1Und Josua, der Sohn Nuns, schickte von Sittim heimlich zwei Kundschafter aus, und sprach: Gehet und sehet das Land, und Jericho! Und sie gingen, und kamen in das Haus einer Hure, deren Namen Rahab war, und blieben daselbst. 2Und man sagte dem Könige von Jericho, und sprach: Siehe! Männer sind hieher gekommen diese Nacht von den Söhnen Israels, das Land auszuspähen. 3Da schickte der König von Jericho zu Rahab, und ließ sagen: Gib heraus die Männer, die zu dir gekommen, und in dein Haus eingekehrt sind; denn sie sind gekommen, das ganze Land auszuspähen. 4Da nahm das Weib die zwei Männer, verbarg sie, und sprach: Ja die Männer kamen zu mir, aber ich wußte nicht, woher sie waren, 5und es geschah, als das Thor geschlossen werden sollte beim Dunkelwerden, da gingen die Männer hinaus; ich weiß nicht wohin die Männer gegangen sind. Setzt ihnen eilends nach, denn ihr könnet sie noch einholen. 6Aber sie hatte sie auf das Dach geführt, und unter die Baumwollenstengel verborgen, die sie auf dem Dache ausgebreitet hatte. 7Und die Männer setzten ihnen nach auf dem Wege nach dem Jordan bis an die Furthen; und man schloß das Thor, nachdem die hinausgegangen waren, welche ihnen nachsetzten. 8Und ehe sie sich legten, ging sie hinauf zu ihnen auf das Dach, 9und sprach zu den Männern: Ich weiß, daß Jehova euch das Land gegeben hat; denn auf uns ist Schrecken vor euch gefallen, so daß alle Bewohner des Landes vor euch zagen. 10Denn wir haben gehört, wie Jehova das Wasser des Schilfmeeres getrocknet hat vor euch her, als ihr aus Aegypten zoget; und was ihr den beiden Königen der Amoriter jenseits des Jordans, Sihon und Og, gethan, die ihr der gottverschwornen Vertilgung preisgegeben habet. 11Seit wir das gehört haben, zerfloß unser Herz; und es erhebt sich der Geist in keinem Manne mehr vor euch; denn Jehova, euer Gott, ist Gott im Himmel oben, und auf der Erde unten. 12So schwöret mir nun bei Jehova: weil ich an euch Barmherzigkeit geübt habe, daß auch ihr Barmherzigkeit üben wollet an meines Vaters Hause; und gebet mir ein Zeichen der Treue, 13daß am Leben ihr erhalten werdet meinen Vater, meine Mutter, meine Brüder , meine Schwestern, und Alles, was ihnen angehört, und unsere Seelen vom Tode retten werdet. 14Und die Männer sprachen zu ihr: Unsere Seele soll für euch des Todes seyn, wenn ihr nicht anzeigt diese unsere Sache; und es soll geschehen, wenn Jehova uns das Land gibt, so wollen wir an dir Barmherzigkeit und Treue üben. 15Darauf ließ sie dieselben am Seile hinab durch das Fenster; denn ihr Haus stand auf der Stadtmauer, und auf der Stadtmauer wohnte sie. 16Und sie sprach zu ihnen: Steiget auf das Gebirge, daß nicht die Verfolger auf euch stoßen; verberget euch da drei Tage, bis daß zurückgekehrt sind die Verfolger; dann gehet eures Weges. 17Und die Männer sprachen zu ihr: Wir werden frei seyn von deinem Eide, den du uns hast schwören lassen. 18Siehe! wenn wir kommen in das Land, so binde dieses Seil mit dem roten Faden an das Fenster, mit dem du uns herabgelassen hast; und deinen Vater, deine Mutter, deine Brüder, und das ganze Haus deines Vaters versammle zu dir in's Haus. 19Und es soll geschehen, Jeder, Jeder, der hinausgeht aus der Thüre deines Hauses, dessen Blut sey auf seinem Haupte, und wir sind unschuldig; aber wer bei dir in deinem Hause ist, dessen Blut komme über unser Haupt, wenn man Hand an ihn legt. 20Auch wenn du unsere Sache anzeigest; so sind wir frei von dem Eide zu dir, den du uns hast schwören lassen. 21Und sie sprach: Es bleibt bei euern Worten! Da entließ sie dieselben, und sie gingen; und sie band das rothe Seil an das Fenster. 22Und sie gingen, und kamen auf das Gebirge, und blieben daselbst drei Tage, bis die Verfolger zurückgekehrt waren; denn die Verfolger hatten sie gesucht auf allen Wegen, aber sie nicht gefunden. 23Und die beiden Männer kehrten zurück, und stiegen herab von dem Gebirge, und setzten über, und kamen zu Josua, dem Sohne Nuns, und erzählten ihm Alles, was ihen begegnet war. 24Und sie sagten zu Josua: Wahrlich! in unsere Hand hat Jehova gegeben das ganze Land, ja es zagen alle Bewohner des Landes vor uns.
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.