Joshua

Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land, conquering it through many battles.

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.

*Joshua, son of Nun, sent two spies from Shittim to secretly check out Jericho. They went and stayed at a prostitute's house named Rahab.

2 And 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.

*The king of Jericho was informed that men from Israel had come to explore the land at night.

3 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.

*The king of Jericho asked Rahab to bring the men staying at her house, as they were there to explore the entire area.

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

*The woman brought the two men with her and hid them, then she said, "Men came to me, but I didn't know where they were from."

5 And 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.

*"It happened around dusk, when it got dark, that the men left. I don't know where they went. But chase them quickly because you can catch up to them."

6 But 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.

*But she took them to the top of the house and hid them among flax stalks arranged on the roof.

7 And 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.

*The men chased after the others towards the Jordan River to the shallow water crossings. Once those who were chasing left, they closed the gate behind them.

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

*Before they could lie down, she arrived on the roof above them.

9 And 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.

*She told the men, "I know God gave you this land. You scare us so much that everyone living here is terrified too."

10 For 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.

*We know about how God stopped the Red Sea's water for you when you left Egypt, and how you defeated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the river Jordan, completely defeating them.

11 And 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.

*As soon as we heard this news, our hearts were filled with fear, and no one was brave anymore because of you. The LORD is the true God in both heaven and on Earth.

12 Now 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:

*So now, please promise me by God, since I've been kind to you, that you'll also be kind to my family, and give me a genuine sign.

13 And 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.

*To save my dad, mom, brothers, and sisters, along with everything they own, and protect us all from dying.

14 And 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.

*The men said, "We promise to protect you if you keep our secret. Once God gives us the land, we will treat you fairly and honestly."

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

*Then she lowered them with a rope out the window because her home was on the city wall, and she lived on the wall.

16 And 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.

*She told them, "Go to the mountain to hide and stay there for three days until the chasers leave. Then, you can go on your journey."

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

*The men told her, "We won't be responsible for the promise you made us take."

18 Behold, 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.

*Look, when we arrive in the land, you should tie this red thread to the window we lowered ourselves through. Then, bring your dad, mom, siblings, and everyone else from your dad's family back to live with you.

19 And 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.

*If someone leaves your house and gets hurt, it's their own fault. We won't be responsible. But if someone is inside your house and gets hurt, we will take the blame if anyone causes it.

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

*And if you tell our secret, we'll no longer have to follow the promise you made us take.

21 And 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.

*She agreed with their words and followed their instructions. She then sent them away, and they left. After that, she tied the red cord 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.

*They traveled to a mountain, stayed for three days, and by then, the chasers returned. The chasers searched everywhere but couldn't find them.

23 So 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:

*The two men went back, came down from the mountain, crossed over, and told Joshua, who was also called Nun, everything that happened to them.

24 And 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.

*They told Joshua, "God has given us all the land. Everyone who lives here is scared because of us."

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