| English Standard Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And 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 prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. | 1Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies from the Acacia Grove, saying, "Go and scout the land, especially Jericho." So they left, and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed there. |
| 2And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” | 2The king of Jericho was told, "Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land." |
| 3Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” | 3Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, "Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land." |
| 4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. | 4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, "Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn't know where they were from. |
| 5And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” | 5At nightfall, when the city gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don't know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!" |
| 6But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. | 6But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. |
| 7So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out. | 7The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the city gate was shut. |
| 8Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof | 8Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof |
| 9and 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. | 9and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you. |
| 10For 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 who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. | 10For 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 Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan. |
| 11And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. | 11When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. |
| 12Now then, please 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 | 12Now please swear to me by the LORD that you will also show kindness to my father's family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign |
| 13that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” | 13that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death." |
| 14And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the LORD gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.” | 14The men answered her, "We will give our lives for yours. If you don't report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the LORD gives us the land." |
| 15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall. | 15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, since she lived in a house that was built into the wall of the city. |
| 16And she said to them, “Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.” | 16"Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won't find you," she said to them. "Hide there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way." |
| 17The men said to her, “We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. | 17The men said to her, "We will be free from this oath you made us swear, |
| 18Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie 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. | 18unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father's family into your house. |
| 19Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head. | 19If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his death will be his own fault, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his death will be our fault. |
| 20But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear.” | 20And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear." |
| 21And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. | 21"Let it be as you say," she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window. |
| 22They departed and went into the hills and remained there three days until the pursuers returned, and the pursuers searched all along the way and found nothing. | 22So the two men went into the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers had returned. They searched all along the way, but did not find them. |
| 23Then the two men returned. They came down from the hills and passed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they told him all that had happened to them. | 23Then the men returned, came down from the hill country, and crossed the Jordan. They went to Joshua son of Nun and reported everything that had happened to them. |
| 24And they said to Joshua, “Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.” | 24They told Joshua, "The LORD has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us." |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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