² The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” ³ So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab:^(A) “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”

⁴ But the woman had taken the two men^(B) and hidden them.^(C) She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. ⁵ At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate,^(D) they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.”^{(E) 6} (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax^(F) she had laid out on the roof.)^{(G) 7} So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan,^(H) and as soon as the pursuers^(I) had gone out, the gate was shut.

⁸ Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof^{(J) 9} and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear^(K) of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. ¹⁰ We have heard how the Lord dried up^(L) the water of the Red Sea^[a] for you when you came out of Egypt,^(M) and what you did to Sihon and Og,^(N) the two kings of the Amorites^(O) east of the Jordan,^(P) whom you completely destroyed.^{[b](Q) 11} When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear^(R) and everyone’s courage failed^(S) because of you,^(T) for the Lord your God^(U) is God in heaven above and on the earth^(V) below.

¹² “Now then, please swear to me^(W) by the Lord that you will show kindness^(X) to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign^{(Y) 13} that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them^(Z)—and that you will save us from death.”

¹⁴ “Our lives for your lives!”^(AA) the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully^(AB) when the Lord gives us the land.”

¹⁵ So she let them down by a rope^(AC) through the window,^(AD) for the house she lived in was part of the city wall.

¹⁷ Now the men had said to her, “This oath^(A) you made us swear will not be binding on us

²¹ “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord^(A) in the window.^(B)