16. “Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won’t find you,” she said to them. “Hide yourselves there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way.”
17. The men said to her, “We will be free from this oath you made us swear,
18. unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father’s family into your house.
19. If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his blood will be on our heads.
20. And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear.”
21. “Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window.
22. So the two men went into the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers had returned. They searched all along the way, but did not find them.
23. Then the men returned, came down from the hill country, and crossed the Jordan. They went to Joshua son of Nun and reported everything that had happened to them.
24. They told Joshua, “The Lord has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us.”