Joshua 2

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 And so Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men from Shittim to explore in secret. And he said to them, “Go and consider the land and the city of Jericho.” And while traveling, they entered into the house of a harlot woman named Rahab, and they rested with her.	1 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 reported to the king of Jericho, and it was said: “Behold, men have entered to this place in the night, from the sons of Israel, so that they might explore the land.”	2 And it was told the king of Jericho, "Behold, certain men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land."
3 And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying: “Bring out the men who came to you, and who entered into your house. For certainly they are spies, and they have arrived to consider the entire land.”	3 Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring forth the men that have come to you, who entered your house; for they have come to search out all the land."
4 And the woman, taking the men, hid them. And she said: “I admit that they came to me, but I did not know where they were from.	4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them; and she said, "True, men came to me, but I did not know where they came from;
5 And when the gate was closed, they went out together in the darkness. I do not know where they have gone. Pursue them quickly, and you will overtake them.”	5 and when the gate was to be closed, at dark, the men went out; where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them."
6 But she caused the men to ascend to the roof of her house, and she covered them with the stalks of flax that were there.	6 But she had brought them up to the roof, and hid them with the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.
7 But those who had been sent pursued after them along the way that leads to the ford of the Jordan. And as soon as they went out, the gate was closed.	7 So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords; and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.
8 Those who were hiding had not yet fallen asleep, and behold, the woman went up to them, and she said:	8 Before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof,
9 “I know that the Lord has given this land to you. For the terror of you has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land have languished.	9 and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.
10 We have heard that the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea upon your arrival, when you were departing from Egypt, and we heard of the things that you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you put to death.	10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
11 And upon hearing these things, we were very afraid, and our heart languished. Neither did there remain in us any spirit at your arrival. For the Lord your God is the very God in heaven above and on earth below.	11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no courage left in any man, because of you; for the LORD your God is he who is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
12 Now, therefore, swear to me by the Lord that in the same way that I have acted with mercy toward you, so also shall you act toward the house of my father. And may you give me a true sign	12 Now then, swear to me by the LORD that as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign,
13 that you will save my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all that is theirs, and that you may rescue our souls from death.”	13 and save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death."
14 They responded to her: “May our lives be yours unto death, if only you do not betray us. And when the Lord will have delivered the land to us, we will act toward you with mercy and truth.”	14 And the men said to her, "Our life for yours! If you do not tell this business of ours, then we will deal kindly and faithfully with you when the LORD gives us the land."
15 Therefore, she sent them down from a window with a rope. For her house was joined to the wall.	15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she dwelt in the wall.
16 And she said to them: “Climb up to the mountains; otherwise, they may meet you as they are returning. And lay hidden there for three days, until they return. And then you will go on your way.”	16 And she said to them, "Go into the hills, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned; then afterward you may go your way."
17 And they said to her: “We shall be innocent of this oath, to which you have sworn us,	17 The men said to her, "We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours which you have made us swear.
18 if, when we enter into the land, this scarlet cord has been placed as a sign, and you have tied it at the window by which you let us down. And so, gather your father, and mother, and brothers, and all your family into your house.	18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall bind this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down; and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's household.
19 Whoever will have exited from the door of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be uninvolved. But the blood of all who will be with you in the house shall fall back upon our own head, if anyone touches them.	19 If any one goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we shall be guiltless; but if a hand is laid upon any one who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head.
20 But if you will have betrayed us, so that you spread this word in their midst, we will be free from this oath, to which you have sworn us.”	20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath which you have made us swear."
21 And she responded, “Just as you have spoken, so let it be done.” And sending them to travel on, she hung the scarlet cord at the window.	21 And she said, "According to your words, so be it." Then she sent them away, and they departed; and she bound the scarlet cord in the window.
22 And truly, walking on, they arrived at the mountains, and they stayed there for three days, until those who had been pursuing them returned. For having sought them along the entire way, they did not find them.	22 They departed, and went into the hills, and remained there three days, until the pursuers returned; for the pursuers had made search all along the way and found nothing.
23 And when they returned and entered the city, the explorers descended from the mountain. And crossing the Jordan, they went to Joshua, the son of Nun, and they reported to him all that had happened to them.	23 Then the two men came down again from the hills, and passed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun; and they told him all that had befallen them.
24 And they said, “The Lord has delivered this entire land into our hands, and all its inhabitants have been struck down by fear.”	24 And they said to Joshua, "Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands; and moreover all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of us."