1Joshua son of Nun sent two men from the Shittim to spy out the land and Jericho silently. They went and entered the house of a woman who fornicated, and her name was Rahab, and they lay down there.2It was reported to the king of Jericho: Men have come here tonight from the people of Israel to search out the land.3The king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to search out the whole land.4The woman took the two men and hid them. She said, The men did come to me, but I did not know from where they were.5When the gate was about to be shut at dark, the men went out. I do not know where they went. Pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.6She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged for herself upon the roof.7The men pursued them along the road to the Jordan at the fords, and the gate was shut once the pursuers had gone out after them.8Before the men lay down, she went up to them on the roof.9She said to the men, I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that terror of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away from your face.10For we have heard what the LORD did to the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out from Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorite who were beside the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you devoted to destruction.11When we heard, our heart melted and no spirit remained still in a man from your face, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heaven above and upon the land beneath.12And now, swear to me by the LORD, for I have done kindness with you; you also shall do kindness with my father's house and shall give me a sign of truth.13Spare the lives of my father and my mother, my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver us from death.14The men said to her, Our life for yours. If you do not tell what we are doing, then when the LORD gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.15She let them down by the cord through the window, for her house was in the wall of the city, and she was dwelling in the wall.16She said to them, "Go to the hill country, lest the pursuers overtake you. Hide there three days until the pursuers return; then go on your way."17The men said to her, "We will be free from the oath you made us swear."18Behold, when we come into the land, tie this scarlet cord of thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father's house to yourself into the house.19If 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 anyone who is with you in the house is harmed, his blood shall be on our head.20If you tell what we are doing, we shall be released from the oath you made us swear.21She said, According to your words, so it is. Then she sent them away, and they went, and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.22They went to the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers searched all along the road but did not find them.23Then the two men returned and came down from the mountain and passed over and came to Joshua son of Nun, and they recounted to him all the findings.24They said to Joshua, The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land are melting in fear before us.