Then Joshua, the son of Nun, secretly sent two men from Shittim as spies, saying, "Go, explore the land—especially Jericho." They went and came to the house of a woman named Rahab, who was a prostitute, and stayed there.
But the king of Jericho was told, "Some Israelites have come tonight to spy out the land." So he sent word to Rahab: "Bring out the men who came to your house, for they have come to search the whole land."
Rahab, however, had hidden the men. She said, "Yes, they came to me, but I didn't know where they were from. When it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don't know where they went—pursue them quickly; you might catch them." But she had hidden them on the roof under stalks of flax. The pursuers hurried out toward the Jordan, and as soon as they left, the city gate was shut.
Later that night, Rahab went up to the roof and said to the spies, "I know that the Lord has given you this land. Fear has fallen upon us, and everyone here trembles because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea for you when you left Egypt, and how you destroyed Sihon and Og, the Amorite kings east of the Jordan. When we heard these things, our hearts melted, and no courage remained in anyone, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.
Now, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Spare my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them."
The men replied, "Our lives for yours! If you keep our secret, we will treat you kindly when the Lord gives us this land." So Rahab let them down through a window with a rope, for her house was built into the city wall. She told them, "Go to the hills and hide for three days until the pursuers return; then go your way."
The spies said to her, "We will keep this oath you made us swear, only if you tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and gather your family into your house. Anyone outside your house will be responsible for their own life, but anyone inside will be under our protection. But if you reveal our mission, the oath is broken."
Rahab agreed, saying, "Let it be as you have said." She sent them away and tied the scarlet cord in the window.
The spies hid in the hills three days until the pursuers returned. Then they went back across the Jordan to Joshua and told him everything that had happened. They said, "Truly, the Lord has given the whole land into our hands; all the people there are melting in fear because of us."