喇合營救探子
1嫩的兒子約書亞暗中從什亭派出兩個探子去偵察對岸，特別是耶利哥的情況。他們來到一個名叫喇合的妓女家中，就住在那裡。 2有人告訴耶利哥王說：「今天晚上有以色列人來這裡刺探。」 3耶利哥王便派人到喇合那裡，對她說：「把來到你家裡的人交出來，因為他們是來刺探我們的。」 4但喇合已經把二人藏起來了，她答道：「不錯，他們來過，可是我不知他們是從哪裡來的。 5天黑要關閉城門的時候，他們就離開了，我不知道他們去了哪裡。你們快去追吧，還可以追得上。」 6其實喇合已經把二人帶到屋頂上，藏在那裡的麻稈堆裡了。 7搜查的人便沿著通往約旦河渡口的路追去，他們一出城，城門便關閉了。
8在兩個探子睡覺前，喇合上到屋頂對他們說： 9「我知道耶和華已經把這地方賜給你們，我們十分害怕。這裡所有的居民都嚇得膽戰心驚。 10因為你們離開埃及過紅海的時候，耶和華怎樣使紅海在你們面前成為乾地，你們怎樣對付約旦河東的兩個亞摩利王西宏和噩，怎樣把他們徹底消滅，我們都聽說了。 11我們聽了這些事，感到心驚膽戰、勇氣盡失。你們的上帝耶和華是天地萬物的上帝。 12我既然恩待了你們，現在請你們憑耶和華向我起誓，你們也照樣恩待我家，並且給我一個可靠的憑據， 13保證讓我的父母、兄弟、姐妹和他們所有的親人免於一死。」 14二人便對她說：「如果你不洩露我們的事，我們願意用性命擔保，當耶和華把這地方賜給我們的時候，我們一定守信善待你。」
15喇合的房子就在城牆邊，她就住在城牆上，於是她用繩子把二人從窗口縋下去， 16並對他們說：「你們往山上去，免得被追捕的人發現。你們要在那裡躲三天，等追捕的人回城以後才可以走。」 17二人對她說：「要讓我們信守誓言，你必須這樣做， 18我們來攻佔這座城的時候，你要把這條朱紅色的繩子繫在縋我們下去的窗戶上，並且把你的父母、兄弟、姊妹和他們的親人都召集到你家裡。 19倘若有人因離開這房子跑到街上而遭遇不測，我們不負任何責任。我們一定保證屋內所有人的性命安全。 20如果你洩露我們的事，你要我們起的誓也就作廢了。」 21喇合答道：「一言為定！」於是她送走他們，把朱紅色的繩子繫在窗戶上。
22二人到山上躲藏了三天，等待追捕的人回去。追捕的人沿途搜索，毫無所獲，便回去了。 23二人便下山，過河回到嫩的兒子約書亞那裡，向他稟告整個經過， 24又說：「耶和華確實將那整片土地交給我們了，那裡的居民聽到我們的消息，都嚇得膽戰心驚。」
1And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.2.1 sent: or, had sent2.1 lodged: Heb. lay 2And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. 3And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. 4And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: 5And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 6But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. 7And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
8¶ And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 9And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.2.9 faint: Heb. melt 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.2.11 did there…: Heb. rose up 12Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: 13And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. 14And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.2.14 for…: Heb. instead of you to die 15Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. 16And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. 17And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. 18Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.2.18 bring: Heb. gather 19And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. 20And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. 21And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
22And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
23¶ So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them: 24And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.2.24 faint: Heb. melt
