Rahab (Joshua 2:1; Joshua 2:3–4; Joshua 2:6; Joshua 2:9–11; Joshua 2:12–14; Joshua 2:15; Joshua 2:18; Joshua 2:21; Joshua 2:24; Joshua 6:17; Joshua 6:22–25; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25)

The Harlot of Jericho Who Hid the Spies

A harlot of Jericho in whose house Joshua's two spies lay, who hid them under the flax on her roof, told what she had heard of the LORD, asked that her father's house be saved alive, let the men down by a cord, bound the scarlet line in her window, and was brought out and saved alive when Jericho fell.

Joshua sent two men out of Shittim to spy out the land and Jericho, and “they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lay there” (Joshua 2:1). When the king of Jericho sent to her, “the woman took the two men, and hid them” (Joshua 2:4), though she told the king's messengers she knew not whence they were or where they went. On the roof she said to the men, “I know that Jehovah hath given you the land” (Joshua 2:9), and she asked them to deal kindly with her father's house. She let them down by a cord through the window, for “her house was upon the side of the wall” (Joshua 2:15), and they told her to bind “this line of scarlet thread in the window” (Joshua 2:18).

Before the people shouted against Jericho, Joshua said that “only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent” (Joshua 6:17). The spies brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brethren and all she had, and “she dwelt in the midst of Israel unto this day” (Joshua 6:25). The book of Joshua says nothing more of her, and Scripture does not record her death.

Her name appears once more in the genealogy of Matthew: “and Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab” (Matthew 1:5). The verse says no more than that. Two other New Testament passages speak of her: “By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31), and “was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?” (James 2:25).

Strengths

• Hid the messengers
• Confessed the LORD as God in heaven above
• Asked kindness for her father's house
• Bound the scarlet line in the window
• By faith received the spies with peace

Themes

• Faith and works
• Hiding the messengers
• What Jericho heard of the LORD
• The scarlet line
• Saved alive with her household

The spies lodge in her house (Joshua 2:1)

Joshua sends two men secretly from Shittim to view the land and Jericho, and they come into the house of a harlot named Rahab and lie there.

The king's search and the men hidden (Joshua 2:2–7)

The king of Jericho sends to Rahab for the men; she hides them with the stalks of flax on her roof, says they have gone out, and the pursuers go after them to the fords of the Jordan.

The king's search and the men hidden

“And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to-night of the children of Israel to search out the land. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee” (Joshua 2:2-3).

“And the woman took the two men, and hid them; and she said, Yea, the men came unto me, but I knew not whence they were” (Joshua 2:4). She added that the men went out about the time of the shutting of the gate, and said, “whither the men went I know not: pursue after them quickly” (Joshua 2:5).

“But she had brought them up to the roof, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. And the men pursued after them the way to the Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they that pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate” (Joshua 2:6-7). Joshua 2 sets down what she told the king's messengers without comment; later the hiding is twice given as the reason she was saved (Joshua 6:17, 25).

What she tells the spies (Joshua 2:8–11)

Before the men lie down she comes up to them on the roof and says that the LORD has given them the land, that fear of them has fallen on the people, and that he is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

What she tells the spies

“And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; and she said unto the men, I know that Jehovah hath given you the land, and that the fear of you is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you” (Joshua 2:8-9).

She tells what Jericho had heard: “we have heard how Jehovah dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond the Jordan, unto Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed” (Joshua 2:10).

“And as soon as we had heard it, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Jehovah your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11).

The oath for her father's house (Joshua 2:12–14)

Rahab asks the men to swear by the LORD to deal kindly with her father's house and save alive her family; the men answer, our life for yours, if she utters not their business, and promise to deal kindly and truly with her when the LORD gives them the land.

Let down by a cord; the scarlet line (Joshua 2:15–21)

Rahab lets the men down through the window and bids them hide in the mountain three days; they tell her to bind a line of scarlet thread in the window and gather her household into the house, and she binds it.

Let down by a cord; the scarlet line

“Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the side of the wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers light upon you; and hide yourselves there three days” (Joshua 2:15-16).

The men said, “Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt gather unto thee into the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household” (Joshua 2:18). They added that whoever went out of the doors into the street, his blood would be upon his own head, but whoever was with her in the house, his blood would be on theirs if any hand were upon him (Joshua 2:19).

“And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window” (Joshua 2:21).

The spies report to Joshua (Joshua 2:22–24)

The men abide in the mountain three days until the pursuers return, then come to Joshua and say that the LORD has delivered the land into their hands.

Saved alive when Jericho falls (Joshua 6:17; Joshua 6:22–25)

Before the city is taken Joshua says that Rahab the harlot shall live because she hid the messengers; the spies bring out Rahab and her kindred, the city is burnt, and Joshua saves her and her father's household alive.

Saved alive when Jericho falls

When the priests blew the trumpets the seventh time, Joshua told the people to shout, and said, “And the city shall be devoted, even it and all that is therein, to Jehovah: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent” (Joshua 6:17).

“And Joshua said unto the two men that had spied out the land, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. And the young men the spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; all her kindred also they brought out; and they set them without the camp of Israel” (Joshua 6:22-23).

“But Rahab the harlot, and her father’s household, and all that she had, did Joshua save alive; and she dwelt in the midst of Israel unto this day, because she hid the messengers, whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho” (Joshua 6:25).

Named in the genealogy (Matthew 1:5)

Matthew's genealogy reads, Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; the verse says nothing more of her.

The two spies (Joshua 2:1; Joshua 2:14; Joshua 6:23)

She received them, hid them, let them down by a cord, and they swore to deal kindly with her father's house.

The king of Jericho (Joshua 2:2–4)

He sent to her, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, and she hid them.

Joshua (Joshua 2:1; Joshua 6:22–25)

He sent the spies from Shittim, and after Jericho fell he saved Rahab and her father's household alive.

Her father's household (Joshua 2:12–13; Joshua 6:23)

She asked that her father, mother, brethren and sisters be saved alive, and they were brought out with her; the text names none of them.

The LORD (Joshua 2:9–12)

She says the LORD has given Israel the land, calls him God in heaven above and on earth beneath, and asks the men to swear by him.

Boaz (Ruth 4:21; Matthew 1:5)

Matthew 1:5 reads, Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; the genealogy in Ruth names Salmon as Boaz's father but does not name her.

Major sections

• Joshua 2
• Joshua 6:17
• Joshua 6:22–25
• Matthew 1:5
• Hebrews 11:31
• James 2:25

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