1 And Joshua the son of Nun [Yehoshua ben Nun] sent out of Shittim two men [Sheetim shnayim anashim] to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land [HaAretz], even Jericho [Yericho]. And they went, and came into an harlot's house [bais isha zonah], named Rahab [Rachav], and lodged there.

He sent spies over to Jericho to obtain needful information. He did not go to work with a blind confidence. He recognised that God's work in the case was to be performed through himself and Israel, and that God's cooperation would not be lacking if they did their part.

... We ought never to neglect those reasonable measures which are calculated to bring about any result we may desire. When we have committed the matter to God, and taken care to avoid every element of wrong doing in our proceedings, we may go ahead with the assurance that God will prosper us, if the enterprise upon which we may be engaged is for our good in relation to Him.

If we sit down supinely and act the part of the sluggard or the fool, our prayers will ascend to heaven as unregarded as the lowing of oxen.

Ways of Providence Ch 12

11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts [levaveinu] did melt, neither did there remain any more courage [ ruach] in any man [ish], because of you: for Yahweh your Elohim, He is Elohim in heaven [baShomayim] above, and in earth [ HaAretz ] beneath.

Joshua and the children of Israel emboldened v24:-

A communication like this could not fail to cheer and strengthen Joshua and all the people in the enterprise in hand. How came the woman to make a communication with so important an effect? The only answer to be found is in the fact that God was working with His faithful servants, and operated in such a way upon the woman's mind as to move her to unburden herself of information useful to them.

A similar instance may be found in the case of Gideon, who was called upon to address himself to a more formidable enterprise than that entrusted to Joshua (Judges 7). With 300 men, he was required to break up an army of considerably over a hundred thousand men. He was faithfully endeavouring to summon the necessary courage; to help him in which, the Lord invited him to overhear a conversation in the enemies' camp. God said (verse 8),

"Go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host, and thou shalt hear what they say, afterwards shall thy hand be strengthened to go down to the host."

In obedience to this command, Gideon went down into the valley by stealth, and listened outside one of the soldier's tents, and heard one man express to the other a conviction that Gideon would overthrow the Midianitish host. Thus strengthened, he returned to his post, and made the arrangements by which the enemy was overthrown.

Now, these are among the things written for our instruction. A piece of conversation is ordinarily a very insignificant affair; yet, in special cases, it may be an important link in the working out of God's purpose with us. An enlightened view of the subject will teach us to regard nothing as necessarily outside the scope of divine supervision. God may touch the heart of friend or foe to speak certain words at a certain time, for good or evil, according to His own will. It is ours to commit ourselves to His hand. By this rule, David was able to say of Shimei's maledictions on the day that David fled from Jerusalem:

"Let him curse, because the Lord hath sent him to curse David; who shall therefore say, Wherefore hast thou done so?"

Ways of Providence Ch 12