Joshua 2:3

3 Then the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that have come unto thee, who have entered into thy house; for they are come to spy out all the land.

Joshua 2:3 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 2:3

And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab
Not merely because she kept a public house, or being a prostitute had often strangers in it, and so conjectured that the men he had notice of might be there; but he sent upon certain information that they were seen to go in there, as it follows:

saying, bring forth the men that are come to thee;
not to commit lewdness with her, though this is the sense some Jewish commentators give; but this neither agrees with the character of the men Joshua had chosen for this purpose, nor answers any end of the king to suggest; nor can it be thought that Rahab would so openly and freely own this, as in ( Joshua 2:4 ) : but what is meant by the phrase is explained in the following clause,

which are entered into thine house:
in order to lodge there that night:

for they be come to search out all the country;
so it was suspected, nor was the suspicion groundless.

Joshua 2:3 In-Context

1 And Joshua, the son of Nun, sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went and came into a harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, men of the sons of Israel have come here this night to spy out the land.

3 Then the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that have come unto thee, who have entered into thy house; for they are come to spy out all the land.

4 And the woman had taken the two men and hidden them and said thus, It is true that some men came unto me, but I did not know where they came from.

5 And at the time of shutting the gate, when it was dark, these men went out, and I do not know where the men went; pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.