Chapter 2

Two discoverers sent into Hiericho are hid and concealed by Rahab: ℣.8 and upon promise of like safety to her whole family, ℣.21 she helpeth them secretly away.

1. 1

   Therefore Josue the son of Nun sent from Setim two men, to spy in secret, and said to them: Go, and view the Land, & the city of Jericho. Who going entered into the house of a woman, a harlot, named Rahab, and rested with her.

2. 2

   And it was told the king of Jericho, & said: Behold there are men come in hither by night of the children of Israel, to spy the Land.

3. 3

   And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying: Bring forth the men that came to thee, and are entered into thy house, for they be spies, and are come to view all the Land.

4. 4

   And the woman taking the men, hid them, & said: I confess they came to me, but I knew not whence they were:

5. 5

   and when the gate was a shutting in the dark, and they withal went out, I know not whither they be gone: pursue quickly, and you shall overtake them.

6. 6

   But she made the men to go up into the roof of her house, and covered them with the stalk of flax, which was there.

7. 7

   And they that were sent, followed them, the way that leadeth to the ford of Jordan: and they being gone out, the gate forthwith was shut.

8. 8

   Neither were they yet asleep that lay hid, and behold the woman went up to them, and said:

9. 9

   I know that the Lord hath given this Land to you: for your terror is fallen upon us, & all the inhabitants of the Land are become faint.

10. 10

    We have heard that the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea at your entering, when you came out of Ægypt: and what things you did to the two kings of the Amorrhites, that were beyond Jordan, Sehon and Og, whom you slew.

11. 11

    And hearing these things we greatly feared, and our heart fainted, neither did there remain spirit in us at your entering in: for the Lord your God he is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath.

12. 12

    Now therefore swear to me by the Lord, that as I have done mercy with you, so you also do with my father's house: and you give me a true sign,

13. 13

    that you save my father and mother, my brethren and sisters, and all things that be theirs, and deliver our souls from death.

14. 14

    Who answered her: Be our lives for you unto death, only if thou betray us not. And when our Lord shall have delivered us the land, we will do in thee mercy and truth.

15. 15

    She therefore did let them down by a cord out of a window: for her house joined fast to the wall.

16. 16

    And she said to them: Go up to the mountains, lest perhaps they meet you returning: and there, lie hid three days, till they return, and so you shall go on your way.

17. 17

    Who said to her: We shall be quit from this oath wherewith thou hast sworn us,

18. 18

    if we entering the Land, there be this purple cord a sign, and thou tie it in the window, by the which thou hast let us down: & gather thy father and mother, & brethren, & all thy kindred into thy house.

19. 19

    He that shall go forth of the door of thy house, his blood shall be upon his head, & we shall be quit. But the blood of all that shall be with thee in the house, shall redound upon our head, if any man touch them.

20. 20

    But if thou wilt betray us, and utter this talk abroad, we shall be quit from this oath, wherewith thou hast adjured us.

21. 21

    And she answered: As you have spoken, so be it done, and dismissing them to go, she hung the purple cord in the window.

22. 22

    But they walking came to the mountains, and tarried there three days, till they returned that pursued them: for seeking every way, they found them not.

23. 23

    Who being entered into the city, the discoverers returned, and came down from the mountain: and passing over Jordan, they came to Josue the son of Nun, and told him all things that had chanced to them,

24. 24

    and said: Our Lord hath delivered all this land into our hands, and all the inhabitants thereof are overthrown with fear.