Joshua Sends the Spies, and Phinehas and Caleb Succeed

"And Joshua son of Nun sent" (Joshua 2:1). This is what Scripture says: "The stouthearted were despoiled" (Psalms 76:6) - these are Moses and Aaron, who sent spies and they spoke slander about the Land, and they did not know what to do; even Moses and Aaron, their hands grew slack. Caleb stood up and silenced all those multitudes. But these whom Joshua sent - our rabbis taught they were Phinehas and Caleb - went and gave up their lives and succeeded in their mission. What is the meaning of "secretly [cheresh], saying" (Joshua 2:1)? Rabbi Yehuda says, they had carpenters' tools in their hands like carpenters. Rabbi Nechemiah says, they made themselves potters and were calling out and saying: here are pots, whoever wishes, let him come and buy - so that no one would notice them. Rabbi Shimon says, cheresh is to be understood as it sounds: he said to them, make yourselves like deaf men, that you may stand upon their secret plans.