Rahab Hides the Spies

Joshua 2

1 Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men a from 1 Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went, and b came to the house of a harlot named c Rahab, and 2 lodged there. 2 And d it was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country." 3 So 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." 4 e Then 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. 5 "And 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." 6 (But f 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.) 7 Then 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.

8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men: g "I know that the LORD has given you the land, that h the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land i are fainthearted because of you. 10 "For we have heard how the LORD j dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and k what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you l utterly destroyed. 11 "And as soon as we m heard these things, n our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for o the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 "Now therefore, I beg you, p swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to q my father's house, and r give me 3 a true token, 13 "and s spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death." 14 So 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 t we will deal kindly and truly with you."

15 Then she u let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. 16 And 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." 17 So the men said to her: "We will be v blameless 4 of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, 18 w "unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, x and unless you 5 bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household to your own home. 19 "So 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 6 guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, y his 7 blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 "And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be 8 free from your oath which you made us swear." 21 Then 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.

22 They 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. 23 So 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. 24 And they said to Joshua, "Truly z the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us."

  1. Cross References
    Numbers 25:1
    Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab.
    Joshua 3:1
    Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.
  2. Cross References
    Hebrews 11:31
    By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
    James 2:25
    Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
  3. Cross References
    Matthew 1:5
    Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse.
  4. Cross References
    Joshua 2:22
    They 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.
  5. Cross References
    2 Samuel 17:19
    Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known.
    2 Samuel 17:20
    And when Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" So the woman said to them, "They have gone over the water brook." And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
  6. Cross References
    Exodus 1:17
    But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.
    2 Samuel 17:19
    Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known.
  7. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 1:8
    'See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers - to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - to give to them and their descendants after them.'
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 35:5
    And they journeyed, and the terror of God was u...
    Exodus 23:27
    I will send My fear before you, I will cause co...
    Deuteronomy 2:25
    'This day I will begin to put the dread and fea...
    Deuteronomy 11:25
    No man shall be able to stand against you; the ...
    Joshua 9:9
    So they said to him: "From a very far country y...
    Joshua 9:10
    And all that He did to the two kings of the Amo...
  9. Cross References
    Exodus 15:15
    Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; The mighty men of Moab, Trembling will take hold of them; All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away.
    Joshua 5:1
    So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel.
  10. Cross References
    Exodus 14:21
    Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.
    Joshua 4:23
    For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over.
  11. Cross References
    Numbers 21:21 - 35
    Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying.
  12. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 20:17
    But you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the LORD your God has commanded you.
    Joshua 6:21
    And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
  13. Cross References
    Exodus 15:14
    The people will hear and be afraid; Sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.
    Exodus 15:15
    Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; The mighty men of Moab, Trembling will take hold of them; All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away.
  14. Cross References
    Joshua 5:1
    So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel.
    Joshua 7:5
    And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
    Psalms 22:14
    I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me.
    Isaiah 13:7
    Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man's heart will melt.
  15. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:39
    Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.
  16. Cross References
    1 Samuel 20:14
    And you shall not only show me the kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I may not die.
    1 Samuel 20:15
    "but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the LORD has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth."
    1 Samuel 20:17
    Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
  17. Cross References
    1 Timothy 5:8
    But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
  18. Cross References
    Exodus 12:13
    Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
    Joshua 2:18
    Unless, 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.
  19. Cross References
    Joshua 6:23 - 25
    And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel.
  20. Cross References
    Genesis 47:29
    When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt.
    Judges 1:24
    And when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, "Please show us the entrance to the city, and we will show you mercy.
    Matthew 5:7
    Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
  21. Cross References
    Acts 9:25
    Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.
  22. Cross References
    Exodus 20:7
    You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
  23. Cross References
    Joshua 2:12
    Now 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.
  24. Cross References
    Joshua 6:23
    And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel.
  25. Cross References
    1 Kings 2:32
    So the LORD will return his blood on his head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword - Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah - though my father David did not know it.
    Matthew 27:25
    And all the people answered and said, "His blood be on us and on our children.
  26. Cross References
    Exodus 23:31
    And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you.
    Joshua 6:2
    And the LORD said to Joshua: "See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.
    Joshua 21:44
    The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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