This Week with the Word

The Uniform Lesson for January 11
Background & Commentary by Sam E. Stone

People committed to God can be found in unexpected places. Rahab was a prostitute living in the pagan city of Jericho when the Hebrews appeared on the scene. Moses had led the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. After his death, Joshua succeeded him. Now the people were poised to enter the promised land. They were encamped in the plains of Moab, just across the Jordan River from Jericho. In preparation for going in, Joshua sent two spies ahead to give him an “intelligence briefing” on the enemy.

Spying Out Jericho/Joshua 2:1-4a

Verse 1. Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” Secrecy was necessary to prevent the Canaanites from finding out and to prevent what happened with the Israelites in the time of Moses (Deuteronomy 1:19-32). Back then the people were frightened by some of the spies’ reports and refused to obey Moses by going in to take the land. So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. This location had at least two advantages: the men would be less likely to arouse suspicion by going there, and the house was built on the wall, providing a possible escape route.

Verses 2, 3. “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” Despite the precautions taken by the spies, word got back to the king. Likely he had informers watching for suspicious people seen in the city.

Verse 4. But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. Rahab realized the risk she was taking, but hid these “most wanted men.” Although living in a pagan country, she recognized the power of the true God worshiped by the Israelites. Because of this, she is later mentioned in the New Testament as an example of faith (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25). Scripture commends her faith, not her falsehood.

Saving the Spies/Joshua 2:11b-14

Verse 11b. For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. The verses omitted from our printed text explain that Rahab lied to the king’s messengers, telling them the men had already gone. In the meantime she hid them under stalks of flax on the roof of her house. She told the spies, “I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us” (v. 9). When her people learned how God had delivered the Israelites in the past, “our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you” (v. 11a).

Verses 12, 13. Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Rahab pleaded for her life and that of her family. James Smith observed, “Rahab not only believed in the power of Yahweh, she must have also believed in his mercy.” The spies agreed to her request.

Verse 14. “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land.” In the verses that follow they added two other conditions: hang a scarlet cord out your window and keep all of your family in your house when we attack. Rahab kept her promise and the spies kept theirs!

Sparing Rahab/Joshua 6:22-25

Verse 22. Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” The printed text omits Joshua 2:15-6:21, telling of the spies’ safe return, the crossing of the Jordan, and the Israelites’ preparation to enter Jericho and the rest of the promised land. Following the Lord’s instructions, Joshua had the people march around the City of Palms for six days. On the seventh day, they marched around seven times and then the priests blew the trumpets. The people shouted and the wall surrounding Jericho collapsed. Everything in the city was either to be destroyed or “devoted to the Lord,” with the one exception of Rahab and her family.

Verses 23-25. But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day. Since they were Gentiles and inhabitants of a cursed city, they were ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 13:46; Deuteronomy 23:3). For this reason they had to live outside the camp of Israel for a time. The converted prostitute is one of only three women named in the “faith chapter” (Hebrews 11). Moreover, she is included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5), as one of his ancestors. |L

Sam E. Stone is the former editor of Christian Standard. He continues his writing and speaking ministry from his home in Cincinnati, Ohio.