17 And the men H582 said H559 unto her, We will be blameless H5355 of this thine oath H7621 which thou hast made us swear. H7650
And I will make thee swear H7650 by the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of heaven, H8064 and the God H430 of the earth, H776 that thou shalt not take H3947 a wife H802 unto my son H1121 of the daughters H1323 of the Canaanites, H3669 among H7130 whom I dwell: H3427 But thou shalt go H3212 unto my country, H776 and to my kindred, H4138 and take H3947 a wife H802 unto my son H1121 Isaac. H3327 And the servant H5650 said H559 unto him, Peradventure the woman H802 will not be willing H14 to follow H3212 me H310 unto this land: H776 must I needs bring H7725 thy son H1121 again H7725 unto the land H776 from whence thou camest? H3318 And Abraham H85 said H559 unto him, Beware H8104 thou that thou bring H7725 not H6435 my son H1121 thither again. H7725 The LORD H3068 God H430 of heaven, H8064 which took me H3947 from my father's H1 house, H1004 and from the land H776 of my kindred, H4138 and which spake H1696 unto me, and that sware H7650 unto me, saying, H559 Unto thy seed H2233 will I give H5414 this land; H776 he shall send H7971 his angel H4397 before thee, H6440 and thou shalt take H3947 a wife H802 unto my son H1121 from thence. And if the woman H802 will not be willing H14 to follow H3212 thee, H310 then thou shalt be clear H5352 from this my oath: H7621 only bring H7725 not my son H1121 thither again. H7725
Ye shall not steal, H1589 neither deal falsely, H3584 neither lie H8266 one H376 to another. H5997 And ye shall not swear H7650 by my name H8034 falsely, H8267 neither shalt thou profane H2490 the name H8034 of thy God: H430 I am the LORD. H3068
Then there was a famine H7458 in the days H3117 of David H1732 three H7969 years, H8141 year H8141 after H310 year; H8141 and David H1732 enquired H1245 of H6440 the LORD. H3068 And the LORD H3068 answered, H559 It is for Saul, H7586 and for his bloody H1818 house, H1004 because he slew H4191 the Gibeonites. H1393 And the king H4428 called H7121 the Gibeonites, H1393 and said H559 unto them; (now the Gibeonites H1393 were not of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 but of the remnant H3499 of the Amorites; H567 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 had sworn H7650 unto them: and Saul H7586 sought H1245 to slay H5221 them in his zeal H7065 to the children H1121 of Israel H3478 and Judah.) H3063
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 2
Commentary on Joshua 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Jos 2:1-7. Rahab Receives and Conceals the Two Spies.
1. Joshua … sent … two men to spy secretly—Faith is manifested by an active, persevering use of means (Jas 2:22); and accordingly Joshua, while confident in the accomplishment of the divine promise (Jos 1:3), adopted every precaution which a skilful general could think of to render his first attempt in the invasion of Canaan successful. Two spies were despatched to reconnoitre the country, particularly in the neighborhood of Jericho; for in the prospect of investing that place, it was desirable to obtain full information as to its site, its approaches, the character, and resources of its inhabitants. This mission required the strictest privacy, and it seems to have been studiously concealed from the knowledge of the Israelites themselves, test any unfavorable or exaggerated report, publicly circulated, might have dispirited the people, as that of the spies did in the days of Moses.
Jericho—Some derive this name from a word signifying "new moon," in reference to the crescent-like plain in which it stood, formed by an amphitheater of hills; others from a word signifying "its scent," on account of the fragrance of the balsam and palm trees in which it was embosomed. Its site was long supposed to be represented by the small mud-walled hamlet Er-Riha; but recent researches have fixed on a spot about half an hour's journey westward, where large ruins exist about six or eight miles distant from the Jordan. It was for that age a strongly fortified town, the key of the eastern pass through the deep ravine, now called Wady-Kelt, into the interior of Palestine.
they … came into an harlot's house—Many expositors, desirous of removing the stigma of this name from an ancestress of the Saviour (Mt 1:5), have called her a hostess or tavern keeper. But Scriptural usage (Le 21:7-14; De 23:18; Jud 11:1; 1Ki 3:16), the authority of the Septuagint, followed by the apostles (Heb 11:31; Jas 2:25), and the immemorial style of Eastern khans, which are never kept by women, establish the propriety of the term employed in our version. Her house was probably recommended to the spies by the convenience of its situation, without any knowledge of the character of the inmates. But a divine influence directed them in the choice of that lodging-place.
2, 3. it was told the king—by the sentinels who at such a time of threatened invasion would be posted on the eastern frontier and whose duty required them to make a strict report to headquarters of the arrival of all strangers.
4-6. the woman took the two men, and hid them—literally, "him," that is, each of them in separate places, of course previous to the appearance of the royal messengers and in anticipation of a speedy search after her guests. According to Eastern manners, which pay an almost superstitious respect to a woman's apartment, the royal messengers did not demand admittance to search but asked her to bring the foreigners out.
5. the time of shutting of the gates—The gates of all Oriental cities are closed at sunset, after which there is no possibility either of admission or egress.
the men went out—This was a palpable deception. But, as lying is a common vice among heathen people, Rahab was probably unconscious of its moral guilt, especially as she resorted to it as a means for screening her guests; and she might deem herself bound to do it by the laws of Eastern hospitality, which make it a point of honor to preserve the greatest enemy, if he has once eaten one's salt. Judged by the divine law, her answer was a sinful expedient; but her infirmity being united with faith, she was graciously pardoned and her service accepted (Jas 2:25).
6. she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax—Flax, with other vegetable productions, is at a certain season spread out on the flat roofs of Eastern houses to be dried in the sun; and, after lying awhile, it is piled up in numerous little stacks, which, from the luxuriant growth of the flax, rise to a height of three or four feet. Behind some of these stacks Rahab concealed the spies.
7. the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords—That river is crossed at several well-known fords. The first and second immediately below the sea of Galilee; the third and fourth immediately above and below the pilgrims' bathing-place, opposite Jericho.
as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate—This precaution was to ensure the capture of the spies, should they have been lurking in the city.
Jos 2:8-21. The Covenant between Her and Them.
8-13. she came up unto them upon the roof and said—Rahab's dialogue is full of interest, as showing the universal panic and consternation of the Canaanites on the one hand (Jos 24:11; De 2:25), and her strong convictions on the other, founded on a knowledge of the divine promise, and the stupendous miracles that had opened the way of the Israelites to the confines of the promised land. She was convinced of the supremacy of Jehovah, and her earnest stipulations for the preservation of her relatives amid the perils of the approaching invasion, attest the sincerity and strength of her faith.
14. the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business—This was a solemn pledge—a virtual oath, though the name of God is not mentioned; and the words were added, not as a condition of their fidelity, but as necessary for her safety, which might be endangered if the private agreement was divulged.
15. her house was upon the town wall—In many Oriental cities houses are built on the walls with overhanging windows; in others the town wall forms the back wall of the house, so that the window opens into the country. Rahab's was probably of this latter description, and the cord or rope sufficiently strong to bear the weight of a man.
16-21. she said—rather "she had said," for what follows must have been part of the previous conversation.
Get you to the mountain—A range of white limestone hills extends on the north, called Quarantania (now Jebel Karantu), rising to a height of from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred feet, and the sides of which are perforated with caves. Some one peak adjoining was familiarly known to the inhabitants as "the mountain." The prudence and propriety of the advice to flee in that direction rather than to the ford, were made apparent by the sequel.
21. she bound the scarlet line in the window—probably soon after the departure of the spies. It was not formed, as some suppose, into network, as a lattice, but simply to hang down the wall. Its red color made it conspicuous, and it was thus a sign and pledge of safety to Rahab's house, as the bloody mark on the lintels of the houses of the Israelites in Egypt to that people.