1Y JOSUÉ hijo de Nun envió desde Setim dos espías secretamente, diciéndoles: Andád, considerád la tierra, y a Jericó. Los cuales fueron, y entráronse en casa de una mujer ramera que se llamaba Raab, y posaron allí. 2Y fué dado aviso al rey de Jericó, diciendo: He aquí que hombres de los hijos de Israel han venido aquí esta noche a espiar la tierra. 3Entónces el rey de Jericó envió a Raab, diciendo: Saca fuera los hombres que han venido a tí, y han entrado en tu casa; porque han venido a espiar toda la tierra: 4Mas la mujer había tomado los dos hombres, y los había escondido; y dijo: Verdad es que hombres vinieron a mí: mas yo no supe de donde eran. 5Y siendo ya oscuro y cerrándose la puerta, esos hombres se salieron, y no sé donde se fueron: seguídlos a priesa, que alcanzarlos heis. 6Mas ella los había hecho subir a la techumbre, y los había escondido entre unos tascos de lino que tenía puestos sobre la techumbre. 7Y los hombres fueron tras ellos por el camino del Jordán hasta los vados: y la puerta fué cerrada después que salieron los que iban tras ellos. 8Mas ántes que ellos durmiesen, ello subió a ellos sobre la techumbre, y díjoles: 9Yo sé que Jehová os ha dado esta tierra: porque el temor de vosotros ha caido sobre nosotros: y todos los moradores de la tierra están desmayados por causa de vosotros. 10Porque hemos oido que Jehová hizo secar las aguas del mar Bermejo delante de vosotros, cuando salisteis de la tierra de Egipto; y lo que habéis hecho a los dos reyes de los Amorreos, que estaban de esa parte del Jordán, Sejón, y Og, a los cuales destruisteis. 11Oyendo esto ha desmayado nuestro corazon; ni más ha quedado espíritu en alguno por causa de vosotros. Porque Jehová vuestro Dios, es Dios arriba en los cielos, y abajo en la tierra. 12Ruégoos pues ahora, que me juréis por Jehová, que como yo he hecho misericordia con vosotros, así la haréis vosotros, con la casa de mi padre, de lo cual me daréis una cierta señal; 13Y que daréis la vida a mi padre y a mi madre; y a mis hermanos y hermanas, y a todo lo que es suyo; y que escaparéis nuestras vidas de la muerte. 14Y ellos le respondieron: Nuestra alma será por vosotros hasta la muerte, si no denunciareis este nuestro negocio: y cuando Jehová nos hubiere dado la tierra, nosotros haremos contigo misericordia y verdad. 15Entónces ella los hizo descender con una cuerda por la ventana: porque su casa estaba a la pared del muro: y ella vivía en el muro. 16Y díjoles: Idos al monte: porque los que fueron tras vosotros, no os encuentren: y estád escondidos allá tres dias, hasta que los que os siguen, hayan vuelto: y después os iréis vuestro camino. 17Y ellos le dijeron: Nosotros seremos desobligados de este tu juramento con que nos has conjurado, en esta manera: 18Que cuando nosotros entraremos la tierra, tú atarás esta cuerda de grana a la ventana por la cual nos descendiste, y tú juntarás en tu casa tu padre y tu madre, tus hermanos y toda la familia de tu padre. 19Cualquiera que saliere fuera de las puertas de tu casa, su sangre será sobre su cabeza y nosotros seremos sin culpa. Mas cualquiera que se estuviere en casa contigo, su sangre será sobre nuestra cabeza si mano le tocare. 20Mas si tú denunciares este nuestro negocio, nosotros seremos desobligados de este tu juramento con que nos has juramentado. 21Y ella respondió: Como habéis dicho, así sea. Y así los envió, y se fueron; y ella ató la cuerda de grana a la ventana. 22Y caminando ellos llegaron al monte y estuviéronse allí tres dias, hasta que los que les seguían, fuesen vueltos: y los que los siguieron, buscaron por todo el camino, mas no los hallaron. 23Y tornándose los dos varones descendieron del monte, y pasaron, y vinieron a Josué hijo de Nun: y contáronle todas las cosas que les habían acontecido. 24Y dijeron a Josué: Jehová ha entregado toda la tierra en nuestras manos: y también todos los moradores de la tierra están desmayados delante de nosotros.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 RAHAB RECEIVES AND CONCEALS THE TWO SPIES. (
Josh 2:1-
Josh 2:7)
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 (
Josh 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 (
Matt 1:5), have called her a hostess or tavern keeper. But Scriptural usage (
Lev 21:7-
Lev 21:14;
Deut 23:18;
Judg 11:1;
1Kgs 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 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 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.
8 THE COVENANT BETWEEN HER AND THEM. (
Josh 2:8-
Josh 2:21)
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 (
Josh 24:11;
Deut 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 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.