Joshua 2:2 kjv
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.
Joshua 2:2 nkjv
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country."
Joshua 2:2 niv
The king of Jericho was told, "Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land."
Joshua 2:2 esv
And it was told to the king of Jericho, "Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land."
Joshua 2:2 nlt
But someone told the king of Jericho, "Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land."
Joshua 2 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 13:1 | The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan..." | Moses sends spies into Canaan |
| Num 13:17 | Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, "Go up into the Negeb..." | Spies sent by Moses |
| Deut 1:22 | "Then all of you came near to me and said, 'Let us send men ahead of us to explore the land...'" | Israelite desire for reconnaissance |
| Josh 1:11 | "Pass through the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass..." | Israel prepares to enter Canaan |
| Josh 2:9 | "I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that dread of you has fallen on us..." | Rahab's confession of fear |
| Josh 2:11 | "And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit in any man...for the Lord your God is God..." | Jericho's dread of Israelite power |
| Exod 15:15 | "Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; dread will grip the leaders of Moab..." | Nations fearful of God's power in Exodus |
| Deut 2:25 | "This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven..." | God instilling fear in surrounding nations |
| Deut 11:25 | "No one shall be able to stand against you. The Lord your God will lay the fear of you..." | God ensures nations fear Israel |
| Josh 5:1 | As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites... | Kings west of Jordan fear Israel |
| 1 Sam 4:7-8 | So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "God has come into the camp!" And they said, "Woe to us!..." | Enemies fearful of God's presence |
| Esth 8:17 | And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict came, there was gladness... | Gentiles becoming Jews from fear |
| Esth 9:2 | The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who... | Enemies feared the Jews |
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. | God's sovereignty over kings |
| Dan 4:34-35 | His dominion is an everlasting dominion... and he does according to his will among the host of heaven... | God's ultimate authority over all kingdoms |
| Ps 2:1-4 | Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers... | Kings conspire in vain against God's anointed |
| Isa 40:23 | He brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. | God humbles earthly rulers |
| Isa 7:5-7 | Because Syria with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah has plotted evil against you, saying, 'Let us go up against... | God's word against wicked human plans |
| Josh 6:20 | So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet... | Jericho's fall by divine power |
| Heb 11:30 | By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | Faith and Jericho's collapse |
| Heb 11:31 | By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly... | Rahab's faith and salvation |
| Acts 7:45 | Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our... | God enabled the dispossession of nations |
| Neh 4:7-8 | But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of... | Enemies conspire against God's people's work |
| Acts 5:39 | "But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—you may even be found fighting against God!" | Those fighting against God's plan cannot win |
| Exod 4:22 | "Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son...'" | Israel as God's chosen people |
| Deut 14:2 | "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured... | Israel's chosen status |
Joshua 2 verses
Joshua 2 2 Meaning
Joshua chapter 2 verse 2 describes the immediate detection and reporting of the two Israelite spies sent by Joshua to the king of Jericho. The verse highlights that the spies' presence in the city during the night, for the purpose of reconnaissance, was quickly revealed to the ruling authority, signifying an alert state within the city and a direct challenge to the king's dominion by the approaching Israelites. This prompt notification set in motion the king's response and established the underlying tension of the narrative.
Joshua 2 2 Context
This verse is situated immediately after Joshua sent two spies to scout Jericho, specifically to Rahab's house, indicating that they were easily locatable upon entry into the city. The preceding context is Israel's long journey from Egypt and forty years of wilderness wandering, culminating in their imminent entry into the Promised Land. Joshua has assumed leadership after Moses, and the crossing of the Jordan River is pending. Jericho, a heavily fortified and strategic city, stands as the first major obstacle to Israel's conquest. This report to the king underscores the immediate vigilance of Jericho's leadership, reflecting the widespread fear among Canaanite nations concerning the approaching Israelites, whose God had done mighty wonders. The context of chapter 2 as a whole details Rahab's role in hiding the spies, her declaration of faith in the God of Israel, and the spies' subsequent escape, leading to the covenant concerning her family's salvation.
Joshua 2 2 Word analysis
- And it was told (וַיֻּגַּד - vayyuggad): From the verb נָגַד (nagad), Hiphil passive. It indicates that the action was "caused to be known" or "reported." The passive voice implies an immediate and spontaneous report, rather than a formal inquiry leading to discovery. This suggests a swift intelligence network within Jericho, perhaps fueled by the citizens' fear or by established informants.
- the king of Jericho (מֶלֶךְ יְרִיחוֹ - melekh Yeriho): Emphasizes the supreme earthly authority in the city. The king represents the full might and defense of Jericho. The target of the report signifies its urgent and strategic nature, concerning the highest level of government.
- saying, Behold (לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה - lemor hinneh): "Lemnor" introduces direct speech or summary. "Hinneh" is an emphatic interjection, translated as "behold," "look," or "indeed." It draws immediate attention to a sudden, significant revelation, conveying urgency and surprise at the discovery.
- there came (בָּאוּ - ba'u): From the verb בָּא (ba), "to come" or "to enter." Implies recent arrival, emphasizing their covert nature and the speed of the intelligence.
- men (אֲנָשִׁים - anashim): Generic term for males, but in this context, refers specifically to the spies. Their identity is revealed, highlighting they are not mere travelers but specific individuals from a particular group.
- in hither (הֵנָּה - hennah): "Here," indicating their presence within the city walls or a specific location like Rahab's house. It localizes the threat.
- tonight (הַלַּיְלָה - halaylah): Specifies the time frame—the very night of their arrival. This indicates extreme vigilance and quick detection, emphasizing the high-alert status of Jericho.
- of the children of Israel (מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - mibenei Yisrael): Crucially identifies the origin of the spies. This name signifies the very nation poised to conquer Canaan, immediately raising the highest alarm. This highlights the awareness of God's chosen people by the enemy.
- to search out (לָתוּר - latur): From the verb תּוּר (tur), "to explore," "to search thoroughly," "to spy out." This verb was used when Moses sent spies (Num 13). It specifies the hostile, intelligence-gathering purpose of the men, making the report a clear declaration of invasion reconnaissance.
- the country (הָאָרֶץ - ha'aretz): Refers to the land or territory, in this case, the immediate vicinity and potentially the entire land of Canaan under Jericho's sphere of influence or control. This confirms their strategic hostile intent.
Words-group analysis:
- "And it was told the king of Jericho": Highlights the efficiency and swiftness of Jericho's intelligence gathering, informing the central authority immediately of any perceived threat. This also sets the stage for a conflict of earthly authority versus divine plan.
- "Behold, there came men in hither tonight of the children of Israel": The emphasis here is on the unexpected and alarming discovery. The identity of the "men" as "children of Israel" amplifies the urgency and perceived danger, transforming a simple "entry" into an act of hostile reconnaissance by the feared incoming army.
- "to search out the country": Clearly states the hostile objective of the spies. This intent justified the king's subsequent reaction, turning what might be simple trespassers into military threats requiring immediate action.
Joshua 2 2 Bonus section
The rapid communication of the spies' presence suggests an established network of lookouts or informers within Jericho. This implies a heightened state of alert due to Israel's encampment nearby, echoing the widespread fear among the Canaanite nations. While humanly motivated to thwart the threat, this immediate report actually serves to accelerate God's purposes, setting the scene for Rahab's providential decision to protect the spies, leading to her and her family's salvation. This detail also emphasizes that God's plan can operate even through the watchful eyes of the enemy, making their very attempts to hinder the plan part of its execution.
Joshua 2 2 Commentary
Joshua 2:2 is a pivotal verse that reveals the earthly resistance to God's divinely orchestrated plan for Israel's conquest of Canaan. The swiftness with which the king of Jericho was informed underscores the city's alertness and its king's immediate recognition of the danger posed by the children of Israel, a people already famed for God's miraculous acts (Exod 15:14-16; Josh 2:9-11). Despite human efforts at vigilance and military strategy, God’s sovereign plan always proceeds. This immediate detection, though seemingly a setback, was ironically part of God's larger design, facilitating the crucial encounter with Rahab. It also demonstrates the truth of divine word—that the dread of Israel would fall upon the inhabitants of the land (Deut 2:25).