Joshua 2:1-9

1 Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men as spies secretly, saying, Go, view the land, and Jericho. They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and lay there.

2 It was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in here tonight of the children of Israel to search out the land.

3 The king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men who are come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to search out all the land.

4 The woman took the two men, and hid them; and she said, Yes, the men came to me, but I didn't know whence they were:

5 and it happened about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; where the men went I don't know: pursue after them quickly; for you will overtake them.

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

7 The men pursued after them the way to the Jordan to the fords: and as soon as those who pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.

8 Before they were laid down, she came up to them on the roof;

9 and she said to the men, I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you is fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.

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.