Joshua 2

King James Version

Full text for Joshua Chapter 2

1¶ And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

2And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.

3And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.

4And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they [were]:

5And it came to pass [about the time] of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

6But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.

7And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.

8¶ And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;

9And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that [were] on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

11And as soon as we had heard [these things], our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he [is] God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

12Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:

13And [that] ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

14And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

15Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house [was] upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

16And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.

17And the men said unto her, We [will be] blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.

18Behold, [when] we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.

19And it shall be, [that] whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood [shall be] upon his head, and we [will be] guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood [shall be] on our head, if [any] hand be upon him.

20And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

21And she said, According unto your words, so [be] it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.

22¶ And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought [them] throughout all the way, but found [them] not.

23So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all [things] that befell them:

24And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Joshua sent two spies to Jericho, who lodged with Rahab, a harlot. When the king of Jericho sought them, Rahab hid them and misled their pursuers. Rahab, acknowledging the LORD's power and the fear of her people, secured an oath from the spies to save her family, marked by a scarlet cord. The spies returned to Joshua, confirming the inhabitants' terror and the LORD's promise of the land.

Medium Summary

Joshua dispatched two spies from Shittim to reconnoitre Jericho, who found refuge in the house of Rahab, a harlot situated on the city wall. Upon learning of their presence, the king of Jericho sent men to apprehend them, but Rahab concealed the spies on her roof and directed the pursuers on a false trail. Rahab then revealed her conviction that the LORD had given Israel the land, citing the widespread terror caused by God's past deeds. She requested an oath of kindness and preservation for her family, to which the spies agreed, providing a scarlet thread as a token for her window. After advising them to hide in the mountains for three days, she facilitated their escape. The spies successfully evaded their pursuers and returned to Joshua, reporting that the inhabitants of the land were overcome with fear.

Long Summary

Joshua, the son of Nun, initiated the conquest of Jericho by secretly sending two spies from Shittim to survey the land. These men entered Jericho and found lodging in the house of a harlot named Rahab, whose dwelling was built upon the city wall. Word of their arrival quickly reached the king of Jericho, who dispatched messengers to Rahab's house, demanding the surrender of the Israelite spies. Rahab, however, demonstrated cunning and courage by hiding the two men on her rooftop beneath bundles of flax. She then deceived the king's pursuers, claiming the men had departed at dusk and urging them to pursue quickly towards the Jordan fords. After the pursuers left and the city gate was shut, Rahab ascended to the roof to speak with the spies. She confessed her profound belief in the LORD, acknowledging His supreme power and the widespread terror that had seized the inhabitants of the land due to Israel's God. Rahab recounted the Israelites' miraculous crossing of the Red Sea and their victories over Sihon and Og, affirming that the LORD was God in heaven and on earth. Based on the kindness she had shown them, Rahab implored the spies to swear an oath by the LORD to show kindness and preserve her entire household—her father, mother, brethren, and sisters—from death when Israel conquered the city. The spies agreed to her terms, promising to deal kindly and truly with her family, provided she kept their mission secret and ensured her family remained within her house. As a sign of their covenant, they instructed her to bind a scarlet thread in her window, and warned that anyone from her household found outside would forfeit their protection. Rahab accepted the conditions, let them down by a cord through her window, and advised them to hide in the mountains for three days until the pursuers returned. The spies followed her counsel, remaining hidden while the king's men searched fruitlessly. After three days, they returned safely to Joshua, recounting all that had transpired. They concluded their report by confidently declaring to Joshua that the LORD had indeed delivered all the land into their hands, as evidenced by the inhabitants' overwhelming fear and faintness of heart.

Core Concepts

  • Rahab's FaithRahab, a harlot, demonstrates remarkable faith in the LORD, acknowledging His supreme power and the terror He has instilled in the land's inhabitants. Her belief is based on the accounts of God's past deeds, such as the drying of the Red Sea.
  • Covenant of KindnessRahab requests and receives an oath from the spies for the preservation of her family, based on the kindness she showed them. This covenant highlights the principle of reciprocal kindness and divine protection.
  • The Scarlet CordA specific sign given to Rahab by the spies, the scarlet cord, was to be displayed in her window as a token of the covenant. It serves as a visual identifier for the protection of her household during the conquest.
  • Fear of the InhabitantsThe chapter repeatedly emphasizes the widespread terror and loss of courage among the inhabitants of Jericho and the surrounding land. This fear is attributed to the LORD's power and His past actions on behalf of Israel.
  • Espionage and ReconnaissanceJoshua initiates the conquest by sending two men to secretly view the land and Jericho. This act of strategic intelligence gathering is a crucial first step in the military campaign.
  • Divine ProvidenceDespite the secrecy and human actions, the narrative underscores God's overarching hand in delivering the land. Rahab's confession and the spies' final report affirm that the LORD has already given the land to Israel.