, he will be responsible for his own death, and we shall be guiltless. But we shall be responsible if anyone in the house with you is harmed.
20 But if you divulge our mission in the meanwhile, we shal be free of the oath which you have made usswear.'	20 If, however, you betray this errand of ours, we shall be quit of the oath you have made us take."
21 She replied, 'Let it be as you say.' She let them go, and they left. She then tied the scarlet cord to thewindow.	21 "Let it be as you say," she replied, and bade them farewell. When they were gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
22 They left and made for the hil s. They stayed there for three days, until their pursuers had gone home,having scoured the countryside without finding them.	22 They went up into the hills, where they stayed three days until their pursuers, who had sought them all along the road without finding them, returned.
23 The two men then came down again from the hil s, crossed over and, going to Joshua son of Nun, toldhim everything that had happened to them.	23 Then the two came back down from the hills, crossed the Jordan to Joshua, son of Nun, and reported all that had befallen them.
24 To Joshua they said, 'Yahweh has put the whole country at our mercy, and its inhabitants are al panic-stricken at our approach.'	24 They assured Joshua, "The LORD has delivered all this land into our power; indeed, all the inhabitants of the land are overcome with fear of us."