Joshua 2

1 Then Joshua [son of faith, leader of the Israelites] son of Nun secretly [in a hidden manner, without being seen] sent two [a pair, a duo] spies from Shittim [the Valley of Acacias, a place of rest], saying, “Go [walk, proceed], inspect [examine, explore] the land [the earth, the territory], especially [particularly, with special attention] Jericho [the city of the moon, a place of conquest].” So they went [walked, proceeded] and entered [came into, approached] the house [dwelling place, home] of a prostitute [harlot, one who forsakes] named Rahab [one who is broad, spacious, or one who has enlarged her family] and stayed [remained, rested] there [in that place, at that time]. word study 2 And it was reported [told, informed] to the king [ruler, monarch] of Jericho [a city in Palestine, the first conquered by the Israelites]: “Behold [look, see], some men [individuals, persons] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] have come [arrived, entered] here [to this place, at this time] tonight [in the evening, under the cover of darkness] to spy out [search, explore, investigate] the land [the territory, the region, the earth].” word study 3 So the king [ruler, monarch] of Jericho [a city in Palestine, the first conquered by the Israelites] sent [dispatched, commanded] to Rahab [a Canaanite woman, a harlot] and said, “Bring out [produce, lead forth] the men [individuals, persons] who came [arrived, entered] to you and entered [came into, approached] your house [dwelling place, home], for they have come [arrived, reached] to [in order to, with the purpose of] spy out [search, explore] the whole [entire, all] land [country, territory].” word study 4 But the woman [the female, a wife or a female person] had taken [gotten, received] the two [a pair, a duo] men and hidden [treasured, stored away] them. So she said, “Yes, the men [male persons, individuals] did come [approach, enter] to me, but I did not know [was unaware, did not ascertain] where [from what place, whence] they had come [originated, proceeded] from [out of, from the direction of]. word study 5 At dusk [when it was dark, about the time of shutting the gate], when the gate [city entrance, doorway] was about to close [be shut, locked], the men [male persons, individuals] went out [came out, departed], and I do not know [am unaware, have no knowledge] which way [where, in what direction] they went [walked, traveled]. Pursue [chase, follow after] them quickly [hastily, with urgency], and you may catch [overtake, reach] them [apprehend, seize]!” word study 6 (But Rahab [the harlot, a woman of faith] had taken them up to the roof [the top of the house, an upper room] and hidden [concealed, tucked away] them among the stalks of flax [a plant used to make linen thread, like the ones laid out to dry] that she had laid out [arranged, spread out] there [on the roof, in a secret place].) word study 7 So the king’s men [pursuers, messengers] set out in pursuit [to chase, to follow] of the spies [secret agents, scouts] along the road [way, path] to the fords [crossing places, river crossings] of the Jordan [a major river, a key location], and as soon as they had gone out [come out, departed], the gate [city entrance, door] was shut [closed, locked]. word study 8 Before [prior to, at an earlier time] the spies [the two men] lay down [to rest, to sleep] for the night [the period of darkness], Rahab [she, the woman] went up [to ascend] on [upon, above] the roof [the top, the upper room] word study 9 and said to them, “I know [am fully aware, have come to understand] that the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has given [bestowed, granted] you this land [territory, region] and that the fear [terror, dread] of you has fallen [come upon, descended] on us, so that all [every single one] who dwell [reside, inhabit] in the land [country, earth] are melting [fainting, dissolving] in fear [terror, alarm] of you [because of your presence]. word study 10 For we have heard [been informed, received news] how the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] dried up [withered, caused to evaporate] the waters [the liquid, the source of refreshment] of the Red Sea [the sea of reeds, the body of water] before you [in your presence, from your perspective] when you came out [departed, escaped] of Egypt [the land of the Nile, a place of bondage], and what you did [accomplished, performed] to Sihon [the Amorite king, a ruler of the land] and Og [the king of Bashan, a giant], the two [a pair, a duo] kings of the Amorites [the Canaanite tribe, the inhabitants of the land] across [beyond, on the other side of] the Jordan [the river, the border], whom you devoted [utterly destroyed, completely annihilated] to destruction [the curse, the judgment of God]. word study 11 When we heard [and listened intently to] this, our hearts [the innermost part of our being, including mind, will, and emotions] melted [wasted away, became weak] and everyone’s courage [spirit, inner strength] failed [was no more, disappeared] because of you, for the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God] is God [the one supreme deity] in the heavens [the visible universe, the sky] above [in the highest places, exalted] and on the earth [the land, the material world] below [underneath, in the lowest places]. word study 12 Now therefore [at this present time], please swear [make a solemn promise] to me by the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] that you will indeed show kindness [mercy, loving actions] to my family [father’s house], because I showed kindness [did a good deed, acted with pity] to you. Give me a sure sign [true token, miraculous wonder] word study 13 that you will spare [save alive, keep safe] the lives of my father [male parent, ancestor] and mother [female parent, nurturer], my brothers [male siblings, close relatives] and sisters [female siblings, close relatives], and all [everything, every person] who belong to them, and that you will deliver [rescue, snatch away] us from death [separation from God, eternal punishment].” word study 14 “Our lives [as a pledge, to die] for your lives [in exchange, as a guarantee]!” the men agreed [promised, gave their word]. “If you do not report [tell, utter] our mission [business, affair], we will show you kindness [mercy, loving-kindness] and faithfulness [truth, reliability] when the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] gives us the land [the promised territory, the earth].” word study 15 Then Rahab let them down [by a cord, a rope] by a rope [a hole in the wall] through the window, since the house [her dwelling place, a building] where she lived [dwelt, resided] was built [constructed, established] into the wall [a barrier, a protection] of the city [a populated area, a community]. word study 16 “Go to the hill country [mountain],” she said, “so that your pursuers [those who chase after you with hostile intent] will not find you. Hide [conceal, withdraw] yourselves there for three days until they have returned [turned back, come home]; then go on your way [journey, path of life].” word study 17 The men [the two spies] said to her, “We [as individuals, a group] will not be bound [held responsible, guiltless] by this [specific] oath [promise, vow] you made us swear [to pledge, take an oath] word study 18 unless, when we [as God’s people, entering the promised land] enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window [opening, means of escape] through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father [male parent, ancestor] and mother [female parent, caregiver] and brothers [male siblings, relatives] and all your family [household, relatives] into your house [dwelling place, home]. word study 19 If anyone goes out [leaves, departs] the door [entrance, gateway] of your house [dwelling place, family home] into the street [outside, public area], his blood [life, vital force] will be on his own head [responsibility, accountability], and we will be innocent [guiltless, blameless]. But if a hand [power, authority] is laid on anyone with you in the house [under your care, in your presence], his blood [life, vital force] will be on our heads [our responsibility, our accountability]. word study 20 And if [under these circumstances, in this case] you report [tell, declare openly] our mission [business, affair], we will be [exist, come into being] released [innocent, guiltless] from the oath [promise, vow] you made [caused] us swear [take an oath, pledge].” word study 21 “Let it be as you say [according to your words, so be it],” she replied, and she sent them away [dismissed them, let them depart]. And when they had gone, she tied [bound, attached] the scarlet [deep red, crimson] cord [line, rope] in the window [opening, hole in the wall]. word study 22 So the spies went out [to the mountains] into the hill country and stayed there [abode, dwelt] three [a quantity of three, thrice] days, until their pursuers [those who chased after them] had returned [turned back, came back] without finding them, having searched [sought, looked for] all along the road [way, path]. word study 23 Then the two [shnay, a pair] men started back, came down [to go down, descend] from the hill country [mountain], and crossed [to pass over, transition] the river [as a boundary]. So they came to Joshua [God is salvation] son of Nun [father of Joshua, meaning fish or posterity] and reported [to recount, tell in detail] all [everything, the whole] that had happened [found, experienced] to them [as objects of God’s care]. word study 24 “The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has surely delivered [given, placed] the entire land [country, territory] into our hands [power, control],” they said to Joshua [the leader, successor of Moses]. “Indeed, all [everything] who dwell [reside, live] in the land [region, earth] are melting [fainting, dissolving] in fear [terror, dread] of us [because of our presence].” word study