| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there. | 1Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. |
| 2And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.” | 2And it was reported to the king of Jericho: “Behold, some men of Israel have come here tonight to spy out the land.” |
| 3So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.” | 3So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole land.” |
| 4Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, 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 did not know where they had come from. |
| 5And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.” | 5At dusk, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I do not know which way they went. Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them!” |
| 6(But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.) | 6(But Rahab had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had laid out there.) |
| 7Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate. | 7So the king’s men set out in pursuit of the spies along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they had gone out, the gate was shut. |
| 8Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, | 8Before the spies lay down for the night, Rahab went up on the roof |
| 9and said to the men: “I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. | 9and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. |
| 10For we have heard how the LORD 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 who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. | 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. |
| 11And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. | 11When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below. |
| 12Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, | 12Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign |
| 13and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.” | 13that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will deliver us from death.” |
| 14So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the LORD has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.” | 14“Our lives for your lives!” the men agreed. “If you do not report our mission, we will show you kindness and faithfulness when the LORD gives us the land.” |
| 15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. | 15Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window, since the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city. |
| 16And she said to them, “Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward you may go your way.” | 16“Go to the hill country,” she said, “so that your pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they have returned; then go on your way.” |
| 17So the men said to her: “We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, | 17The men said to her, “We will not be bound by this oath you made us swear |
| 18unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home. | 18unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother and brothers and all your family into your house. |
| 19So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. | 19If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads. |
| 20And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear.” | 20And if you report our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.” |
| 21Then she said, “According to your words, so be it.” And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window. | 21“Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. And when they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window. |
| 22They departed and went to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but did not find them. | 22So the spies went out into the hill country and stayed there three days, until their pursuers had returned without finding them, having searched all along the road. |
| 23So the two men returned, descended from the mountain, and crossed over; and they came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them. | 23Then the two men started back, came down from the hill country, and crossed the river. So they came to Joshua son of Nun and reported all that had happened to them. |
| 24And they said to Joshua, “Truly the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.” | 24“The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands,” they said to Joshua. “Indeed, all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of us.” |
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