Joshua 2: Rahab Hides the Spies
1 Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.
"Joshua . . . sent out of Shittim.—That is, he sent the spies before the people left the place where they had been encamped for some months (Numbers 22:1; Numbers 33:49). Shittim was the last stage of the Exodus under Moses. Probably the sending of these two spies was simultaneous with the issue of the general orders to Israel to prepare for the passage of Jordan within three days. The three days of Joshua 1:11; Joshua 2:22 appear to be the same period of time." (Ellicott's Commentary)
God's judgment had come on Jericho— the name meaning “fragrance,” a picture of the world. The city was to be destroyed. In other places, Israel was not the aggressor. But here Joshua was sent to the fortified city “to ‘view the land, especially Jericho’(v. 1).Twelve men had been sent before at the request of the people (Deuteronomy 1:22-23). At that time the people wanted to find out whether they were likely to be able to overcome the enemy, and ten of the twelve spies reported that the odds were against them, so that the people refused to go in. Only Joshua and Caleb urged that they should launch an attack because they knew God could easily overpower the enemy on their behalf, but the rebellion of the people resulted in 38 more years of wandering in the wilderness. In this case, however, the men are told to view especially Jericho. They were not sent to make a decision as to whether to attack Jericho, but rather to find out Jericho's condition in view of Israel's attacking them. For Joshua had already told Israel that in three days they would cross the Jordan. There was firm decision to go forward… In the sending of the spies God had at least two objectives in view, [1] to confirm to Israel the fact that God was already weakening the hearts of the Canaanites, and [2] to save Rahab and her household from destruction.” (L. M. Grant's Commentary)
2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.” 4 Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.”
6 (But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.) 7 Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.
"A falsehood which evidently left no stain on Rahab’s conscience, although all falsehood is sin... The Divine standard of sin and holiness never varies; but the standard of man’s conscience, even when faith is a dominant principle in the character, may vary to a very considerable degree. In Jesus Christ 'all that believe are justified from all things;' but 'by the deeds of the law no one.’ Here, as elsewhere, the application of the law only brings the discovery of sin." (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers)
8 Now before they 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, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token, 13 and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”
“In reference to Rahab’s faith, observe, the wonder of its existence... She has had no spiritual advantages-no Sabbaths, no Scriptures, no teachers- and yet in the base purlieus of a Jericho, in the heart of that poor harlot, like a fair pearl that lies within a rough shell among the weeds and rocks at the sea bottom, there is found precious faith, faith that finds utterance in a good confession.” (G. W. Butler, M. A.) Let us respond in like fashion.
14 So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.” 15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. 16 And she said to them, “Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward you may go your way.” 17 So the men said to her: “We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, 18 unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home. 19 So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear.” 21 Then she said, “According to your words, so be it.” And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window. 22 They departed and went to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but did not find them. 23 So the two men returned, descended from the mountain, and crossed over; and they came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us.”
“In the scarlet thread which the men of Israel gave Rahab, is there not somewhat of a sacramental design, similar to what God had enjoined Israel at the passover, when the blood was to be sprinkled upon the door post? And as, the apostle had it in commission from the Holy Ghost to tell the church in after ages, that all this referred to the blood of sprinkling of Jesus, who was and is our passover: did not both refer to one and the same thing, that the security of all redeemed souls is only in Jesus? And again, that none of her family at the time of Jericho being destroyed, should go without the doors of the house on pain of death; was not this a still further evidence of the same thing, very plainly proving; that one and the same object was intended to be conveyed under both sacramental signs?” (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary)
"Rahab, the harlot, is a beautiful type of the power of the gospel of grace. ‘By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace’ (Hebrews 1:31). Her faith she witnessed to by works. ‘Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?’ (James 2:25) Rahab belonged to the doomed race, the race against which the curse had been pronounced. In the doomed city she practised her vile occupation. But she heard the report and she believed. She confessed her faith in Jehovah, the God of the heaven above and of the earth beneath. She had a reason for this faith, for she said, ‘We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt…’ (9-13).” (Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible)
By faith, Rahab became a part of Israel. And more. “Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse... of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” (Matthew 1:5-16)