Joshua 2:5

5 And when it was time to close the gate at dark, the men went out. Where the men went I do not know. Pursue them quickly, for you can overtake them."

Joshua 2:5 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 2:5

And it came to pass, [about the time] of the shutting of the
gate
Of the city, which was done every night, and at a certain time:

when it was dark;
the sun set, and night come on:

that the men went out;
out of her house, and out of the city too, as she said, though it was a downright lie, as well as what follows:

whither the men went I wot not;
though she knew they were not gone, but were now in her house; she might not scruple telling a lie, being brought up a Heathen, and being done with a design to save the lives of persons that belonged to a people she was persuaded were the people of God, and to whom he had given the land; though her lies are not to be justified; evil is not to be done that good may come; nor are men to tell lies one to another upon any account; but these sins, with others, the Lord forgave her:

pursue after them quickly, and ye shall overtake them;
this she encouraged them to do, to get rid of them the sooner, and to remove all suspicion of her having any respect for them, and of being concerned in concealing them.

Joshua 2:5 In-Context

3 Then the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come only to search out the whole land."

4 But the woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, "True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they came from.

5 And when it was time to close the gate at dark, the men went out. Where the men went I do not know. Pursue them quickly, for you can overtake them."

6 She had, however, brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax that she had laid out on the roof.

7 So the men pursued them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. As soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.