The Book of Joshua, chapter two. The Spying of Jericho and the Heroism of Rahab the Whore.
The Book of Joshua, ch2, Joshua sent two men to cross the Jordan and spy out the Land. They came to Jericho and entered the house of Rahab who was the owner of a lodging house as well as being a prostitute. Rahab hid the spies on the roof under flax branches. Rahab informed the spies that the fear of the God of Israel and of the Israelites was on all the inhabitants of Canaan which would be easy to conquer. Rahab then let the spies down over the wall by a rope.
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Joshua 2
with Yair Davidiy
See Also: Rahab.The Repentant Hooker
Joshua-2:
The Scarlet Woman.
The Book of Joshua, ch2, Joshua sent two men to cross the Jordan and spy out the Land. They came to Jericho and entered the house of Rahab who was the owner of a lodging house as well as being a prostitute. Rahab hid the spies on the roof under flax branches. Rahab informed the spies that the fear of the God of Israel and of the Israelites was on all the inhabitants of Canaan which would be easy to conquer. Rahab then let the spies down over the wall by a rope.
[Joshua 2:1] AND JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN SENT OUT OF SHITTIM TWO MEN TO SPY SECRETLY, SAYING, GO VIEW THE LAND, EVEN JERICHO. AND THEY WENT, AND CAME INTO AN HARLOT'S HOUSE, NAMED RAHAB, AND LODGED THERE.
The woman owned a kind of inn. In those days lodging houses were frequently owned by prostitutes. A prostitute could also have access to information that other people would not have.
The chances of suspicion were also lessened since it is not unusual for strange men to visit such women.
The Midrash Sifrei points out that it says later, FOR HER HOUSE WAS UPON THE TOWN WALL, AND SHE DWELT UPON THE WALL (2:15). She dwelt on the outskirts in a dwelling that linked the city with the region around it, convenient for "business".. Outsiders apparently seeking available female company would not usually have aroused undue suspicion. Even so the presence of the spies was discovered.
[Joshua 2:2] AND IT WAS TOLD THE KING OF JERICHO, SAYING, BEHOLD, THERE CAME MEN IN HITHER TO NIGHT OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL TO SEARCH OUT THE COUNTRY.
Somebody saw them and recognized them for who they were.
[Joshua 2:3] AND THE KING OF JERICHO SENT UNTO RAHAB, SAYING, BRING FORTH THE MEN THAT ARE COME TO YOU, WHICH ARE ENTERED INTO YOUR HOUSE: FOR THEY BE COME TO SEARCH OUT ALL THE COUNTRY.
[Joshua 2:4] AND THE WOMAN TOOK THE TWO MEN, AND HID THEM, AND SAID THUS, THERE CAME MEN UNTO ME, BUT I WIST NOT WHENCE THEY WERE:
[Joshua 2:5] AND IT CAME TO PASS ABOUT THE TIME OF SHUTTING OF THE GATE, WHEN IT WAS DARK, THAT THE MEN WENT OUT: WHITHER THE MEN WENT I WOT NOT: PURSUE AFTER THEM QUICKLY; FOR YOU SHALL OVERTAKE THEM.
[Joshua 2:6] BUT SHE HAD BROUGHT THEM UP TO THE ROOF OF THE HOUSE, AND HID THEM WITH THE STALKS OF FLAX, WHICH SHE HAD LAID IN ORDER UPON THE ROOF.
Flax is used in the making of linen. Descendants of Rahab were later known for this. See below.
[Joshua 2:7] AND THE MEN PURSUED AFTER THEM THE WAY TO JORDAN UNTO THE FORDS: AND AS SOON AS THEY WHICH PURSUED AFTER THEM WERE GONE OUT, THEY SHUT THE GATE.
[Joshua 2:8] AND BEFORE THEY WERE LAID DOWN, SHE CAME UP UNTO THEM UPON THE ROOF;
[Joshua 2:9] AND SHE SAID UNTO THE MEN, I KNOW THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE LAND, AND THAT YOUR TERROR IS FALLEN UPON US, AND THAT ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND FAINT BECAUSE OF YOU.
The Commentators suggest that she had noticed diminished vigor amongst her visitors. It has been noted amongst primitive peoples in transition to another society where the male image is impaired that sexual vigor diminishes. Amongst the natives this is immediately measurable but it also is applicable to all of us. Wives should be careful not to offend the masculine self-image of their menfolk. A famous (and brilliantly inspired, I saw him play once) football player in Israel once observed that he could tell which of the married players on his team were hen-picked and which were not. Also, the feminization of society such as women fulfilling combat roles in the Army etc., affects the functioning of males. It is not that the women cannot do it. They sometimes can. It is something else. Live and let live. Otherwise, in the end everyone suffers.
[Joshua 2:10] FOR WE HAVE HEARD HOW THE LORD DRIED UP THE WATER OF THE RED SEA FOR YOU, WHEN YOU CAME OUT OF EGYPT; AND WHAT YOU DID UNTO THE TWO KINGS OF THE AMORITES, THAT WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE JORDAN, SIHON AND OG, WHOM YOU UTTERLY DESTROYED.
[Joshua 2:11] AND AS SOON AS WE HAD HEARD THESE THINGS, OUR HEARTS DID MELT, NEITHER DID THERE REMAIN ANY MORE COURAGE IN ANY MAN, BECAUSE OF YOU: FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD, HE IS GOD IN HEAVEN ABOVE, AND IN EARTH BENEATH.
She acknowledged the God of Israel. According to tradition Rahab repented and returned from her froward ways. She was the ancestress of Jeremiah the prophet (Midrash Pesikta 34, Talmud Megillah 14b). Rahab had not necessarily entered the profession of her own free will in the first place. According to reports a lot of prostitutes are forced into the business and the authorities do not really protect them or even want to. Maybe the society she was part of had made her what she was and her way of redemption was to join the destroyers of that society in a good sense? Maybe she had seen so much that she knew true goodness when she finally met up with it?
A large proportion of prostitutes were the victims of incestuous exploitation in their childhood. One sin leads to another. On the other hand, one good deed also leads to another and good deeds are far more effectual. The bottom line is that whatever we do we do it to ourselves.
[Joshua 2:12] NOW THEREFORE, I PRAY YOU, SWEAR UNTO ME BY THE LORD, SINCE I HAVE SHOWN YOU KINDNESS, THAT YOU WILL ALSO SHEW KINDNESS UNTO MY FATHER'S HOUSE, AND GIVE ME A TRUE TOKEN:
[Joshua 2:13] AND THAT YE WILL SAVE ALIVE MY FATHER, AND MY MOTHER, AND MY BRETHREN, AND MY SISTERS, AND ALL THAT THEY HAVE, AND DELIVER OUR LIVES FROM DEATH.
She was concerned for her family. Some have suggested that she was not a native Canaanite but belonged to a family of sojourners. If such was the case however we may assume that the sources would have mentioned it.
[Joshua 2:14] AND THE MEN ANSWERED HER, OUR LIFE FOR YOURS, IF YOU UTTER NOT THIS OUR BUSINESS. AND IT SHALL BE, WHEN THE LORD HAS GIVEN US THE LAND, THAT WE WILL DEAL KINDLY AND TRULY WITH YOU.
[Joshua 2:15] THEN SHE LET THEM DOWN BY A CORD THROUGH THE WINDOW: FOR HER HOUSE WAS UPON THE TOWN WALL, AND SHE DWELT UPON THE WALL.
The Midrash Sifrei points out referring to this verse, FOR HER HOUSE WAS UPON THE TOWN WALL, AND SHE DWELT UPON THE WALL (2:15). She dwelt on the outskirts in a dwelling that linked the city with the region around it, convenient for business. Outsiders apparently seeking available female company would not usually have aroused undue suspicion. Even so the presence of the spies was discovered.
[Joshua 2:16] AND SHE SAID UNTO THEM, GET YOU TO THE MOUNTAIN, LEST THE PURSUERS MEET YOU; AND HIDE YOURSELVES THERE THREE DAYS, UNTIL THE PURSUERS BE RETURNED: AND AFTERWARD MAY YOU GO YOUR WAY.
According to tradition Rahab had been forced into prostitution at the age of ten. For forty years she worked in the "profession". At the hour of her redemption, she was already 50 years old (Talmud Zevachim 16b). When the spies arrived the spirit of prophecy came over her. She assisted them, saved herself and her family, converted and became an Israelite and married a Prince of Israel and bore children. Eight prophets and one prophetess of Israel were descended from this woman (Talmud Megillah 14a)..
[Joshua 2:17] AND THE MEN SAID UNTO HER, WE WILL BE BLAMELESS OF THIS YOUR OATH WHICH YOU HAVE MADE US SWEAR.
[Joshua 2:18] BEHOLD, WHEN WE COME INTO THE LAND, YOU SHALT BIND THIS LINE OF SCARLET THREAD IN THE WINDOW WHICH YOU DID LET US DOWN BY: AND YOU SHALT BRING YOUR FATHER, AND YOUR MOTHER, AND YOUR BRETHREN, AND ALL YOUR FATHER'S HOUSEHOLD, HOME UNTO YOU.
Is this were the expression “Scarlet Woman” (connoting a prostitute) originates from?
[Joshua 2:19] AND IT SHALL BE, THAT WHOSOEVER SHALL GO OUT OF THE DOORS OF YOUR HOUSE INTO THE STREET, HIS BLOOD SHALL BE UPON HIS HEAD, AND WE WILL BE GUILTLESS: AND WHOSOEVER SHALL BE WITH YOU IN THE HOUSE, HIS BLOOD SHALL BE ON OUR HEAD, IF ANY HAND BE UPON HIM.
[Joshua 2:20] AND IF YOU UTTER THIS OUR BUSINESS, THEN WE WILL BE QUIT OF YOUR OATH WHICH YOU HAVE MADE US TO SWEAR.
[Joshua 2:21] AND SHE SAID, ACCORDING UNTO YOUR WORDS, SO BE IT. AND SHE SENT THEM AWAY, AND THEY DEPARTED: AND SHE BOUND THE SCARLET LINE IN THE WINDOW.
[Joshua 2:22] AND THEY WENT, AND CAME UNTO THE MOUNTAIN, AND ABODE THERE THREE DAYS, UNTIL THE PURSUERS WERE RETURNED: AND THE PURSUERS SOUGHT THEM THROUGHOUT ALL THE WAY, BUT FOUND THEM NOT.
[Joshua 2:23] SO THE TWO MEN RETURNED, AND DESCENDED FROM THE MOUNTAIN, AND PASSED OVER, AND CAME TO JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN, AND TOLD HIM ALL THINGS THAT BEFELL THEM:
[Joshua 2:24] AND THEY SAID UNTO JOSHUA, TRULY THE LORD HAS DELIVERED INTO OUR HANDS ALL THE LAND; FOR EVEN ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE COUNTRY DO FAINT BECAUSE OF US.
If we do the will of God the enemy will faint away before us. Rahab shows that we can all repent and return to the Almighty. God will help us become ourselves. As a reward for helping the spies escape the lives of Rahab and her family were spared. Not only her own family but also extended relatives and their families were shown mercy. As many as 200 of them were so saved (Talmud Yerushalmi Beracot 4 h.4). Rahab later married Joshua and very great people including the Prophet Jeremiah were descended from her (Midrash Pesikta 13;34).
Rahab is considered to have been in her source a good woman. It is considered a reward for Israel that such a person attached themselves to us:
Talmud Yerushalmi, Beracoth ch.2 halacha 8 (29b):
# When Israel does the will of the Almighty, God searches through the whole world to find a righteous person amongst the Nations of the Earth. He then brings the person and attaches them to Israel. Such was the case with Yitro [Jethro] and Rahab. On the other hand, when they make HIM angry. HE takes the righteous away from them. #
No matter who you are or what you have done you can always repent and find a place with the God of Israel.
The Midrash Sifrei points out that it says later, FOR HER HOUSE WAS UPON THE TOWN WALL, AND SHE DWELT UPON THE WALL (2:15). She dwelt on the outskirts in a dwelling that linked the city with the region around it, convenient for business. Outsiders apparently seeking available female company would not usually have aroused undue suspicion. Even so the presence of the spies was discovered.
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Rahab acknowledged the God of Israel. According to tradition Rahab repented and married Joshua (Talmud, Megillah 14b). She was the ancestress of Jeremiah the prophet. She had not necessarily entered the profession of her own free will in the first place. According to reports a lot of prostitutes are forced into the business and the authorities do not really protect them or even want to. Maybe the society Rahab was part of had made her what she was and her way of redemption was to join the destroyers of that society in a good cause? Maybe she had seen so much that she knew true goodness when she finally met up with it?
According to traditions, Rahab was very beautiful:
There were four beautiful women in history:Sarah, Rahab, Abigail, and Esther (Talmud Megillah 15a).
Eight prophets (including Jeremiah) and one prophetess of Israel were descended from this woman (Talmud Megillah 14a).
A large proportion of prostitutes were the victims of incestuous exploitation in their childhood. One sin leads to another. On the other hand one good deed also leads to another and good deeds are far more effectual. The bottom line is that whatever we do we do to ourselves.
The descendants of Rahab were later known as producers of fine linen:
1-Chronicles 4:
21 THE SONS OF SHELAH THE SON OF JUDAH: ER, THE FATHER OF LECHAH, AND LADAH, THE FATHER OF MARESHAH, AND THE FAMILIES OF BETH-ABODATH HABBUZ OF THE HOUSE OF ASHBEA.
BETH-ABODATH HABBUZ in Hebrewc means 'workers of fine linen'. See KJB"the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea,"
These were descendants of Rahab..
(Midrash Sifrei, "BeHaaloteca" 7:8).