Conquest of Canaan

The men that were hid were not yet asleep, when behold the woman went up to them, and said:

I know that the Lord hath given this land to you: for the dread of you is fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land have lost all strength.

We have heard that the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea, at your going in, when you came out of Egypt: and what things you did to the two kings of the Amorrhites, that were beyond the Jordan, Sehon and Og whom you slew.

And at the hearing these things, we were affrighted, and our heart fainted away, neither did there remain any spirit in us, at your coming in: for the Lord your God he is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath.

Now, therefore, swear ye to me by the Lord, that as I have shewed mercy to you, so you also will shew mercy to my father's house: and give me a true token.

That you will save my father and mother, my brethren and sisters, and all things that are theirs, and deliver our souls from death.

They answered her: Be our lives for you unto death, only if thou betray us not. And when the Lord shall have delivered us the land, we will shew thee mercy and truth.

Then she let them down with a cord out of a window: for her house joined close to the wall.

And she said to them: Get ye up to the mountains, lest perhaps they meet you as they return: and there lie ye hid three days, till they come back, and so you shall go on your way.

And they said to her: We shall be blameless of this oath, which thou hast made us swear,

If, when we come into the land, this scarlet cord be a sign, and thou tie it in the window, by which thou hast let us down: and gather together thy father and mother, and brethren, and all thy kindred into thy house.

Whosoever shall go out of the door of thy house, his blood shall be upon his own head, and we shall be quit. But the blood of all that shall be with thee in the house, shall light upon our head, if any man touch them.

But if thou wilt betray us, and utter this word abroad, we shall be quit of this oath, which thou hast made us swear.

And she answered: As you have spoken, so be it done: and sending them on their way, she hung the scarlet cord in the window.

But they went and came to the mountains, and stayed there three days, till they that pursued them were returned. For having sought them through all the way, they found them not.

And when they were gone back into the city, the spies returned, and came down from the mountain: and passing over the Jordan, they came to Joshua, the son of Nun, and told him all that befel them,

And said: the Lord hath delivered all this land into our hands, and all the inhabitants thereof are overthrown with fear.

And Joshua rose before daylight, and removed the camp: and they departed from Setim, and came to the Jordan: he, and all the children of Israel, and they abode there for three days.

After which, the heralds went through the midst of the camp,

And began to proclaim: When you shall see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests of the race of Levi carrying it, rise you up also, and follow them as they go before:

And let there be between you and the ark the space of two thousand cubits: that you may see it afar off, and know which way you must go: for you have not gone this way before: and take care you come not near the ark.

And Joshua said to the people: Be ye sanctified: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.

And he said to the priests: Take up the ark of the covenant, and go before the people. And they obeyed his commands, and took it up, and walked before them.

And the Lord said to Joshua: This day will I begin to exalt thee before Israel: that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I am with thee also.

And do thou command the priests, that carry the ark of the covenant, and say to them: When you shall have entered into part of the water of the Jordan, stand in it.