Then Joshuathe sonof Nunsenttwomenas spiessecretlyfrom Shittim,saying,"Go,viewthe land,especiallyJericho."So they wentand cameinto the houseof a harlotwhose namewas Rahab,and lodgedthere.
"Sendoneof you that he may getyour brother,while you remain confined,that your wordsmay be tested,whether there is truthin you. But ifnot, by the lifeof Pharaoh,surelyyou are spies."
Josephrememberedthe dreamswhichhe hadabout them, and saidto them, "You are spies;you have cometo lookat the undefendedpartsof our land."
"My people,remembernowWhatBalakkingof MoabcounseledAnd whatBalaamsonof Beoransweredhim, [And] from Shittimto Gilgal,Sothat you might knowthe righteousactsof the LORD."
Then the LORDspoketo Mosessaying,
"Sendout for yourself menso that they may spyout the landof Canaan,whichI am going to giveto the sonsof Israel;you shall senda manfrom eachof their fathers'tribes,everyonea leaderamong them."
While Israelremainedat Shittim,the peoplebeganto playthe harlotwith the daughtersof Moab.
They campedby the Jordan,from Beth-jeshimothas faras Abel-shittimin the plainsof Moab.
Salmonwas the fatherof Boazby Rahab,Boazwas the fatherof Obedby Ruth,and Obedthe fatherof Jesse.
"Behold,I sendyou out as sheepin the midstof wolves;sobe shrewdas serpentsand innocentas doves.
For thisyou knowwith certainty,that noimmoralorimpure personorcovetous man,whois an idolater,hasan inheritancein the kingdomof Christand God.
By faithRahabthe harlotdid not perish alongwith thosewho were disobedient,after she had welcomedthe spiesin peace.
In the same way,was not Rahabthe harlotalsojustifiedby workswhen she receivedthe messengersand sentthem out by anotherway?
"Anyonewhorebelsagainstyour commandand does not obeyyour wordsin allthat you commandhim, shall be putto death;onlybe strongand courageous."
It was toldthe kingof Jericho,saying,"Behold,menfrom the sonsof Israelhave comeheretonightto searchout the land."
Helkathwith its pasturelandsand Rehobwith its pasturelands;fourcities.
Then Joshuaroseearlyin the morning;and he and allthe sonsof Israelsetout from Shittimand cameto the Jordan,and they lodgedtherebeforethey crossed.
While the sonsof Israelcampedat Gilgalthey observedthe Passoveron the eveningof the fourteenthdayof the monthon the desertplainsof Jericho.
The houseof Josephspiedout Bethel(now the nameof the citywas formerlyLuz).
Then the fivemenwho wentto spyout the countryof Laishsaidto their kinsmen,"Do you knowthat thereare in thesehousesan ephodand householdidolsand a gravenimageand a moltenimage?Nowtherefore, considerwhatyou should do."
Now the fivemenwho wentto spyout the landwentup [and] enteredthere,[and] tookthe gravenimageand the ephodand householdidolsand the moltenimage,while the prieststoodby the entranceof the gatewith the sixhundredmenarmedwith weaponsof war.
So the sonsof Dansentfrom their familyfivemenout of their wholenumber,valiantmenfrom Zorahand Eshtaol,to spyout the landand to searchit; and they saidto them, "Go,searchthe land."And they cameto the hillcountryof Ephraim,to the houseof Micah,and lodgedthere.
