Bible Strands

Judges 1:24

and when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us how to get into the city, and we will treat you kindly.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Israelite spies encounter a man exiting the fortified city of Luz/Bethel and request directional guidance in exchange for a promise of mercy.

The words — The Hebrew term הַרְאֵ֤/נוּ (har.'E./nu) literally means "show us," directly framing the spies' conditional offer of protection for information.

The thread — This conditional exchange parallels the diplomatic negotiations in Joshua 2:12 and the leadership request in 1 Samuel 30:15.

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to observe how Israelite conquest relies on pragmatic negotiation and conditional promises rather than direct divine intervention.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיִּרְאוּ֙va/i.yir.'Uand/ they sawהַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔יםha./Sho.me.Rimthose/ [who] watchedאִ֖ישׁ'isha manיוֹצֵ֣אyo.Tze'coming outמִן־min-fromהָעִ֑ירha./'Irthe/ cityוַיֹּ֣אמְרוּva/i.Yo.me.ruand/ they saidל֗וֹl/oto <the>/ himהַרְאֵ֤נוּhar.'E./nushow/ usנָא֙na'pleaseאֶת־'et-<obj.>מְב֣וֹאme.Vo'[the] entrance ofהָעִ֔ירha./'Irthe/ cityוְעָשִׂ֥ינוּve./'a.Si.nuand/ we will doעִמְּךָ֖'i.me./Khawith/ youחָֽסֶד׃Cha.sedloyalty

King James Version

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.

Cross-references