Joshua 2:5

5 and when the gate was to be closed, at dark, the men went out; where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you will 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 to Rahab, saying, "Bring forth the men that have come to you, who entered your house; for they have come to search out all the land."

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

5 and when the gate was to be closed, at dark, the men went out; where the men went I do not know; pursue 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 So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords; and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.