KJV ORIGINAL
And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
The spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, 'Please show us how to get into the city, and we will be kind to you.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is describing how Israelite spies made a deal with a local man, promising to spare him if he would help them capture his city.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during Israel's conquest of Canaan after Moses' death, when the tribes were trying to claim their promised territories. The spies were from the tribe of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) attempting to capture the city of Bethel (formerly called Luz). This was a common military strategy of the time - finding local informants who could reveal weak points in a city's defenses.
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