Joshua 2:1-9

Rahab Shelters Spies

1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from ¹Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went and came into the house of ²a harlot * whose name was Rahab, and lodged there.

2 It was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land."

3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land."

4 But the ³woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

5 "It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them."

6 But ⁴she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.

7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof,

9 and said to the men, "⁵I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the ⁶terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before * you.

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Joshua 2:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 2

This chapter gives an account of the spies sent by Joshua to Jericho, and of their entrance into the house of Rahab, who hid them from the king's messengers, Jos 2:1-7; of the relation she gave them of the fear and dread of Israel, which were fallen upon the Canaanites, Jos 2:8-11; and of the request she made to them, to save her and her father's house, when the city should be taken, and to have a sure sign of it given her, Jos 2:12,13; which the spies solemnly promised, and gave her a sign of it, with a charge not to discover the matter to any, Jos 2:14-20; and being let down by a cord through the window of her house, they made their escape to a mountain, where they lay three days, and then returned to Joshua, and made their report, Jos 2:21-24.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 6

1. Numbers 25:1; Joshua 3:1
2. Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25
3. 2 Samuel 17:19
4. James 2:25
5. Numbers 20:24; Joshua 9:24
6. Exodus 23:27; Deuteronomy 2:25; Joshua 9:9, 10

Footnotes 3

[a]. Lit "lay down"
[b]. Lit "then she"
[c]. Or "become demoralized"