1 And Joshua son of Nun sent two spies {meraggelim: covert scouts} from Shittim secretly, saying, “Go, see the land and Jericho.” Then they went and entered the house of a woman, a prostitute {zonah: courtesan}, whose name was Rahab. They lay there.
2 And it was told to the king of Jericho {yerikho: fortified city}, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the sons of Israel to spy out the land {haaretz: territory}.”
3 And the king of Jericho {melech Yericho: Walled-City Ruler} sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to search out {lakhpor: examine thoroughly} all the land.”
4 But the woman {ishah: female resident} had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where {meayin: their origin} they were from.”
5 And it was as the gate was about to be shut in the darkness {choshekh: absence of light}, that the men went out. I did not know where the men went. Pursue after them quickly {maher: swift urgency}, for you will overtake them.
6 But she had brought them up to the roof {gag: rooftop} and hid them among stalks of flax plants, the flax {pishtay: linen stalks} laid out for her on the roof.
7 And the men pursued after them by the way of the Jordan {yarden: descent river} toward the fords {ma'abrot: crossing places}, and the gate was shut after the pursuers went out.
8 And before they lay down {yishkavun: recline}, she went up to them on the roof {gag: flat surface}.
9 And she said to the men, “I know that the LORD {YHWH, Promise Fulfiller} has given you the land {eretz: territory of inheritance}, and that your dread {eimah: overwhelming terror} has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away {namogu: lost courage} before you.”
10 For we have heard how the LORD {YHWH, Miracle Worker} dried up the waters of the Sea of Reeds before you when you came out of Egypt, and how you struck down the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction {hecheramtem: devoted to destruction}.
11 And when we heard, our heart {levavenu: inner being} melted, and no longer did any spirit remain in any man because of you, for the LORD your God {YHWH ʾĕloheichem, Supreme Sovereign}—He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.
12 And now, please swear to me by the LORD {YHWH, Faithful Witness} that, as I have shown loyal love {chesed: covenant loyalty} to you, you also will show loyal love to my father’s house, and you will give me a true sign.
13 And you shall preserve {hachayitem: protect life} my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters and all who belong to them, and you shall deliver our souls {nefesh: life essence} from death.
14 And the men said to her, “Our lives for yours, even to death—if you do not tell this matter of ours, then when the LORD {YHWH, Promise Fulfiller} gives us the land, we will deal with you in steadfast love {chesed: covenant loyalty} and faithfulness.”
15 And she let them down by a rope {chevel: braided cord} through the window {hachalon: escape opening}, for her house was built into the city wall, and she lived in the wall.
16 And she said to them, “Go to the hill country {haharah: highlands refuge}, lest the pursuers encounter you. Hide yourselves there for three days {yamim: measured periods}, until the pursuers return, and afterward you may go on your way.”
17 And the men said to her, “We are guiltless {nekiyyim: free from liability} with respect to this oath which you made us swear {hishba’atanu: compelled pledge}.”
18 Behold, we are about to enter the land. Tie this scarlet cord {tikvat chut: sign of protection} in the window through which you let us down, and gather your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household {beit: extended family} into the house.
19 And it shall be that anyone who goes out from the doors of your house to the outside, his blood will be on his own head {rosh: personal responsibility}, and we are innocent {neqiyyim: legally blameless}. But anyone who remains with you in the house, his blood will be on our head, if a hand is laid upon him.
20 But if you disclose these matters {devarenu: spoken agreements} of ours, then we will be freed {neqiyim: declared guiltless} from your oath that you made us swear.
21 And she said, “According to your words {davar: spoken agreement}, so it shall be.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord {tikvat: lifeline} in the window.
22 And they went and came to the hill country {har: rugged heights}, and they stayed there three days, until the pursuers returned. The pursuers searched the entire road {derekh: travel route}, but did not find them.
23 And the two men returned, descended from the mountain, crossed over {yaavru: traversed terrain} and came to Joshua son of Nun, and they recounted to him all the events {kol-hamotzeot: events that befell them}.
24 And they said to Joshua, “Truly the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Warrior} has given all the land {haaretz: promised territory} into our hand, and also all the inhabitants of the land have melted away from before us.”