Joshua 2-3

New International Version

Rahab and the Spies

2 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 have come here tonight to spy out the land.” ³ So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab:^(F) “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^(G) and hidden them.^(H) 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,^(I) they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.”^{(J) 6} (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax^(K) she had laid out on the roof.)^{(L) 7} So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan,^(M) and as soon as the pursuers^(N) had gone out, the gate was shut.

⁸ Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof^{(O) 9} and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear^(P) 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^(Q) the water of the Red Sea^[a] for you when you came out of Egypt,^(R) and what you did to Sihon and Og,^(S) the two kings of the Amorites^(T) east of the Jordan,^(U) whom you completely destroyed.^{[b](V) 11} When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear^(W) and everyone’s courage failed^(X) because of you,^(Y) for the Lord your God^(Z) is God in heaven above and on the earth^(AA) below.

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

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

¹⁵ So she let them down by a rope^(AH) through the window,^(AI) for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. ¹⁶ She said to them, “Go to the hills^(AJ) so the pursuers^(AK) will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days^(AL) until they return, and then go on your way.”^(AM)

¹⁷ Now the men had said to her, “This oath^(AN) you made us swear will not be binding on us ¹⁸ unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord^(AO) in the window^(AP) through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family^(AQ) into your house. ¹⁹ If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads;^(AR) we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head^(AS) if a hand is laid on them. ²⁰ But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.^(AT)”

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

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

²² When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days,^(AW) until the pursuers^(AX) had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. ²³ Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. ²⁴ They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands;^(AY) all the people are melting in fear^(AZ) because of us.”

Crossing the Jordan

3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim^(BA) and went to the Jordan,^(BB) where they camped before crossing over. ² After three days^(BC) the officers^(BD) went throughout the camp,^{(BE) 3} giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant^(BF) of the Lord your God, and the Levitical^(BG) priests^(BH) carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. ⁴ Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits^[c](BI) between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

⁵ Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves,^(BJ) for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things^(BK) among you.”

⁶ Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.

⁷ And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you^(BL) in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.^{(BM) 8} Tell the priests^(BN) who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

⁹ Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. ¹⁰ This is how you will know that the living God^(BO) is among you^(BP) and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites,^(BQ) Hivites, Perizzites,^(BR) Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.^{(BS) 11} See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth^(BT) will go into the Jordan ahead of you.^{(BU) 12} Now then, choose twelve men^(BV) from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. ¹³ And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth^(BW)—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream^(BX) will be cut off^(BY) and stand up in a heap.^(BZ)”

¹⁴ So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant^(CA) went ahead^(CB) of them. ¹⁵ Now the Jordan^(CC) is at flood stage^(CD) all during harvest.^(CE) Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, ¹⁶ the water from upstream stopped flowing.^(CF) It piled up in a heap^(CG) a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,^(CH) while the water flowing down^(CI) to the Sea of the Arabah^(CJ) (that is, the Dead Sea^(CK)) was completely cut off.^(CL) So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.^{(CM) 17} The priests^(CN) who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground,^(CO) while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.^(CP)