So they went and
entered the house of a woman named Rahab, and stayed there.

It was reported to the king of Jericho, "Some men came here to-night
from the Israelites to explore the land." Therefore the king of Jericho
sent to Rahab and said, "Bring out the men who entered your house, for
they have come to explore all the land."

Now the woman had taken the two men and hidden them; so she said, "It is
true, some men came to me, but I did not know where they came from. When
the time came to shut the gate at night, the men went out and I do not
know where they have gone. Follow after them quickly, for you may
overtake them." She, however, had brought them up to the roof and hidden
them with the stalks of flax which she had spread out there. So the men
of Jericho followed after them in the direction of the fords of the
Jordan; and as soon as the men of Jericho had gone out, the gate was
closed.

The spies had hardly lain down when Rahab came up to them on the roof
and said, "I know that Jehovah has given you the land and that fear of
you has seized us and that because of you all who live in the land are
losing heart. Now therefore swear to me by Jehovah, since I have treated
you with kindness, that you will also treat my family kindly, and
promise me that you will save the lives of my father, my mother, my
brothers, and my sisters, together with all that they have, and will not
put us to death." The men said to her, "We are ready to give our lives
for you, if you do not tell what we are doing; and when Jehovah gives us
the land, we will treat you kindly and faithfully."

Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house in
which she lived was built into the city wall. She said to them, "Go
into the hills, that the men who are looking for you may not find you,
and hide yourselves there three days until they have returned. Then you
may go on your way."

The men said to her, "We shall be free from our solemn promise to you,
unless, when we come into the land, you bind this cord of scarlet thread
in the window through which you let us down and gather your father, your
mother, your brothers, and all your family into your house. If any one
goes out of the doors of your house into the street, he shall be
responsible for his death and we shall be innocent. If any one stays
with you in the house, we will be responsible for his death if any one
lays hands on him. But if you tell what we are doing, we shall be