Joshua 2:1-9

1 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent out from Shittim two men as spies: "Go. Look over the land. Check out Jericho." They left and arrived at the house of a harlot named Rahab and stayed there.

2 The king of Jericho was told, "We've just learned that men arrived tonight to spy out the land. They're from the People of Israel."

3 The king of Jericho sent word to Rahab: "Bring out the men who came to you to stay the night in your house. They're spies; they've come to spy out the whole country."

4 The woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, two men did come to me, but I didn't know where they'd come from.

5 At dark, when the gate was about to be shut, the men left. But I have no idea where they went. Hurry up! Chase them - you can still catch them!"

6 (She had actually taken them up on the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax that were spread out for her on the roof.)

7 So the men set chase down the Jordan road toward the fords. As soon as they were gone, the gate was shut.

8 Before the spies were down for the night, the woman came up to them on the roof

9 and said, "I know that God has given you the land. We're all afraid. Everyone in the country feels hopeless.

Joshua 2:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 2

This chapter gives an account of the spies sent by Joshua to Jericho, and of their entrance into the house of Rahab, who hid them from the king's messengers, Jos 2:1-7; of the relation she gave them of the fear and dread of Israel, which were fallen upon the Canaanites, Jos 2:8-11; and of the request she made to them, to save her and her father's house, when the city should be taken, and to have a sure sign of it given her, Jos 2:12,13; which the spies solemnly promised, and gave her a sign of it, with a charge not to discover the matter to any, Jos 2:14-20; and being let down by a cord through the window of her house, they made their escape to a mountain, where they lay three days, and then returned to Joshua, and made their report, Jos 2:21-24.