1. Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them: “Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho.” They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there.
2. The king of Jericho received this report: “Note well! Israelite men have come here tonight to spy on the land.”
3. So the king of Jericho sent this order to Rahab: “Turn over the men who came to you – the ones who came to your house – for they have come to spy on the whole land!”
4. But the woman hid the two men and replied, “Yes, these men were clients of mine, but I didn’t know where they came from.
5. When it was time to shut the city gate for the night, the men left. I don’t know where they were heading. Chase after them quickly, for you have time to catch them!”