Joshua 2:1 - The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann

And Joshua, the son of Hun, sent out of Shittim, a town in Moabitis, where he had his headquarters, this probably having taken place even before the officers of the host made the proclamation throughout the camp, two men to spy secretly, this having reference both to the manner in which the command was given, and the form in which it was carried out, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho, both the city and its vicinity. Jericho was located in a beautiful and fertile valley, noted for its palm-trees, some six to eight miles from the Jordan, and the entire neighborhood was thickly settled. And they went and came into an harlot's house, where their stay would arouse the least suspicion, named Rahab, and lodged there, prepared to stay there overnight.