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.
當下，嫩的兒子約書亞從什亭暗暗打發兩個人作探子，吩咐說：「你們去窺探那地和耶利哥。」於是二人去了，來到一個妓女名叫喇合的家裏，就在那裏躺臥。
2 But the king of Jericho was told, “Look, some Israelites have come here this evening to spy out the land.”
有人告訴耶利哥王說：「今夜有以色列人來到這裏窺探此地。」
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.”
耶利哥王打發人去見喇合說：「那來到你這裏、進了你家的人要交出來，因為他們來窺探全地。」
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.
女人將二人隱藏，就回答說：「那人果然到我這裏來；他們是哪裏來的我卻不知道。
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、要關城門的時候，他們出去了，往哪裏去我卻不知道。你們快快地去追趕，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.)
先是女人領二人上了房頂，將他們藏在那裏所擺的麻詡中。）
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.
那些人就往約旦河的渡口追趕他們去了。追趕他們的人一出去，城門就關了。
8 Before the spies went to sleep, Rachel came up to the roof to talk to them.
二人還沒有躺臥，女人就上房頂，到他們那裏，
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.
對他們說：「我知道耶和華已經把這地賜給你們，並且因你們的緣故我們都驚慌了。這地的一切居民在你們面前心都消化了；
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.
因為我們聽見你們出埃及的時候，耶和華怎樣在你們前面使紅海的水乾了，並且你們怎樣待約旦河東的兩個亞摩利王西宏和噩，將他們盡行毀滅。
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.
我們一聽見這些事，心就消化了。因你們的緣故，並無一人有膽氣。耶和華－你們的上帝本是上天下地的上帝。
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,
現在我既是恩待你們，求你們指着耶和華向我起誓，也要恩待我父家，並給我一個實在的證據，
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，和一切屬他們的，拯救我們性命不死。」
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.”
二人對她說：「你若不洩漏我們這件事，我們情願替你們死。耶和華將這地賜給我們的時候，我們必以慈愛誠實待你。」
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.
於是女人用繩子將二人從窗戶裏縋下去；因她的房子是在城牆邊上，她也住在城牆上。
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.”
她對他們說：「你們且往山上去，恐怕追趕的人碰見你們；要在那裏隱藏三天，等追趕的人回來，然後才可以走你們的路。」
17 The men had told her, “We will be freed from the promise you made us swear,
二人對她說：「你要這樣行。不然，你叫我們所起的誓就與我們無干了。
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.
我們來到這地的時候，你要把這條朱紅線繩繫在縋我們下去的窗戶上，並要使你的父母、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.
凡出了你家門往街上去的，他的罪 必歸到自己的頭上，與我們無干了。凡在你家裏的，若有人下手害他，流他血的罪就歸到我們的頭上。
20 But if you tell anyone about this then we will be freed from the promise you made us swear.”
你若洩漏我們這件事，你叫我們所起的誓就與我們無干了。」
21 “I agree—may it be as you say,” she replied. She sent them off, and hung a scarlet cord in the window.
女人說：「照你們的話行吧！」於是打發他們去了，又把朱紅線繩繫在窗戶上。
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，在那裏住了三天，等着追趕的人回去了。追趕的人一路找他們，卻找不着。
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.
二人就下山回來，過了河，到嫩的兒子約書亞那裏，向他述說所遭遇的一切事；
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!”
又對約書亞說：「耶和華果然將那全地交在我們手中；那地的一切居民在我們面前心都消化了。」
