Joshua

约书亚派探子进耶利哥

1当下，嫩的儿子约书亚从什亭暗暗打发两个人作探子，吩咐说：「你们去窥探那地和耶利哥。」于是二人去了，来到一个妓女名叫喇合的家里，就在那里躺卧。

2有人告诉耶利哥王说：「今夜有以色列人来到这里窥探此地。」

3耶利哥王打发人去见喇合说：「那来到你这里、进了你家的人要交出来，因为他们来窥探全地。」

4女人将二人隐藏，就回答说：「那人果然到我这里来；他们是哪里来的我却不知道。

5天黑、要关城门的时候，他们出去了，往哪里去我却不知道。你们快快地去追赶，就必追上。」（

6先是女人领二人上了房顶，将他们藏在那里所摆的麻秸中。）

7那些人就往约旦河的渡口追赶他们去了。追赶他们的人一出去，城门就关了。

8二人还没有躺卧，女人就上房顶，到他们那里，

9对他们说：「我知道耶和华已经把这地赐给你们，并且因你们的缘故我们都惊慌了。这地的一切居民在你们面前心都消化了；

10因为我们听见你们出埃及的时候，耶和华怎样在你们前面使红海的水干了，并且你们怎样待约旦河东的两个亚摩利王西宏和噩，将他们尽行毁灭。

11我们一听见这些事，心就消化了。因你们的缘故，并无一人有胆气。耶和华—你们的 神本是上天下地的 神。

12现在我既是恩待你们，求你们指着耶和华向我起誓，也要恩待我父家，并给我一个实在的证据，

13要救活我的父母、弟兄、姊妹，和一切属他们的，拯救我们性命不死。」

14二人对她说：「你若不泄漏我们这件事，我们情愿替你们死。耶和华将这地赐给我们的时候，我们必以慈爱诚实待你。」

15于是女人用绳子将二人从窗户里缒下去；因她的房子是在城墙边上，她也住在城墙上。

16她对他们说：「你们且往山上去，恐怕追赶的人碰见你们；要在那里隐藏三天，等追赶的人回来，然后才可以走你们的路。」

17二人对她说：「你要这样行。不然，你叫我们所起的誓就与我们无干了。

18我们来到这地的时候，你要把这条朱红线绳系在缒我们下去的窗户上，并要使你的父母、弟兄，和你父的全家都聚集在你家中。

19凡出了你家门往街上去的，他的罪必归到自己的头上，与我们无干了。凡在你家里的，若有人下手害他，流他血的罪就归到我们的头上。

20你若泄漏我们这件事，你叫我们所起的誓就与我们无干了。」

21女人说：「照你们的话行吧！」于是打发他们去了，又把朱红线绳系在窗户上。

22二人到山上，在那里住了三天，等着追赶的人回去了。追赶的人一路找他们，却找不着。

23二人就下山回来，过了河，到嫩的儿子约书亚那里，向他述说所遭遇的一切事；

24又对约书亚说：「耶和华果然将那全地交在我们手中；那地的一切居民在我们面前心都消化了。」

1And Josue the son of Nun sent from Setim two men, to spy secretly: and said to them: Go, and view the land and the city of Jericho. They went and entered into the house of a woman that was a harlot named Rahab, and lodged with her.

2And it was told the king of Jericho, and was said: Behold there are men come in hither, by night, of the children of Israel, to spy the land.

3And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying: Bring forth the men that came to thee, and are entered into thy house: for they are spies, and are come to view all the land.

4And the woman taking the men, hid them, and said: I confess they came to me, but I knew not whence they were:

5And at the time of shutting the gate in the dark, they also went out together. I know not whither they are gone: pursue after them quickly, and you will overtake them.

6But she made the men go up to the top of her house, and covered them with the stalks of flax, which was there.

7Now they that were sent, pursued after them, by the way that leadeth to the fords of the Jordan: and as soon as they were gone out, the gate was presently shut.

8The men that were hidden were not yet asleep, when behold the woman went up to them, and said:

9I know that the Lord hath given this land to you: for the dread of you is fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land have lost all strength.

10We have heard that the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea at your going in, when you came out of Egypt: and what things you did to the two kings of the Amorrhites, that were beyond the Jordan: Sehon and Og whom you slew.

11And hearing these things we were affrighted, and our heart fainted away, neither did there remain any spirit in us at your coming in: for the Lord your God he is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath.

12Now therefore swear ye to me by the Lord, that as I have shewn mercy to you, so you also will shew mercy to my father’s house: and give me a true token,

13That you will save my father and mother, my brethren and sisters, and all things that are theirs, and deliver our souls from death.

14They answered her: Be our lives for you unto death, only if thou betray us not. And when the Lord shall have delivered us the land, we will shew thee mercy and truth.

15Then she let them down with a cord out of a window: for her house joined close to the wall.

16And she said to them: Get ye up to the mountains, lest perhaps they meet you as they return: and there lie ye hid three days, till they come back, and so you shall go on your way.

17And they said to her: We shall be blameless of this oath, which thou hast made us swear:

18If when we come into the land, this scarlet cord be a sign, and thou tie it in the window, by which thou hast let us down: and gather together thy father and mother, and brethren and all thy kindred into thy house.

19Whosoever shall go out of the door of thy house, his blood shall be upon his own head, and we shall be quit. But the blood of all that shall be with thee in the house, shall light upon our head, if any man touch them.

20But if thou wilt betray us, and utter this word abroad, we shall be quit of this oath which thou hast made us swear.

21And she answered: As you have spoken, so be it done. And sending them on their way, she hung the scarlet cord in the window.

22But they went and came to the mountains, and stayed there three days till they that pursued them were returned. For having sought them through all the way, they found them not.

23And when they were gone back into the city, the spies returned, and came down from the mountain: and passing over the Jordan, they came to Josue the son of Nun, and told him all that befel them.

24And said: The Lord hath delivered all this land into our hands, and all the inhabitants thereof are overthrown with fear.