Chapter 2
Spies Sent to Jericho
2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there.
Joshua sends two unnamed men from Shittim to spy the first enemy they will encounter in the Promised Land. Shittim was a large area located east of the Jordan and north of the Dead Sea in the plains of Moab directly across from Jericho. It was the site of the last encampment of the Israelites just before crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. The spies went and came into the house of Rahab, a prostitute. Some believe that the spies were assigned to find Rahab, even though the text does not support that theory, that doesn’t preclude divine guidance.
2:2 And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who 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, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.”
This narrative can be frustrating to readers as it raises more questions than it answers! For example, “Who told the king about the spies?” And “How did the king know that the spies came and entered Rahab’s house?” Plus, “How did he know that they had come to search out the land?” In verse one we see that the spies were supposedly ‘secretly’ sent, so how did they find out these things? Was there a leak or perhaps they had really good spies themselves. We are not told, but the fact remains, the king knew and wanted to apprehend the men. Rahab told the king that the men did indeed come to her, but claimed she did not know where they were from and thought they left the city before the gate was shut at dusk. She then suggested that if they went quickly they might be able to pursue them.
2:6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that 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 the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out.
Rahab had hidden the spies on the roof by covering them with stalks of flax. Meanwhile the king’s men went after the spies per Rahab’s recommendation all the way to the Jordan River and as far as the fords (Hebrew mǎ῾·berôṯ’, a spot on land where a crossing can be made, believed to be several miles southeast of Jericho). The city gate was shut after the king’s men left pursuing the spies.
2:8 Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. 11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.
Before the spies went to bed, Rahab came up to them on the roof and made an astonishing series of proclamations, beginning with, “I know that the LORD has given you the land.” First, how did she know of God (referring to Him by His name ‘YHWH’)? And how did she know that He was giving the land to the Israelites? Like the questions raised in regard to verse two, we are not given the answers. She relayed to them that the people of Jericho are so fearful of the Israelites, that they are living in terror. She then tells them that they know all about the supernatural feats that God had done for them as they left Egypt and progressed to where they are now, citing specifically the crossing of the Red Sea and the successful battles against the Amorites. Rahab ends by professing to them that the LORD, their God, is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. A remarkable statement by a person that undoubtedly had a pagan upbringing! Their reactions are not noted but it is reasonable to assume that they probably did no expect that!
2:12 Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign 13 that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the LORD gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”
After her remarkable recognition of God, Rahab proposes an exchange of her and her family’s lives for theirs. She promises to not turn them over to the authorities if they swear to get her family out safely, the men agree and swear that they “will deal kindly and faithfully with” her.
2:15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall. 16 And she said to them, “Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.”
Since Rahab’s house was integrated into Jericho’s exterior wall she had a window that allowed the men to escape without going through the city gate. She told them to hide in the hills for three days as those pursuing will have given up their search by then.
2:17 The men said to her, “We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear.” 21 And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
The men gave Rehab a scarlet cord to tie on the window so that they will be able to rescue her and her family. They all must be in her house and if anyone leaves the house the men will not be responsible for their lives, as their oath will no longer valid. But if anyone in the house gets harmed, their blood will be on their heads. They reiterate that if she turns them in, their oath will be null and void. She agrees and ties the scarlet cord in the window while the two spies leave through the window.
2:22 They departed and went into the hills and remained there three days until the pursuers returned, and the pursuers searched all along the way and found nothing. 23 Then the two men returned. They came down from the hills and passed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they told him all that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.”
The men did as Rahab suggested and those pursuing never found them. After three days they returned to Joshua and informed him what they encountered. Their report included an enthusiastic, “Surely the LORD is handing over all the land to us! All who live in the land are cringing before us!” (Joshua 2:24, NET)
Considerations
In the Lineage of Jesus
The gospel account written by Matthew records the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Jesus’ earthly father Joseph. In it we find Rahab’s name, “and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.” (Matthew 1:5-6, ESV) She is one of five women listed in this genealogy, many are often surprised when they read about a Gentile prostitute being in the lineage of Jesus (see also Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25, Click here to read more).
What Intel Could they Bring Back?
Joshua sends out the two men to reconnoiter the Promised Land and to closely evaluate the city of Jericho. But what information could they bring back that would make a difference in their attack strategy? One can support Joshua’s decision by thinking that he was yet unaware of God’s plan, but then didn’t God tell Joshua that He would go ahead of them and that victory was assured? I believe their meeting Rahab was not arbitrary, whether they (or even Joshua) knew that or not, their mission was to save her and her family. Some note that sending out two people to witness is a common practice in the Bible (see Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15-21; Matthew 10:5-15; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-5; 10:1-12), perhaps that was the primary mission, not spying.
The God that Brought the Israelites Out of Egypt
The events leading up to and subsequently those after the Israelites were released which include the ten plagues, the Red Sea parting to allow passage, and the many miracles that occurred on their way to the Promised Land, did not go unnoticed by neighboring nations and people groups. God demonstrated His supernatural abilities and dominion over all false deities. God often referred to Himself as “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Exodus 20:2, ESV) That statement, or similar, is used over fifty times in Scripture (including Exodus 20:2; 29:46; Leviticus 11:45; 19:36; 22:33; 23:43; 25:38, 42, 55; 26:13, 45; Numbers 15:41; Deuteronomy 5:6; 6:12; 7:8, 19; 8:14; 13:5, 10; 20:1; 26:8; 29:25; Joshua 24:17; Judges 2:1, 12; 6:8; 1 Samuel 8:8; 10:18; 12:6, 8; 2 Samuel 7:6; 1 Kings 8:16, 21, 51, 53; 9:9; 2 Kings 17:7, 36; Psalm 81:10; 105:36-37; 136:10-11; Jeremiah 2:6; 7:22; 11:4, 7; 16:14; 23:7-8; 31:32; 32:21; 34:13; Daniel 9:15; Amos 2:10; 3:1; 9:7; Micah 6:4). Here we read that Rahab and her people also heard and the trembled, rightfully so, but apparently only one family was willing to seek the True God.