Joshua 2

1 Then Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two spies from Shittim. “Go and explore the land, especially around Jericho,” he told them. So they went, and stayed at the house of woman named Rahab, a prostitute. There they spent the night.

当下，嫩的儿子约书亚从什亭暗暗打发两个人作探子，吩咐说：“你们去窥探那地和耶利哥。”于是二人去了，来到一个妓女名叫喇合的家里，就在那里躺卧。

2 But the king of Jericho was told, “Look, some Israelites have come here this evening to spy out the land.”

有人告诉耶利哥王说：“今夜有以色列人来到这里窥探此地。”

3 So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, telling her, “Hand over the men who came to visit you and stay in your house, for they've come to spy out our whole country.”

耶利哥王打发人去见喇合说：“那来到你这里、进了你家的人要交出来，因为他们来窥探全地。”

4 The woman had taken the two men and had hidden them. She told the king's messengers, “Yes, it's true—the men did come to visit me, but I didn't know where they were from.

女人将二人隐藏，就回答说：“那人果然到我这里来；他们是哪里来的我却不知道。

5 They left at sundown, just as the city gate was closing. I've no idea where they went. If you're quick, you can chase after them and maybe catch up with them.”

天黑、要关城门的时候，他们出去了，往哪里去我却不知道。你们快快地去追赶，就必追上。”（

6 (She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under some bundles of flax that she had lying there.)

先是女人领二人上了房顶，将他们藏在那里所摆的麻秸中。）

7 The king's messengers went chasing after the men down the road that leads to the Jordan River fords. As soon as the pursuers had left, the city gate was shut behind them.

那些人就往约旦河的渡口追赶他们去了。追赶他们的人一出去，城门就关了。

8 Before the spies went to sleep, Rachel came up to the roof to talk to them.

二人还没有躺卧，女人就上房顶，到他们那里，

9 She told them, “I know that the Lord has given this land to you. We're all terrified of you. Everyone who lives here is dying of fright since you people arrived.

对他们说：“我知道耶和华已经把这地赐给你们，并且因你们的缘故我们都惊慌了。这地的一切居民在你们面前心都消化了；

10 We've heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you completely destroyed.

因为我们听见你们出埃及的时候，耶和华怎样在你们前面使红海的水干了，并且你们怎样待约旦河东的两个亚摩利王西宏和噩，将他们尽行毁灭。

11 When we heard all this, our courage melted away. Nobody had any fighting spirit left because of you. For the Lord your God is God of heaven above and the earth below.

我们一听见这些事，心就消化了。因你们的缘故，并无一人有胆气。耶和华—你们的 神本是上天下地的 神。

12 So now promise me in the name of the Lord that because I have acted in good faith to you, then you will do the same for my family. Give me some sign that I can trust you,

现在我既是恩待你们，求你们指着耶和华向我起誓，也要恩待我父家，并给我一个实在的证据，

13 that you will spare my father and mother and brothers and sisters—and all who are part of their families—that you will save them from death.”

要救活我的父母、弟兄、姊妹，和一切属他们的，拯救我们性命不死。”

14 “Our lives for yours!” the men told her. “If you don't tell anyone about this, we will treat you honestly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”

二人对她说：“你若不泄漏我们这件事，我们情愿替你们死。耶和华将这地赐给我们的时候，我们必以慈爱诚实待你。”

15 Then she lowered them down by a rope through the window since the house where she lived was built into the outside of the city wall.

于是女人用绳子将二人从窗户里缒下去；因她的房子是在城墙边上，她也住在城墙上。

16 “Run to the hills,” she told them. “That way those searching for you won't find you. Stay there three days until they've gone home, and then you can be on your way.”

她对他们说：“你们且往山上去，恐怕追赶的人碰见你们；要在那里隐藏三天，等追赶的人回来，然后才可以走你们的路。”

17 The men had told her, “We will be freed from the promise you made us swear,

二人对她说：“你要这样行。不然，你叫我们所起的誓就与我们无干了。

18 unless when we enter this land, you hang a scarlet cord in the window through which you lowered us. You must gather together in the house your father and mother and brothers—all the family.

我们来到这地的时候，你要把这条朱红线绳系在缒我们下去的窗户上，并要使你的父母、弟兄，和你父的全家都聚集在你家中。

19 If anyone leaves your house and is killed, that's their fault—we're not responsible for their death. But if anyone lays a hand on someone who is inside your house, we take full responsibility for their death.

凡出了你家门往街上去的，他的罪必归到自己的头上，与我们无干了。凡在你家里的，若有人下手害他，流他血的罪就归到我们的头上。

20 But if you tell anyone about this then we will be freed from the promise you made us swear.”

你若泄漏我们这件事，你叫我们所起的誓就与我们无干了。”

21 “I agree—may it be as you say,” she replied. She sent them off, and hung a scarlet cord in the window.

女人说：“照你们的话行吧！”于是打发他们去了，又把朱红线绳系在窗户上。

22 They went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men searching for them looked all along the road, but couldn't find them, so they returned home.

二人到山上，在那里住了三天，等着追赶的人回去了。追赶的人一路找他们，却找不着。

23 Then the two men started back. They came down from the hill country and crossed over the Jordan. They went to Joshua and explained to him all that had happened to them.

二人就下山回来，过了河，到嫩的儿子约书亚那里，向他述说所遭遇的一切事；

24 “The Lord has placed this land in our hands,” they assured him. “All the people who live there are scared to death of us!”

又对约书亚说：“耶和华果然将那全地交在我们手中；那地的一切居民在我们面前心都消化了。”