Side by side
Joshua 2
Our retelling next to the Bible text it comes from. Each row lines up one scene with the verses it retells.
Scene 1: Two SpiesVerses 1 to 3
A wall stood around the city of Jericho. Across the river, in Israel's camp at Shittim, Joshua chose two men. He sent them out secretly. He said, "Go and look over the land, especially Jericho."
So the two spies went into Jericho. They went to the house of a woman named Rahab and stayed there. Rahab was a prostitute.
Someone told the king of Jericho, "Men from Israel came here tonight to spy on the land."
So the king sent a message to Rahab: "Bring out the men who came to your house. They came to spy out the whole land."
1Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. 2And it was reported to the king of Jericho: “Behold, some men of Israel have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole land.”
Scene 2: On the RoofVerses 4 to 7
But Rahab had already hidden the two men.
Rahab told the king's men, "Yes, the men came to me. But I didn't know where they were from."
She said the men left at dusk, when the city gate was about to close. "I don't know which way they went. Hurry after them, and you may catch them."
That was not true. Rahab had taken the spies up to her flat roof. She hid them under stalks of flax she had laid out there. Flax is a plant people used to make linen cloth.
The king's men ran off down the road toward the Jordan River crossings. As soon as they left, the city gate was shut.
4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5At dusk, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I do not know which way they went. Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them!” 6(But Rahab had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had laid out there.) 7So the king’s men set out in pursuit of the spies along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they had gone out, the gate was shut.
Scene 3: What Rahab KnewVerses 8 to 11
Before the spies lay down to sleep, Rahab went up on the roof. She told them what she knew.
"I know that the LORD has given you this land" (2:9). Rahab said the people of the land were melting in fear. This is a comparison. Their courage was draining away, like wax melting in heat.
Rahab explained why they were afraid. They had heard how the LORD dried up the Red Sea for Israel. They had heard how Israel defeated two kings east of the Jordan.
Then Rahab said something amazing for a Canaanite to say. "The LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below" (2:11).
One likely reason this was amazing: Rahab had grown up among people who worshiped other gods. Now she said Israel's God was the true God of everything.
8Before the spies lay down for the night, Rahab went up on the roof 9and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. 11When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.
Scene 4: The Scarlet CordVerses 12 to 21
Rahab asked the spies for a promise. She had been kind to them. She asked them to be kind to her family in return. She asked them to spare her father and mother, her brothers and sisters, and everyone who belonged to them. She asked for a sure sign.
The men agreed. "Our lives for your lives!" (2:14). If Rahab kept their mission secret, they would treat her family with kindness when the LORD gave them the land.
Rahab's house was built into the city wall. So she let the men down through her window on a rope. She told them to hide in the hills for three days.
The spies told her what the sign would be. She must tie a scarlet cord in that same window. Scarlet is a bright red color. She must also bring her whole family into her house. Anyone inside would be safe.
"Let it be as you say," Rahab said (2:21). She sent them off. Then she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
12Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will deliver us from death.” 14“Our lives for your lives!” the men agreed. “If you do not report our mission, we will show you kindness and faithfulness when the LORD gives us the land.” 15Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window, since the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city. 16“Go to the hill country,” she said, “so that your pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they have returned; then go on your way.” 17The men said to her, “We will not be bound by this oath you made us swear 18unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother and brothers and all your family into your house. 19If anyone goes out the door of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if a hand is laid on anyone with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads. 20And if you report our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.” 21“Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. And when they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
Scene 5: Back to JoshuaVerses 22 to 24
The spies hid in the hill country for three days. The king's men searched all along the road. They came back without finding them.
Then the two spies came down from the hills and crossed the river back to camp. They told Joshua everything that had happened.
They said, "The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands" (2:24). The people of the land were melting in fear of Israel.
After this, God led all Israel across the Jordan River. They camped near Jericho (Joshua 3 to 5).
22So the spies went out into the hill country and stayed there three days, until their pursuers had returned without finding them, having searched all along the road. 23Then the two men started back, came down from the hill country, and crossed the river. So they came to Joshua son of Nun and reported all that had happened to them. 24“The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands,” they said to Joshua. “Indeed, all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of us.”
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