And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The spies offer "mercy" to the man, a word that could mean anything from sparing his life to giving him a reward. This hints that Israel's mission wasn't just about destruction, but also about discerning who might be spared if they cooperated with God's will for the land.
And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Israelite spies, scouting ahead of their tribes, encountered a man leaving the city and sought his help to find an unguarded entry point. Their offer of "mercy" (meaning safety or reward) was a common tactic to gain inside information, but it highlights the harsh realities of their conquest where cooperation with invaders could be seen as betrayal. This event leads to the fall of Bethel and is part of the larger, often incomplete, process of the Israelites taking possession of the land as described in the early chapters of Judges.
When the spies needed a way into the city, they didn't just ask for directions. They offered a deal. What does this tell us about how trust (or lack thereof) plays a role in conflict?
The spies of Israel approached a man from the city with a proposition: help us find an entrance, and we'll spare your life. This wasn't just about military strategy; it was a negotiation rooted in human nature.
A Deal with the Devil?
The Israelites were on a mission from God, yet their methods here involved deception and negotiation with the enemy. How does this dynamic play out in our own faith journey?
Ask a follow-up
The conquest of Canaan was God's directive, a monumental task for the Israelites. However, the way they approached it in this instance, using spies and making deals, reveals a tension between divine command and human strategy.
Navigating the Mission
Understand the original words
ragalim · Hebrew Noun
Individuals sent to gather information or observe enemy positions; their reports were essential for military strategy and often tested the faith of the people of Israel.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew term (hesed) denoting covenantal loyalty, steadfast love, kindness, or mercy; it often implies an act of favor that goes beyond mere obligation.
This verse highlights the complex and often morally ambiguous methods employed during the conquest. The Israelites, needing to overcome fortified cities, resort to tactics like bribing defectors, revealing a pragmatic approach driven by the necessity of fulfilling God's command to occupy the land, even if it involved dealing with those who betrayed their own people.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Enter the Promised Land
Following their exodus from Egypt and 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, cross the Jordan River and begin the conquest of Canaan.
c. 1400-1350 BC
Initial Conquest of Canaan
Major campaigns led by Joshua result in the defeat of many Canaanite cities and kings, but the full conquest remains incomplete.
c. 1350 BC
Death of Joshua
Joshua, the revered leader, dies, leaving a generation that did not fully know the Lord or the full extent of the land still needing to be subdued.
c. 1350-1300 BC
Period of the Judges Begins
With no central leadership, various tribes begin their own efforts to take the remaining territories, often facing setbacks and internal struggles.
c. 1350-1300 BC
Tribe of Joseph Attacks Bethel
The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (the 'house of Joseph') go up against the Canaanite city of Bethel, which they eventually conquer, but allow one family to escape by revealing a secret way out.
c. 1350-1300 BC— this verse
Israelites Deceive a Man from Luz
Spies from the Israelite forces encounter a man fleeing the city of Bethel (also called Luz). They promise him safety in exchange for showing them how to enter the city, a betrayal he agrees to for his own life.
This passage shows a similar situation where spies were sent into enemy territory and obtained information by promising mercy to a woman who helped them. It highlights the strategic use of deception and promises in warfare, mirroring the spies' actions in Judges.
1 Samuel 14:11-12Here, Jonathan and his armor-bearer use a similar tactic of approaching enemy guards with a seemingly harmless request to gain access. This demonstrates a recurring military strategy of using deception to infiltrate enemy strongholds.
Matthew 10:16Jesus tells his disciples to be 'wise as serpents and innocent as doves' when sent out. This verse provides a broader theological context for the spies' cunning actions, suggesting that strategic wisdom, even with an element of guile, can be employed in God's service.
Proverbs 1:10-19This passage warns against listening to wicked counsel and the allure of easy gain through illicit means, which provides a stark contrast to the spies' actions. It underscores the moral danger inherent in such strategies, even when employed by God's people.
jfbJudges 1:24: "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."
- the spies … said, … Show us, … the entrance into the city—that is, the avenues to the city, and the weakest part of the walls.we will show thee mercy—The Israelites might employ these means of getting possession of a place which was divinely appropriated to them: they might promise life and rewards to this man, though he a…
jfbJudges 1:22-26: "And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them."
Jud 1:22-26. Some Canaanites Left.22, 23. the house of Joseph—the tribe of Ephraim, as distinguished from Manasseh (Jud 1:27).
The spies offer "mercy" to the man, a word that could mean anything from sparing his life to giving him a reward. This hints that Israel's mission wasn't just about destruction, but also about discerning who might be spared if they cooperated with God's will for the land.
The Israelite spies, scouting ahead of their tribes, encountered a man leaving the city and sought his help to find an unguarded entry point. Their offer of "mercy" (meaning safety or reward) was a common tactic to gain inside information, but it highlights the harsh realities of their conquest where cooperation with invaders could be seen as betrayal. This event leads to the fall of Bethel and is part of the larger, often incomplete, process of the Israelites taking possession of the land as described in the early chapters of Judges.
The Israelite spies, scouting ahead of their tribes, encountered a man leaving the city and sought his help to find an unguarded entry point. Their offer of "mercy" (meaning safety or reward) was a common tactic to gain inside information, but it highlights the harsh realities of their conquest where cooperation with invaders could be seen as betrayal. This event leads to the fall of Bethel and is part of the larger, often incomplete, process of the Israelites taking possession of the land as described in the early chapters of Judges.
"And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.”" — The spies offer "mercy" to the man, a word that could mean anything from sparing his life to giving him a reward. This hints that Israel's mission wasn't just about destruction, but also about discer…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026