1
And it came to pass that after Joshua, the son of Nun, did instruct the officers of Israel, saying: Go ye through all the camp and command this people, saying:
2
Prepare for yourselves provisions, for in three days more of you will pass the Jordan to possess the land!
3
That the officers of Israel did so, and they instructed the people, and the people did even as Joshua did instruct them.
4
¶ And it came to pass that Joshua did send out two men to spy in secret, saying: Go now and view the land, even Jericho.
5
And so it was that they went and came into the house of the harlot, Rahab, and they did find lodging there.
6
¶ And it came to pass that some men came unto the king of Jericho, saying: Behold, there came men in hither tonight of the children of Israel to search out the country.
7
And 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.
8
And so it was that the woman, Rahab, took the two men, and hid them, saying: There came men unto me, but I know not whither they go;
9
Yea, and behold that about the time of the shutting of the gate of the city, when it was dark, that the men did go out; whither the men went, I know not; pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
10
¶ And it came to pass that Rahab did bring the men up to the roof of the house and hid them with the stalks which she had laid in order upon the roof.
11
And so it was that those men that had been sent out to pursued after them did soon go out, and they did shut the gates.
12
¶ And it came to pass that Rahab did come up unto these men upon the roof, and she did say unto them:
13
I do know that יהוה (YHVH) hath given you this land, and so it is that your terror has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
14
For we have heard how יהוה (YHVH) did dry up the water of the sea for you when ye came out of Egypt, and of the land that ye did utterly destroy.
15
And so it was that when we had heard these things, our hearts did fail us; neither did there remain any more courage in any man because of you:
16
For יהוה (YHVH), your Elohim, He is over Ha’Elohim in the heavens above and above all that is here in all of the earth beneath, and even over that which dwellest in the abyss below.
17
Now, therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by יהוה (YHVH), seeing that I have showed you kindness, that ye will also show kindness unto my father's house and give me a true token;
18
Yea, swear unto me that you will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have and deliver our lives from death.
19
¶ And so it was that the men did answer her, saying: Our life for yours if you utter not this, our business.
20
Behold, when Israel shall come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by;
21
And thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brothers and thy sisters, and all thy father's household home unto thee.
22
¶ And so it shall be, that when יהוה (YHVH) doth give us this land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee and with the house of thy father,
23
And so it shall be that the house of your father shall be added into the house of Israel and our peoples will be one people.
24
But I say unto thee: That whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, their blood shall be upon their own head, and we will be guiltless;
25
And whosoever shall be with thee in the house, their blood shall be on our head if any hand be upon them.
26
And if thou utter this our business, then we will be free of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear, and it will be sealed upon us no more.
27
¶ And so Rahab did say: According unto your words, so mote it be.
28
¶ And it came to pass that her house, being there upon the wall, she did let them down by a cord through the window.
29
And she said unto them: Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you!
30
And she sent them away, and they departed; and she bound the scarlet line in the window.