And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city,.... Or "the keepers" r; those that were sent to watch, and observe, and get what intelligence they could of the city, and the way into it:
and they said unto him, show us, we pray, thee, the entrance into the city; not the gate or gates of it, which no doubt were visible enough, but some private way into it; the Jews, as before observed, think the entrance was by the way of a cave, or some hidden passage, of which Jarchi and Kimchi make mention:
and we will show thee mercy; give him a reward for it, or spare him and his family when the city came into their hands.
r השמרים "custodes", Pagninus, Montanus; "observatores", Vatablus, Drusius, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.