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
Rahabu Na Wapelelezi
12:1 Mwa 42:9; Hes 25:1; Yos 3:1; Yoe 3:18; Hes 21:32; Amu 18:2; Hes 33:48; Yos 6:17, 25; Ebr 11:31Kisha Yoshua mwana wa Nuni kwa siri akawatuma wapelelezi wawili kutoka Shitimu, akawaambia, “Nendeni mkaikague hiyo nchi, hasa Yeriko.” Kwa hiyo wakaenda na kuingia kwenye nyumba ya kahaba mmoja jina lake Rahabu na kukaa humo.
22:2 Za 127:1; Mit 21:30Mfalme wa Yeriko akaambiwa, “Tazama! Baadhi ya Waisraeli wamekuja huku usiku huu kuipeleleza nchi.” 32:3 Yos 6:23Hivyo mfalme wa Yeriko akatuma huu ujumbe kwa Rahabu: “Watoe wale watu waliokujia na kuingia nyumbani mwako, kwa sababu wamekuja kuipeleleza nchi yote.”
42:4 Yos 6:22; 6:17; 2Sam 17:19-20; 2Fal 6:19Lakini huyo mwanamke alikuwa amewachukua hao watu wawili na kuwaficha. Akasema, “Naam, watu hao walikuja kwangu, lakini sikujua walikotoka. 52:5 Amu 5:8; 9:35; 16:2; Ebr 11:31Kulipoingia giza, wakati wa kufunga lango la mji, watu hao waliondoka. Sijui njia waliyoiendea. Wafuatilieni haraka. Huenda mkawapata.” 62:6 Amu 15:14; Mit 31:13; Isa 19:9; Kut 1:19; Yos 6:25; 2Sam 17:19; Yak 2:25; Kut 1:17(Lakini alikuwa amewapandisha darini akawafunika kwa mabua ya kitani aliyokuwa ameyatandika darini.) 72:7 Hes 22:1; Amu 3:28; 7:24; 12:5-6; Isa 16:2Basi hao watu wakaondoka kuwafuatilia hao wapelelezi katika njia ile inayoelekea vivuko vya Yordani, mara tu wafuatiliaji walipotoka nje, lango likafungwa.
82:8 Kum 22:8; Amu 16:27; 2Sam 16:22; Neh 8:16; Isa 15:3; 22:1; Yer 32:29Kabla wale wapelelezi hawajalala, Rahabu akawaendea huko juu darini, 92:9 Mwa 35:5; Kut 15:14-15; Mwa 35:5; Kum 2:25; 11:25akawaambia, “Ninajua kuwa Bwana amewapa nchi hii na hofu kuu imetuangukia kwa sababu yenu, kiasi kwamba wote waishio katika nchi hii wanayeyuka kwa hofu kwa sababu yenu. 102:10 Mwa 8:1; Kut 14:21; Yos 3:17; Za 74:15; Hes 23:22; 21:21; Mwa 10:16; 14:7; Yos 9:10Tumesikia jinsi Bwana alivyokausha maji ya Bahari ya Shamu kwa ajili yenu mlipotoka Misri, pia lile mlilowatendea Sihoni na Ogu, wafalme wawili wa Waamori mashariki mwa Yordani, ambao mliwaangamiza kabisa. 112:11 Mwa 42:28; Kum 2:25; Za 107:26; Yon 1:5; Kut 15:14; Yos 5:1; 7:5; 2Sam 4:1; Za 22; 14; Isa 13:7; 19:1; Yer 51:30; Nah 2:10; 2Fal 5:15; 19:15; Dan 6:26; Mwa 14:19; Hes 20:14; Kum 4:39Tuliposikia juu ya hili, mioyo yetu iliyeyuka na kila mmoja alikosa ujasiri kwa sababu yenu, kwa maana Bwana Mungu wenu ni Mungu juu mbinguni na duniani chini. 122:12 Mwa 24:8; 47:31; 24; 12; Rut 3:10; Mwa 24:14; Kut 3:12; Yos 4:6; 1Sam 2:34; 2Fal 19:29Sasa basi, tafadhali niapieni kwa Bwana, kwamba mtaitendea hisani jamaa ya baba yangu, kwa kuwa mimi nimewatendea hisani. Nipeni ishara ya uaminifu 132:13 Yos 6:23kwamba mtayahifadhi maisha ya baba yangu na mama yangu, ndugu zangu wa kiume na wa kike, pamoja na wale wote walio wa kwao na kwamba mtatuokoa na kifo.”
142:14 1Fal 20:39-42; 2Fal 10:24; Mwa 47:29; Mt 5:7; Amu 1:24; Mt 5:7Wale watu wakamhakikishia Rahabu, “Uhai wetu kwa uhai wenu! Ikiwa hutatoa habari ya nini tunachofanya, wakati Bwana atakapotupa nchi hii, tutawatendea kwa hisani na kwa uaminifu.”
152:15 Yer 38:6, 11; Mwa 26:8; Amu 5:28; 1Sam 19:12; Mdo 9:25; Ebr 11:31Kisha akawateremsha dirishani kwa kamba, kwa kuwa nyumba yake aliyokuwa anaishi ilikuwa sehemu ya ukuta wa mji. 162:16 Yak 2:25; Mwa 14:10; Ebr 11:31Alikuwa amewaambia, “Nendeni vilimani ili wale wafuatiliaji wasiwapate. Jificheni huko kwa siku tatu mpaka watakaporudi, hatimaye mwende zenu.”
172:17 Mwa 24:8; Kut 20:7Wale watu wakamwambia, “Hiki kiapo ulichotuapisha hakitatufunga, 182:18 Yos 6:23; Mwa 7:1; 19:12, 17; Es 8:6; Mdo 11:14; 2Tim 1:16isipokuwa, hapo tutakapoingia katika nchi hii, utakuwa umefunga hii kamba nyekundu dirishani pale ulipotuteremshia na kama utakuwa umewaleta baba yako na mama yako, ndugu zako na jamaa yako yote ndani ya nyumba yako. 192:19 Law 20:9; Eze 33:4; Hes 34:26, 27Ikiwa mtu yeyote atatoka nje ya nyumba yako akaenda mtaani, damu yake itakuwa juu ya kichwa chake mwenyewe, hatutawajibika. Lakini yule ambaye atakuwa ndani pamoja nawe, kama mkono wa mtu yeyote ukiwa juu yake damu yake itakuwa juu ya vichwa vyetu. 202:20 Mwa 24:8; 47:31Lakini ikiwa utatoa habari ya shughuli yetu tunayofanya, tutakuwa tumefunguliwa kutoka kwenye kiapo hiki ulichotufanya tuape.”
21Naye akajibu, “Nimekubali. Na iwe kama mnavyosema.” Kwa hiyo akaagana nao, nao wakaondoka. Yeye akaifunga ile kamba nyekundu dirishani.
22Walipoondoka, wakaelekea vilimani na kukaa huko siku tatu, hadi wale waliokuwa wakiwafuatilia wakawa wamewatafuta njia nzima na kurudi pasipo kuwapata. 23Ndipo wale watu wawili wakaanza kurudi. Wakashuka kutoka kule vilimani, wakavuka mto na kuja kwa Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, na kumweleza kila kitu kilichowapata. 242:24 Yos 10:8; 11:6; Amu 3:28; 7:9; 20:28; 1Sam 14:10; Kut 15:15Wakamwambia Yoshua, “Hakika Bwana ametupa nchi yote mikononi mwetu; watu wote wanayeyuka kwa hofu kwa sababu yetu.”
