New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Joshua 2
1
Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two spies from Shittim. He sent them in secret. He said to them, "Go. Look the land over. Most of all, check out Jericho." So they went to Jericho. They stayed at the house of a prostitute. Her name was Rahab.
Reference
People
2
The king of Jericho was told, "Look! Some of the people of Israel have come here tonight. They've come to check out the land."
Reference
3
So the king sent a message to Rahab. It said, "Bring out the men who came into your house. They've come to check out the whole land."
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Samuel 10:3
4
But the woman had hidden the two men. She said, "It's true that the men came here. But I didn't know where they had come from.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Kings 6:19
5
They left at sunset, when it was time to close the city gate. I don't know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You might catch up with them."
6
But in fact she had taken them up on the roof. There she had hidden them under some flax she had piled up.
Reference
7
The king's men left to hunt down the spies. They took the road that leads to where the Jordan River can be crossed. As soon as they had gone out of the city, the gate was shut.
Reference
Parallel theme
Judges 3:28
8
Rahab went up on the roof before the spies settled down for the night.
9
She said to them, "I know that the Lord has given this land to you. We are very much afraid of you. Everyone who lives in this country is weak with fear because of you.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 23:27
Deuteronomy 2:25
Psalm 112:10
Job 19:25
Jeremiah 27:5
Ecclesiastes 8:12
Genesis 35:5
References Lord
Psalm 115:16
Joshua 2:11
10
"We've heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt. We've heard what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings. They ruled east of the Jordan River. You completely destroyed them.
Reference
References Egypt
Numbers 23:22
11
"When we heard about it, our hearts melted away in fear. Because of you, we aren't brave anymore. The Lord your God is the God who rules over heaven above and earth below.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 13:7
Joshua 7:5
Psalm 83:18
References God
Deuteronomy 4:39
1 Kings 8:60
References Lord
Joshua 5:1
Psalm 102:15
12
"Now then, please take an oath. Promise me in the name of the Lord that you will be kind to my family. I've been kind to you. Promise me
Reference
13
that you will spare the lives of my father and mother. Spare my brothers and sisters. Also spare everyone in their families. Promise that you won't put any of us to death."
14
So the men made a promise to her. "We'll give up our lives to save yours," they said. "But don't tell anyone what we're doing. Then we'll be kind and faithful to you when the Lord gives us the land."
Reference
15
The house Rahab lived in was part of the city wall. So she let the spies down by a rope through the window.
Reference
16
She had said to them, "Go up into the hills. The men who are chasing you won't be able to find you. Hide yourselves there for three days until they return. Then you can go on your way."
Reference
17
The men said to her, "You made us take an oath and make a promise. But we won't keep it
Reference
18
unless you do what we say. When we enter the land, you must tie this bright red rope in the window. Tie it in the window you let us down through. "Bring your father and mother into your house. Also bring your brothers and everyone else in your family into your house.
Reference
19
None of you must go out into the street. If you do, anything that happens to you will be your own fault. Don't hold us accountable. "But if anyone hurts someone who is inside the house with you, it will be our fault. And you can hold us accountable.
Reference
20
"Don't tell anyone what we're doing. If you do, we won't have to keep the promise you asked us to make."
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 11:13
21
"I agree," Rahab replied. "I'll do as you say." So she sent them away, and they left. Then she tied the bright red rope in the window.
22
When the spies left, they went up into the hills. They stayed there for three days. By that time the men who were chasing them had searched all along the road. They couldn't find them. So they returned.
23
Then the two spies started back. They went down out of the hills. They went across the Jordan River. They came to Joshua, the son of Nun. They told him everything that had happened to them.
24
They said, "We're sure the Lord has given the whole land over to us. All of the people there are weak with fear because of us."
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 23:31
Summary of Joshua 2
Joshua chapter 2 tells the story of Rahab and the two Israelite spies who crossed the Jordan River before the rest of the Israelites, and the chapter shows how Joshua prepared for the battle and the support of Rahab. The chapter also shows how the fear of Israel and God had already penetrated the nations that the children of Israel had to fight to possess the land.
Joshua secretly sent two men (from Shittim) to reconnoiter the land (especially Jericho). The spies entered the city and came to the house of Rahab, a Jericho widow described as a harlot. Her house was on or near the city wall, where the spies later escaped.
The king of Jericho quickly learned that Israelite men had entered the city, and he ordered Rahab to produce the men (probably because he thought spies had come to the city to undermine its defenses). Rahab had already hidden the two men, but when the messengers of the king of Jericho came to her, she lied to them.
She said that the strangers had come to the city but that they had already left, and she urged the messengers to hurry after them. The Jericho pursuers searched the road to the Jordan but found nobody. Meanwhile, the doors of the city were shut.
Rahab had chosen to save the lives of Israelite spies despite the personal risk to herself. She had perceived the power of Israel's God and had decided to throw her lot in with Israel. Before telling the spies to go back to the camp, she had told them what she knew about Israel.
She said the people had heard how the Lord dried up the Jordan for the children of Israel, and they had heard the news about the battles that the Lord had fought with the kings of Canaan, notably Sihon and Og, the kings of the east. The people of the land had heard Israel's God was mighty, and their hearts were melting before Israel, and they had no heart to fight.
They had heard the story about the Red Sea, the battles between Israel and the Philistines, and how Israel had fought and won all of them. Rahab said the Lord was the God of heaven above and earth beneath and that there was no other God but Him. Then Rahab asked the spies to swear to her (because she had shown them kindness), and in return, she asked them to show mercy to her household when the city was conquered.
They promised her that they would not harm any of her family members. However, they told her to make sure she kept her promise to them by making her household safe when Israel came. The spies told her that when they went to war against Jericho, all those who were in the house would remain unharmed.
However, if any member of her family left the house when Israel came, they would not be spared the judgment that was going to come upon Jericho. Then the spies told Rahab to tie a red cord in the window as a sign for the Israelites that this house belonged to a person who had chosen to stand with Israel, and so it should be spared when the city was conquered.
Rahab agreed, and so the two spies left the city through the window using the rope that Rahab had lowered to them because her house was on the city's wall. She told them to go to the mountains and wait there for three days until their pursuers had given up searching, and then they could return to the Israelite camp.
The spies followed Rahab's instructions and went to the mountains, and after three days, their pursuers had gone back to Jericho, and so the spies returned to the camp of Israel. They told Joshua everything that had happened, and he realized that they had not exaggerated when they said the Lord had delivered the people of Canaan into Israel's hands.
The chapter serves as an introduction to the crossing of the Jordan by the Israelites and the siege of Jericho that follows soon after. The people of Canaan were already afraid of the power of the Lord, and so Joshua prepared to conquer Jericho.
The chapter also introduces Rahab, who is to play an important role in the siege of Jericho. Rahab was a Jericho local and not an Israelite, but she saw the power of the Lord and decided to help the Israelite spies.
She saved their lives, trusted them to keep their promise, and obeyed their instructions to gather her family in the house. Joshua chapter 2 is also a reminder to the people of Israel that they are about to enter a land that belongs to another nation.
This nation has heard the reports of Israel's God doing miracles among the children of Israel, especially when they crossed the Red Sea and when they fought the battles with the kings of Canaan. These events are mentioned both by Rahab and the spies. By the end of the chapter, Joshua has received the information he needs, and so Israel prepares to cross the Jordan, and the first battles are about to begin. The story also reminds the readers that the events to unfold would affect individuals as well as nations. Although the city of Jericho was under judgment, Rahab and her family were to be spared due to her choice to protect the Israelite spies.
Joshua secretly sent two men (from Shittim) to reconnoiter the land (especially Jericho). The spies entered the city and came to the house of Rahab, a Jericho widow described as a harlot. Her house was on or near the city wall, where the spies later escaped.
The king of Jericho quickly learned that Israelite men had entered the city, and he ordered Rahab to produce the men (probably because he thought spies had come to the city to undermine its defenses). Rahab had already hidden the two men, but when the messengers of the king of Jericho came to her, she lied to them.
She said that the strangers had come to the city but that they had already left, and she urged the messengers to hurry after them. The Jericho pursuers searched the road to the Jordan but found nobody. Meanwhile, the doors of the city were shut.
Rahab had chosen to save the lives of Israelite spies despite the personal risk to herself. She had perceived the power of Israel's God and had decided to throw her lot in with Israel. Before telling the spies to go back to the camp, she had told them what she knew about Israel.
She said the people had heard how the Lord dried up the Jordan for the children of Israel, and they had heard the news about the battles that the Lord had fought with the kings of Canaan, notably Sihon and Og, the kings of the east. The people of the land had heard Israel's God was mighty, and their hearts were melting before Israel, and they had no heart to fight.
They had heard the story about the Red Sea, the battles between Israel and the Philistines, and how Israel had fought and won all of them. Rahab said the Lord was the God of heaven above and earth beneath and that there was no other God but Him. Then Rahab asked the spies to swear to her (because she had shown them kindness), and in return, she asked them to show mercy to her household when the city was conquered.
They promised her that they would not harm any of her family members. However, they told her to make sure she kept her promise to them by making her household safe when Israel came. The spies told her that when they went to war against Jericho, all those who were in the house would remain unharmed.
However, if any member of her family left the house when Israel came, they would not be spared the judgment that was going to come upon Jericho. Then the spies told Rahab to tie a red cord in the window as a sign for the Israelites that this house belonged to a person who had chosen to stand with Israel, and so it should be spared when the city was conquered.
Rahab agreed, and so the two spies left the city through the window using the rope that Rahab had lowered to them because her house was on the city's wall. She told them to go to the mountains and wait there for three days until their pursuers had given up searching, and then they could return to the Israelite camp.
The spies followed Rahab's instructions and went to the mountains, and after three days, their pursuers had gone back to Jericho, and so the spies returned to the camp of Israel. They told Joshua everything that had happened, and he realized that they had not exaggerated when they said the Lord had delivered the people of Canaan into Israel's hands.
The chapter serves as an introduction to the crossing of the Jordan by the Israelites and the siege of Jericho that follows soon after. The people of Canaan were already afraid of the power of the Lord, and so Joshua prepared to conquer Jericho.
The chapter also introduces Rahab, who is to play an important role in the siege of Jericho. Rahab was a Jericho local and not an Israelite, but she saw the power of the Lord and decided to help the Israelite spies.
She saved their lives, trusted them to keep their promise, and obeyed their instructions to gather her family in the house. Joshua chapter 2 is also a reminder to the people of Israel that they are about to enter a land that belongs to another nation.
This nation has heard the reports of Israel's God doing miracles among the children of Israel, especially when they crossed the Red Sea and when they fought the battles with the kings of Canaan. These events are mentioned both by Rahab and the spies. By the end of the chapter, Joshua has received the information he needs, and so Israel prepares to cross the Jordan, and the first battles are about to begin. The story also reminds the readers that the events to unfold would affect individuals as well as nations. Although the city of Jericho was under judgment, Rahab and her family were to be spared due to her choice to protect the Israelite spies.