Joshua Sends Spies into Jericho
1 Then Joshua sent two spies from the camp at Acacia with orders to go and secretly explore the land of Canaan, especially the city of Jericho. When they came to the city, they went to spend the night in the house of a prostitute named Rahab. 2 The king of Jericho heard that some Israelites had come that night to spy out the country, 3 so he sent word to Rahab: “The men in your house have come to spy out the whole country! Bring them out!”
4-6 “Some men did come to my house,” she answered, “but I don't know where they were from. They left at sundown before the city gate was closed. I didn't find out where they were going, but if you start after them quickly, you can catch them.” (Now Rahab had taken the two spies up on the roof and hidden them under some stalks of flax that she had put there.) 7 The king's men left the city, and then the gate was shut. They went looking for the Israelite spies as far as the place where the road crosses the Jordan.
8 Before the spies settled down for the night, Rahab went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land. Everyone in the country is terrified of you. 10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea in front of you when you were leaving Egypt. We have also heard how you killed Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan. 11 We were afraid as soon as we heard about it; we have all lost our courage because of you. The Lord your God is God in heaven above and here on earth. 12 Now swear by him that you will treat my family as kindly as I have treated you, and give me some sign that I can trust you. 13 Promise me that you will save my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families! Don't let us be killed!”
14 The men said to her, “May God take our lives if we don't do as we say! If you do not tell anyone what we have been doing, we promise you that when the Lord gives us this land, we will treat you well.”
15 Rahab lived in a house built into the city wall, so she let the men down from the window by a rope. 16 “Go into the hill country,” she said, “or the king's men will find you. Hide there for three days until they come back. After that, you can go on your way.”
17 The men said to her, “We will keep the promise that you have made us give. 18 This is what you must do. When we invade your land, tie this red cord to the window you let us down from. Get your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's family together in your house. 19 If anyone goes out of the house, his death will be his own fault, and we will not be responsible; but if anyone in the house with you is harmed, then we will be responsible. 20 However, if you tell anyone what we have been doing, then we will not have to keep our promise which you have made us give you.” 21 She agreed and sent them away. When they had gone, she tied the red cord to the window.
22 The spies went into the hills and hid. The king's men looked for them all over the countryside for three days, but they did not find them, so they returned to Jericho. 23 Then the two spies came down from the hills, crossed the river, and went back to Joshua. They told him everything that had happened, 24 and then said, “We are sure that the Lord has given us the whole country. All the people there are terrified of us.”
Izlūki Jērikā
(Ebr 11:31)1 Tad Jozua, Nūna dēls, no Šitīmas zemes slepeni sūtīja izlūkos divus vīrus un teica viņiem: “Ejiet un apskatiet gan to zemi, gan Jēriku!” Tie gāja un nonāca kādas maukas mājā – viņu sauca Rāhāba –, un viņi tur apmetās. 2 Kāds pastāstīja Jērikas ķēniņam: “Redzi, šonakt kādi no Israēla dēliem ir atnākuši izlūkot zemi.” 3 Un Jērikas ķēniņš sūtīja pie Rāhābas, sacīdams: “Izdod tos vīrus, kas atnākuši pie tevis un ir tavā namā, jo tie atnākuši izlūkot visu zemi!” 4 Bet tā sieva noslēpa abus vīrus un sacīja: “Tiešām, šie vīri bija pie manis atnākuši, bet es nezināju, no kurienes viņi ir! 5 Un, kad slēdza vārtus, bija jau tumšs, tie vīri devās prom – es nezinu, kurp tie vīri aizgāja. Dzenieties ātri pakaļ, tad jūs viņus panāksiet!” 6 Bet viņa tos bija uzvedusi uz jumta un paslēpusi starp linu kūļiem, kas tai bija izlikti uz jumta. 7 Vīri dzinās viņiem pakaļ uz Jardānas pusi līdz pat braslam, bet vārti tika aizslēgti, tiklīdz vajātāji bija devušies tiem pakaļ. 8 Pirms vēl tie bija likušies gulēt, viņa uzkāpa uz jumta 9 un teica tiem: “Es zinu, ka Kungs jums ir atdevis šo zemi. Mūs ir pārņēmušas bailes no jums, un visi, kas mīt šajā zemē, ļimst jūsu priekšā. 10 Mēs esam dzirdējuši, kā Kungs jūsu priekšā licis izsīkt Niedru jūras ūdeņiem, kad jūs devāties projām no Ēģiptes, un ko jūs esat izdarījuši ar abiem amoriešu ķēniņiem, kas bija viņpus Jardānas, ar Sīhonu un Ogu, – jūs tos pagalam iznīdējāt! 11 Tiklīdz mēs to izdzirdējām, tā mūsu sirdis pamira un visiem noplaka dūša jūsu dēļ, jo Kungs, jūsu Dievs, ir Dievs augšā debesīs un apakšā uz zemes! 12 Un tagad zvēriet man pie Kunga – es esmu darījusi jums labu, tad nu arī jūs dariet labu mana tēva namam – dodiet man drošu zīmi! 13 Atstājiet dzīvus manu tēvu un māti, manus brāļus un māsas, un visu, kas tiem, – glābiet mūsu dvēseles no nāves!” 14 Un vīri viņai teica: “Dodam savas dvēseles par jūsējām, ja neviens no jums neko nestāstīs! Kad Kungs dos mums šo zemi, tad mēs izrādīsim jums laipnību un turēsim vārdu!” 15 Tad viņa nolaida tos ar virvi pa logu, jo viņas nams bija iebūvēts pilsētas mūrī, tur viņa dzīvoja. 16 Un viņa tiem sacīja: “Dodieties kalnos, ka nesastopaties ar vajātājiem! Slēpieties tur trīs dienas, kamēr vajātāji būs atpakaļ, tad varat iet savu ceļu!” 17 Vīri viņai teica: “Lai uz mums negulstas vaina par šo zvērestu, ko tev devām! 18 Redzi, kad mēs nāksim ieņemt šo zemi, izkar pa logu sarkano virvi, ar ko tu mūs nolaidi lejā, un sapulcini pie sevis namā savu tēvu, māti, brāļus un visu sava tēva dzimtu. 19 Ikviens, kas dosies laukā pa tava nama durvīm, – tā asinis lai nāk pār viņa paša galvu, bet mēs būsim bez vainas, taču ikviens, kas paliks namā kopā ar tevi, – tā asinis lai nāk pār mūsu galvu, ja kāds viņam ko nodarīs. 20 Bet, ja tu kādam to pastāstīsi, tad mums nav vainas par šo zvērestu, ko tu liki mums zvērēt.” 21 Un viņa sacīja: “Lai ir, kā jūs teicāt!” Tad viņa ļāva tiem iet, tie devās projām, un viņa izkāra pa logu sarkanu virvi.
22 Viņi devās projām, gāja uz kalniem un palika tur trīs dienas, līdz vajātāji bija atgriezušies atpakaļ. Vajātāji bija tos meklējuši visu ceļu, bet nebija atraduši. 23 Abi vīri devās atpakaļ, nokāpa no kalniem, cēlās pāri un gāja pie Jozuas, Nūna dēla, un pastāstīja viņam visu, kas bija noticis. 24 Un viņi teica Jozuam: “Tiešām, Kungs ir atdevis mums visu to zemi, visi, kas mīt tajā zemē, ļimst mūsu priekšā!”
