Joshua 2:5

King James Version

And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
At nightfall, when the city gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don’t know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!”

Hebrew Names Version
and it happened about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; where the men went I don't know: pursue after them quickly; for you will overtake them.

Lexham English Bible
And when it was time to shut the gate for the night, the men left, and I do not know where they went. Chase after them quickly, for you may catch up to them."

English Standard Version
And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them."

New Century Version
In the evening, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don't know where they went, but if you go quickly, maybe you can catch them."

New English Translation
When it was time to shut the city gate for the night, the men left. I don't know where they were heading. Chase after them quickly, for you have time to catch them!"

Amplified Bible
"When it was time to close the [city] gate at dark, the men left; I do not know where they went. Pursue them quickly, for [if you do] you will overtake them."

New American Standard Bible
"It came about, when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when they shut the gate in the darke, the men went out, whither the men went I wote not: followe ye after them quickly, for ye shall ouertake them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them."

Complete Jewish Bible
The men left around the time when they shut the gate, when it was dark. Where they went I don't know; but if you chase after them quickly, you will overtake them."

Darby Translation
and it came to pass when the gate had to be closed, at dark, that the men went out: I know not whither the men have gone. Pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

Easy-to-Read Version
In the evening, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don't know where they went. But if you go quickly, maybe you can catch them."

George Lamsa Translation
And it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, they went out; and I did not know where they went. Pursue them quickly; for you will overtake them.

Literal Translation
And it happened as the gate was to be shut at dark, even the men went out. I do not know where they have gone. You go after them, and hurry, for you may overtake them.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And at the shuttinge in of the gate whan it was darcke, they wente out, so yt I can not tell whither they be gone: folowe soone after them, for ye shal ouertake them.

American Standard Version
and it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; whither the men went I know not: pursue after them quickly; for ye will overtake them.

Bible in Basic English
And when it was the time for shutting the doors at dark, they went out; I have no idea where the men went: but if you go after them quickly, you will overtake them.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And about the time of the shutting of the gate when it was darke, the men went out, whyther the men went I wote not: folowe ye after them quickly, for ye shall ouertake them.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; whither the men went I know not; pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.'

King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was darke, that the men went out: whither the men went, I wote not: pursue after them quickely, for ye shall ouertake them.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
but when the gate was shut in the evening, the men went out; I know not whither they are gone: follow after them, if ye may overtake them.

English Revised Version
and it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

Berean Standard Bible
At dusk, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I do not know which way they went. Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them!"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and whanne the yate was closid in derknessis, and thei yeden out to gidire, Y noot whidur thei yeden; pursue ye soone, and ye schulen take hem.

Young's Literal Translation
and it cometh to pass -- the gate is to [be] shut -- in the dark, and the men have gone out; I have not known whither the men have gone; pursue ye, hasten after them, for ye overtake them;'

Update Bible Version
and it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; where the men went I don't know: pursue after them quickly; for you will overtake them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass [about the time] of shutting the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went, I know not: pursue after them quickly; for ye will overtake them.

World English Bible
and it happened about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; where the men went I don't know: pursue after them quickly; for you will overtake them.

New King James Version
And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them."

New Living Translation
They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don't know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them."

New Life Bible
When it was time for the gate to be shut after dark, the men went out. I do not know where they went. Be quick to go after them, for you will catch them."

New Revised Standard
And when it was time to close the gate at dark, the men went out. Where the men went I do not know. Pursue them quickly, for you can overtake them."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and it came to pass, as the gate was about to be shut in the darkness, that, the men, went out, I know not whither the men went, - pursue them quickly for ye shall overtake them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And at the time of shutting the gate in the dark, they also went out together. I know not whither they are gone: pursue after them quickly, and you will overtake them.

Revised Standard Version
and when the gate was to be closed, at dark, the men went out; where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them."

Contextual Overview

¹ And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. ² 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. ³ And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. ⁴ And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: ⁵ And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. ⁶ But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. ⁷ And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

of shutting: Joshua 2:7, Nehemiah 13:19, Isaiah 60:11, Ezekiel 47:1, Ezekiel 47:2, Ezekiel 47:12, Revelation 21:25

the men went out: Jeremiah 50:20, Romans 3:7, Romans 3:8

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 19:14 - she said 2 Samuel 17:20 - They be gone

Cross-References

Genesis 2:9
And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

Genesis 2:12
And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

Genesis 3:23
Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Genesis 4:2
And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Genesis 4:12
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

Job 5:10
Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:

Psalms 104:14
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

Psalms 135:7
He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.

Jeremiah 14:22
Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass, [about the time] of the shutting of the gate,.... Of the city, which was done every night, and at a certain time:

when it was dark; the sun set, and night come on:

that the men went out; out of her house, and out of the city too, as she said, though it was a downright lie, as well as what follows:

whither the men went I wot not; though she knew they were not gone, but were now in her house; she might not scruple telling a lie, being brought up a Heathen, and being done with a design to save the lives of persons that belonged to a people she was persuaded were the people of God, and to whom he had given the land; though her lies are not to be justified; evil is not to be done that good may come; nor are men to tell lies one to another upon any account; but these sins, with others, the Lord forgave her:

pursue after them quickly, and ye shall overtake them; this she encouraged them to do, to get rid of them the sooner, and to remove all suspicion of her having any respect for them, and of being concerned in concealing them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 2:5. When it was dark — So it appears that it was after night that the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, ordering her to produce the persons who lodged with her. The season itself was friendly to the whole plot: had these transactions taken place in daylight, it is scarcely possible that the spies could have escaped. But this is no excuse for the woman's prevarication, for God could have saved his messengers independently of her falsity. God never says to any, Do evil that good may come of it. See at the end of the chapter (Joshua 2:24).