1
Then Joshua the son of Nunsenttwomen as spiessecretly from 1Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especiallyJericho." So they went and came into the house of 2a harlot whose name was Rahab, and alodgedthere.
2
It was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men from the sons of Israel have comeheretonight to search out the land."
3
And the king of Jerichosent word 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 land."
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But the 3woman had taken the twomen and hidden them, and she said, "Yes, the mencame to me, but I did not knowwhere they were from.
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"It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the menwent out; I do not knowwhere the menwent. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them."
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But 4she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.
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So the menpursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords ; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.
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Now before they laydown, bshe came up to them on the roof,
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and said to the men, "5I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the 6terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have cmeltedawaybefore you.
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"7For we have heardhow the LORDdried up the water of the dRedSeabefore you when you came out of Egypt, and 8what you did to the twokings of the Amoriteswho were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you eutterlydestroyed.
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"When we heard it, 9our heartsmelted and nofcourageremained in anymananylongerbecause of you; for the 10LORD your God, He is God in heavenabove and on earthbeneath .
12"Now therefore, pleaseswear to me by the LORD, since I have dealtkindly with you, that you also will dealkindly with my father'shousehold, and give me a 11pledge of gtruth,
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and hspare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with allwho belong to them, and deliver our ilives from death."
14
So the mensaid to her, "Our jlifekfor yours if you do not tellthisbusiness of ours; and it shall come about when the LORDgives us the land that we will 12dealkindly and lfaithfully with you."
15
Then she let them down by a ropethrough the window, for her house was on the citywall, so that she was living on the wall.
16
She said to them, "13Go to the hillcountry, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for threedaysuntil the pursuersreturn. Then afterward you may go on your way."
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The mensaid to her, "14We shall be free from thisoathmto you which you have made us swear,
18nunless, when we come into the land, you tiethiscord of scarletthread in the window through which you let us down, and 15gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father'shousehold.
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"It shall come about that anyonewhogoes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free ; but anyonewho is with you in the house, 16his blood shall be on our headif a hand is laid on him.
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"But if you tellthisbusiness of ours, then we shall be free from the oathwhich you have made us swear."
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She said, "According to your words, so be it." So she sent them away, and they departed ; and she tied the scarletcord in the window.
22
They departed and came to the hillcountry, and remainedthere for threedaysuntil the pursuersreturned. Now the pursuers had sought them oall along the road, but had not found them.
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Then the twomenreturned and camedown from the hillcountry and crossedover and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them.
24
They said to Joshua, "Surely the LORD has givenall the land into our hands ; moreover, 17all the inhabitants of the land have pmeltedawaybefore us."
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