Joshua 2:5

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;'

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.

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.

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.

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 son of Nun sendeth from Shittim, two men, spies, silently, saying, `Go, see the land -- and Jericho;' and they go and come into the house of a woman, a harlot, and her name [is] Rahab, and they lie down there. <sup>2</sup> And it is told to the king of Jericho, saying, `Lo, men have come in hither to-night, from the sons of Israel, to search the land. ³ And the king of Jericho sendeth unto Rahab, saying, `Bring out the men who are coming in unto thee, who have come into thy house, for to search the whole of the land they have come in. <sup>4</sup> And the woman taketh the two men, and hideth them, and saith thus: `The men came in unto me, and I have not known whence they [are]; ⁵ 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;' ⁶ and she hath caused them to go up on the roof, and hideth them with the flax wood, which is arranged for her on the roof. ⁷ And the men have pursued after them the way of the Jordan, by the fords, and the gate they have shut afterwards, when the pursuers have gone out after them.

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 Jehovah God causeth to sprout from the ground every tree desirable for appearance, and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:11
the name of the one [is] Pison, it [is] that which is surrounding the whole land of the Havilah where the gold [is],

Genesis 2:12
and the gold of that land [is] good, there [is] the bdolach and the shoham stone;

Genesis 3:23
Jehovah God sendeth him forth from the garden of Eden to serve the ground from which he hath been taken;

Genesis 4:2
and she addeth to bear his brother, even Abel. And Abel is feeding a flock, and Cain hath been servant of the ground.

Genesis 4:12
when thou tillest the ground, it doth not add to give its strength to thee -- a wanderer, even a trembling one, thou art in the earth.'

Job 5:10
Who is giving rain on the face of the land, And is sending waters on the out-places.

Psalms 104:14
Causing grass to spring up for cattle, And herb for the service of man, To bring forth bread from the earth,

Psalms 135:7
Causing vapours to ascend from the end of the earth, Lightnings for the rain He hath made, Bringing forth wind from His treasures.

Jeremiah 14:22
Are there among the vanities of the nations any causing rain? And do the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O Jehovah our God? And we wait for thee, for Thou -- Thou hast done all these!

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).