1Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly. He said: »Go view the land of Jericho.« They went to a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed at her house. 2The king of Jericho was told: »Men of the children of Israel came here tonight to search out the country.« 3The king of Jericho sent for Rahab, saying: »Bring the men that came to you and stayed at your house. They came to spy on all the country.« 4The woman took the two men, and hid them. She said: »Men came to me but I did not know where they came from.« 5When it was dark and they shut the gate the men went out. I do not know where they went. Pursue them quickly and you will overtake them. 6She hid them on the rooftop of the house. She covered them with stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof. 7The men pursued them by the road to Jordan to the fords. As soon the pursuers went out they shut the gate. 8Before they laid down to sleep she came up to them on the roof. 9She said to the men: »I know Jehovah has given you the land and the terror of you has fallen on us. All the inhabitants of the land are afraid of you. 10»We heard how Jehovah dried up the water of the Red sea for you when you came out of Egypt. And what you did to the two kings of the Amorites that were on the other side of Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11»As soon as we heard these things we became discouraged. No man had courage because of you. Jehovah your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. 12»I pray that you will swear to me by Jehovah, since I have showed you kindness that you will also show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true tokensignpledge of truth; 13»That you will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brothers and sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.« 14The men answered her: »Our life for yours, if you do not reveal our business. It will be, when Jehovah has given us the land. We will deal kindly and truly with you.« 15Then she let them down by a cord through the window for her house was upon the town wall. She lived on the wall. 16She said: »Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers return and afterward go your way.« 17The men said to her: »We will be free from this oath you made us swear. 18»When we come into the land, tie this scarlet cord in the window from which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers and sisters and your father’s entire household into your home. 19»Whoever goes out of your house into the street will be responsible for his own life. We will be guiltless: and whoever shall be with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is laid on him. 20»If you tell what we are doing we will be released from the oath you made us swear.« 21She said: »Let it be according to your words.« They departed and she tied the scarlet line in the window. 22They went to the mountain and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers looked for them everywhere but did not find them. 23So the two men descended from the mountain. They returned to Joshua the son of Nun and told him all the things that happened to them. 24They said to Joshua: »Truly Jehovah has delivered into our hands all of the land. The inhabitants of the country are afraid of us.«