Joshua 2
2
Joshua Sends Spies into Jericho
1Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent out two spies # 2:1 Joshua was one of the twelve spies sent out publicly by Moses (see Deut. 1:22–23). Some scholars believe that one of the spies could have been Salmon, who married Rahab, and whose son was Boaz. See Matt. 1:5. from their camp at Acacia. # 2:1 Archaeologists identify the location of Acacia with Tell el-Kefrein in modern Jordan. The Hebrew word for “Acacia” is shittim, which means “piercing” or “thorny.” The acacia is a flowering hardwood tree. It was used to make the tabernacle furniture, including the ark of the covenant. He told them, “Go and explore the land of Canaan, especially Jericho.” # 2:1 The Hebrew word for “Jericho” is Yericho, which means “moon.” Jericho was known as “The City of the Moon” because of its occult worship of the moon god/goddess. The city, with its high double walls, was a capital of Canaanite worship. They considered their king to be a divine being. So when Yahweh gave the king over to be killed by Joshua and his men (see 6:2), they were, in effect, killing a “son of god.” The earliest object of worship in the Canaanite religion was that of the male moon god Yerach. (See W. F. Albright, Archaeology and the Religion of Israel, especially pp. 83 and 92; John Gray, The Canaanites, p. 125.) They went and arrived at Jericho and entered the house of Rahab the prostitute and lodged there. # 2:1 Although Josephus mentions that Rahab was an innkeeper (Ant. 5.1.2), the book of James clearly states she was a prostitute (see James 2:25). It may be that she was both. Rahab means “overcome” or “overcomer.” The Hebrew word rahab is also found in Song. 6:5. The Shulamite has “rahab” (overcome) the heart of the Beloved. The church fathers noted that Rahab possessed the spirit of prophecy, which the Jewish historian Josephus also mentions (see Josephus Ant. Jud. 5.1.13). She had a revelation that God was giving the land to Israel (see Josh. 2:9, 12). Rabbinical tradition states that Rahab was rewarded by having prophets and kings as her descendants. 2The king of Jericho was told: “Some Israelites have come into the city tonight to spy out the entire land. They’re in Rahab’s house.” 3So the king sent messengers to Rahab, who said to her: “Turn over the men who entered your house. They’re here to spy out our land.” 4But Rahab had already hidden the two men.
“Yes,” she said. “The men came to me, but I had no idea where they were from. 5They left at sundown, just before the city gates were closed at night. Who knows where they went. Quick! Go after them, and maybe you can catch them!” # 2:5 Rahab protected the spies at the risk of her own life. She was a woman of faith. See Heb. 11:31; James 2:25. 6(Rahab had hidden the men on her rooftop under stalks of flax # 2:6 Flax is a plant from whose stem a fiber was made that was woven into linen cloth. The valiant and virtuous woman (representing the radiant bride of Christ) also worked with flax. See footnote on Prov. 31:13. she had spread out to dry on the roof.) 7So the men of Jericho went out to search for the spies, and the city gates were shut behind them. They searched for them as far as where the path crosses the Jordan.
Rahab’s Pact with the Spies
8Before the spies had gone to sleep, Rahab went up to the rooftop 9and said to them, “I know that Yahweh has given you this land. Everyone is absolutely terrified, and we are all paralyzed with fear # 2:9 Or “everyone’s heart melts with fear.” because of you. 10We’ve heard of the miracles that accompany you and how Yahweh dried up the waters of the Red Sea # 2:10 Or “the Sea of Reeds.” for you when you left Egypt. We’ve heard how you utterly annihilated # 2:10 This is the Hebrew word cherem, meaning “totally devoted, consumed, dedicated and given over to Yahweh.” This term plays a significant role in the stories that follow concerning Jericho, Ai, and Achan. the two Amorite kings, Sihon # 2:10 Sihon means “to strike down.” Sihon was an Amorite king who ruled over the city-state of Heshbon. Heshbon means “intelligence”; this town represents the mind of man. In Num. 21:27–30, the ballad singers wrote songs about Heshbon and its king, which indicates how far the fame of Sihon has spread. The tribe of Gad eventually settled in the territory where Sihon once reigned. Jewish tradition states that Sihon and Og were both giants. The Jewish apocryphal book The Book of Giants, part of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered at Qumran, states that Sihon and Og (Ogias) were brothers. and Og, # 2:10 Og means “long-necked,” “pride,” or “intimidation.” Og was the king of Bashan. Moses had fought and conquered his kingdom, which included over sixty fortified cities (see Deut. 3:1–7, 11). He was also a Rephaite giant or “terrible one.” His iron bed was “nine cubits long and four cubits wide” (thirteen and a half feet long and six feet wide). A man needing this size of bed was at least ten or eleven feet tall. See Deut. 2:20–21. One of the cities the Israelites took from Og was Golan, which later became a Levitical city and a city of asylum (see Josh. 21:27). and their kingdoms who were on the other side of the Jordan. # 2:10 See Num. 21:21–35. 11As soon as we heard it, our hearts melted with fear, and we were left with no courage among us # 2:11 Or “everyone’s spirit no longer rose up.” because of you. Yahweh, your God, is the true God who rules in heaven above and on earth below. # 2:11 Rahab was a pagan Canaanite woman, yet she declared her faith in Yahweh. She is commended as a woman of faith. See Heb. 11:31; James 2:25. 12Please, solemnly swear to me by the name of Yahweh that you will show kindness to my family because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families. Don’t let us be killed!”
14The men answered, “If you don’t disclose our mission to anyone, we’ll pledge our lives for yours. Then, when Yahweh gives us this land, we’ll honor our promise and treat you kindly.”
15Rahab’s house was built into the city wall, # 2:15 That is, a section of the city wall formed the outside wall of Rahab’s house. Since this clause is not found in the Septuagint, some scholars believe it was a later scribal addition to the text. so she let them down from the window by a rope. 16She told them, “Head for the hill country and hide. The men chasing you won’t find you there. Hide for three days until they have returned, then you’ll be safe to go your way.”
17But the men warned her, “You must do what we say, or we will not be bound to the oath you made us swear. 18When our invasion begins, bring all your family together in your house—your father and mother, your brothers and sisters, and all their families. And tie this crimson rope # 2:18 This crimson rope can be seen in the light of the New Testament as an emblem of the blood of Jesus. Faith in Christ’s blood brings us salvation. Rahab experienced a personal “Passover” because of the blood (crimson) applied to her house. Both Passover blood and the crimson rope were described in Hebrew as oth, “a sign.” See Ex. 12:13; Josh. 2:12. in the same window through which you let us down. 19Remember, if anyone ventures outside your house, his death will be his own fault, # 2:19 Literally “his blood will be on his own head.” not ours! But if anyone inside your house is harmed, then we will be held responsible. 20And if you disclose our mission, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”
21Rahab replied in agreement, “Let it be as you say.” And she sent them away, and after they departed, she tied the crimson rope in her window.
22The spies went straight to the hill country and hid there for three days, until the pursuers turned back. The king’s men had scoured the countryside without finding them.
23Then the two men # 2:23 The two spies represent “two witnesses” to establish and confirm their report. See Num. 13–14; Rev. 11:3–12. came down from the hills and crossed back over the Jordan to their camp. They reported to Joshua son of Nun all that had happened to them: 24“Yahweh has certainly handed over the entire land into our hands! All the people of the land melt in fear before us!”
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationJoshua 2
2
1And Joshua the son of Nun sent from Shittim two spies secretly, saying, Go, see the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into a harlot's house, named Rahab, and they lay down there. 2And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, men have come hither to-night from the children of Israel to search out the land. 3And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that have come to thee, who have come into thy house: for they have come to search out all the land. 4And the woman had taken and concealed the two men; and she said, Yes, the men did come unto me, but I knew not whence they were; 5and it came to pass when the gate had to be closed, at dark, that the men went out: I know not whither the men have gone. Pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 6But she had taken them up to the roof, and secreted them under the stalks of flax, which she had laid out on the roof. 7And the men pursued after them the way to the Jordan, to the fords; and when they who pursued after them had gone out, they closed the gate.
8And before they had lain down, she went up to them upon the roof; 9and said to the men, I know that Jehovah has given you the land, and that the dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10For we have heard that Jehovah dried up the waters of the Red sea before you when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11We heard of it, and our heart melted, and there remained no more spirit in any man because of you; for Jehovah your God#GodHebrew: Elohim he is God#GodHebrew: Elohim in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. 12And now, I pray you, swear to me by Jehovah, since I have dealt kindly with you, that ye will also deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a certain sign, 13that ye will let my father live, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that belong to them, and deliver our souls from death. 14And the men said to her, Our lives shall pay for yours, if ye do not make this our business known; and it shall be when Jehovah shall give us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. 15And she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was upon the city-wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. 16And she said to them, Go to the mountain, that the pursuers may not meet with you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned; and afterwards go your way. 17And the men said to her, We will be quit of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. 18Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind in the window this line of scarlet thread by which thou hast let us down; and thou shalt gather to thee in the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household; 19and it shall be, that whoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, — his blood shall be upon his head, and we shall be innocent; but every one who shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be upon our head, if any hand be upon him. 20And if thou make known this our business, we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us swear. 21And she said, According to your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet line in the window.
22And they went, and came to the mountain, and remained there three days, until the pursuers had returned; and the pursuers sought them all the way, and found them not. 23And the two men returned and came down from the mountain, and went over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and related to him everything that had happened to them. 24And they said to Joshua, Of a surety Jehovah has given the whole land into our hands, and even all the inhabitants of the land faint because of us.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.