1 Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, "Go, view the land, including Jericho." They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there.

2 The king of Jericho was told, "Behold, men of the children of Israel came in here tonight to spy out the land."

3 Jericho’s king sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to spy out all the land."

4 The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they came from. 5 About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with them." 6 But she had brought them up to the roof, and hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 The men pursued them along the way to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate. 8 Before they had lain down, she came up to them on the roof. 9 She said to the men, "I know that Yahweh 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. 10 For we have heard how Yahweh 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 to Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, please swear to me by Yahweh, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true sign; 13 and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death."

14 The men said to her, "Our life for yours, if you don’t talk about this business of ours; and it shall be, when Yahweh gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you."

15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall. 16 She said to them, "Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way."

17 The men said to her, "We will be guiltless of this your oath which you’ve made us to swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him. 20 But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear."

21 She said, "Let it be as you have said." She sent them away, and they departed. Then she tied the scarlet line in the window.

22 They went and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but didn’t find them. 23 Then the two men returned, descended from the mountain, crossed the river, and came to Joshua the son of Nun. They told him all that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, "Truly Yahweh has delivered all the land into our hands. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us."

1 于是， 嫩的儿子约书亚从什亭秘密地差派两个探子， 对他们说： "你们去窥探那地和耶利哥。"二人去了， 来到一个名叫喇合的妓女家中， 就在那里住宿。

2 有人向耶利哥王报告： "今夜从以色列人那里有人进来， 要窥探这地。"

3 耶利哥王派人到喇合那里， 说： "把那些来到你这里， 进了你家中的人带出来， 因为他们来是要窥探全地的。"

4 但那女人已把那两个人藏起来， 还这样回答王： "不错， 那些人到过我这里来， 但是， 我不知道他们是从哪里来的。

5 天黑、城门快要关的时候， 那些人出去了； 我不知道他们到哪里去。你们快去追赶， 必可以追上他们。"

6 其实她领他们上了屋顶， 把他们藏在堆放在屋顶的麻秸里面。

7 那些人就沿着往约旦河的路上追赶他们， 直到渡口； 追赶的人一出城， 城门就关上了。

8 两个探子还没有躺下睡觉， 那女人就上屋顶到他们那里去，

9 对他们二人说： "我知道耶和华已经把这地赐给你们了， 你们使我们十分害怕， 这地所有的居民都在你们面前胆战心惊。

10 因为我们听见你们从埃及出来的时候， 耶和华怎样使红海的水在你们面前干了， 以及你们怎样对待约旦河东亚摩利人的两个王西宏和噩， 把他们完全消灭。

11 我们听见了， 就都心里惊怕； 没有一人再有勇气在你们面前站立； 因为耶和华你们的 神是天上、也是地上的 神。

12 现在求你们指着耶和华向我起誓： 我既然恩待了你们， 你们也要恩待我的父家， 并且给我一个确实的凭据，

13 放过我的父母、兄弟姊妹和他们所有的一切， 救我们的命不致死亡。"

14 两个探子就对她说： "如果你不泄漏我们这次行动， 我们愿以性命作你们的保证； 耶和华把这地赐给我们的时候， 我们必定以慈爱和诚实待你们。"

15 于是， 那女人用绳子把二人从窗户缒下去， 因为她的房屋是在城墙上， 她就住在城墙上。

16 她对他们二人说： "你们要到山上去， 免得追赶的人遇上你们； 你们要在那里躲藏三天， 等追赶的人回城， 然后你们才可以走你们的路。"

17 他们二人对她说： "如果你不遵照我们的话行， 你叫我们起的誓就与我们无关了。

18 你要留意， 我们再到这地方的时候， 你要把这条朱红色线系在你缒我们下去的窗户上； 你也要把你的父母、兄弟和你父的全家， 都聚集在你的屋里。

19 任何人走出你家门， 到外面去的， 他的血就必归到他自己的头上， 与我们无关； 任何人同你在屋里的， 如果有人下手加害他， 他的血就归到我们头上。

20 如果你泄漏了我们这次的行动， 那么， 你叫我们起的誓就与我们无关了。"

21 那女人回答： "照你们的话， 就这样吧。"于是打发他们二人走了。他们走了以后， 她就把朱红色线系在窗户上。

22 二人离去， 上到山上， 在那里住了三天， 等追赶的人回城去了； 追赶的人一路搜寻他们， 却找不着。

23 二人于是下山回去， 过了约旦河， 回到嫩的儿子约书亚那里， 把他们遭遇的一切事向他报告。

24 他们又对约书亚说： "耶和华真的把那地全交在我们手里了； 那地所有的居民都在我们面前胆战心惊。"