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 - i:e., 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 and all the Canaanites were doomed to destruction (Joshua 2:12-14); but we may assume that the promise was suspended on his embracing the true religion, or quitting the country, as he did. If they had seen him to be firmly opposed to either of these alternatives, they would not have constrained him, by promises any more than by threats, to betray his countrymen. But if they found him disposed to be serviceable, and to aid the invaders in executing the will of God, they might promise to spare him. Luz - (see the note at Genesis 12:8; Genesis 29:19.)