1ENTRETANTO Josué hijo de Nun había enviado secretamente desde Sitim dos hombres, espías, diciendo: Andad, reconoced la tierra, y particularmente a Jericó. Ellos partieron pues, y entraron en case de cierta mujer ramera, llamada Rahab, y posaron allí. 2Y fué dado aviso al rey de Jericó, diciendo: He aquí que esta noche entraron acá unos hombres de los hijos de Israel, para explorar la tierra. 3Por lo cual el rey de Jericó envió a decir a Rahab: Saca fuera a los hombres que han venido a ti, los mismos que entraron en tu casa; porque han venido a explorar toda la tierra. 4Mas la mujer ya había tomado a los dos hombres y los había escondido. Ella pues respondió: Verdad es que vinieron a mí aquellos hombres, mas yo no sabía de dónde eran. 5Y aconteció que cuando iban a cerrar la puerta, siendo ya obscuro, los hombres salieron; no sé a dónde se hayan ido aquellos hombres. Seguid prestamente en pos de ellos, que los alcanzaréis. 6Mas ella los había hecho subir al terrado, y los había escondido entre los tallos de lino que tenía puestos en orden sobre el terrado. 7Los hombres pues siguieron en su alcance, camino del Jordán, hasta los vados del río: y luego que los que los perseguían hubieron salido, se cerraron las puertas. 8¶Y antes que los hombres se hubiesen acostado, ella subió a donde ellos estaban, sobre el terrado, 9y les dijo: Yo sé que Jehová os ha dado esta tierra, y que el terror de vuestro nombre ha caído sobre nosotros, y que ya han desmayado todos los habitantes del país a causa de vosotros. 10Porque hemos oído decir cómo Jehová secó las aguas del Mar Rojo delante de vosotros, cuando salisteis de Egipto; y lo que hicisteis a los dos reyes de los Amorreos, que estaban de la otra parte del Jordán, a Sehón y a Og, a quienes destruisteis completamente. 11Y como lo hubimos oído, se nos derritió el corazón y no ha quedado ya aliento en hombre alguno a causa de vosotros; porque Jehová vuestro Dios, él solo es Dios arriba en el cielo, y abajo sobre la tierra. 12Ahora pues, ruégoos me juréis por Jehová que del modo que yo he usado de misericordia para con vosotros, así vosotros también usaréis de misericordia para con la casa de mi padre, y me daréis una contraseña segura; 13y que salvaréis la vida a mi padre, y a mi madre, y a mis hermanos, y a mis hermanas, y a todo lo que es suyo, librando nuestras almas de la muerte. 14A lo cual le dijeron los hombres: Nuestra vida responderá de la vuestra, con tal que nada digáis de este asunto nuestro. Y será que cuando nos entregare Jehová la tierra, usaremos contigo de misericordia y de fidelidad. 15¶Ella pues los descolgó con una cuerda por la ventana abajo, (porque su casa estaba en el muro de la ciudad, y ella vivía en el muro), 16diciéndoles: ¡Marchaos a la montaña, no sea que os alcancen los que iban en seguimiento vuestro; y os esconderéis allí tres días, hasta que hayan vuelto los perseguidores, y después seguiréis vuestro camino. 17Y los hombres le dijeron: Sin culpa seremos en lo tocante a este tu juramento con que nos has juramentado. 18He aquí que cuando entremos en la tierra, atarás este cordón de hilo escarlata para contraseña en la ventana por donde nos descolgaste; y reunirás contigo dentro de la casa a tu padre, y a tu madre, y a tus hermanos, y en fin a toda la casa de tu padre. 19Y será así, que la sangre de todo aquel que saliere de las puertas de tu casa afuera, será sobre su propia cabeza, y nosotros seremos sin culpa; pero en cuanto a todo aquel que estuviere contigo dentro de la casa, su sangre recaerá sobre nuestra cabeza, si mano alguna le tocare. 20Mas si divulgares este asunto nuestro, quedaremos desobligados de este tu juramento con que nos has juramentado. 21A lo cual ella respondió: Conforme a vuestras palabras, así sea. De esta manera los despidió, y se fueron; y ella ató el cordón de escarlata a la ventana. 22¶Ellos pues caminaron y fueron a la montaña, y se estuvieron allí tres días, hasta que hubiesen vuelto los perseguidores. Y buscáronlos los perseguidores en todo el camino, mas no los hallaron. 23Entonces se volvieron los dos hombres; pues bajando de la montaña, pasaron el río y vinieron a Josué hijo de Nun, y le refirieron todo lo que les había acaecido. 24Y dijeron a Josué: ¡Cierto que ha dado Jehová en nuestra mano toda esta tierra, porque todos los moradores de la tierra desmayan a causa 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.