The history of Rahab
1 Joshua sent two spies secretly from Shittim with the following order ¡°Go
and look over the land well, especially the city of Jericho.¡± The spies went
and as soon as they came to Jericho, they went to the house of the
prostitute named Rahab.
2 But someone told the king of Jericho: ¡°Some Israelites have entered here
tonight to spy on us.¡±
3 So the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab: ¡°Send those men out of your
house because they came to spy on the land.¡±
4 But the woman had hidden them, so she said: ¡°It is true; they came to my
house but I did not know where they came from.
5 And at nightfall, shortly before the city gates were to be closed, they
went out. I do not know where they went, but hurry and you will surely
overtake them.¡±
6 The woman had hidden them on the roof of the house, under the stalks of
flax which she kept there.
7 The pursuers went to search for them by the road leading to the valley of
the Jordan, and as they went out, the city gates were closed.
8 Then the woman went up to where she had hidden the spies of Joshua,
9 and she said to them: ¡°I know that Yahweh, your God, has given this land
to you; we are frightened and the inhabitants of the land tremble before
you.
10 We know how Yahweh dried up the waters of the Red Sea to let you cross
when you came out of Egypt. We know what you did to the two kings of the
Amorites who lived at the other side of the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom
you destroyed by anathema.
11 The news has frightened us, and every one has lost courage because of
you, for Yahweh, your God, is God in heaven above as he is on earth below.
12 Now then, swear to me by Yahweh that just as I have been faithful to you,
so shall you be towards my family,
13 and respect the life of my father, mother, brothers and sisters, and all
that belong to them.¡±
14 The men answered: ¡°Provided that you do not reveal our talk, then we will
pay back life for life when Yahweh hands over to us this land, and we will
deal generously and faithfully with you.¡±
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, since her house was
built into the city wall.
16 But she said to them: ¡°Go through the mountains so that you do not meet
those who pursue you. Remain in hiding for three days, until they return,
and then you may go your way.¡±
17 They answered: ¡°See how we shall fulfill our oath.
18 When we enter this land, tie this scarlet cord as a sign on the window
through which we have escaped. Bring into your house your father, mother,
brothers and sisters, and all your relatives.
19 If any of them leaves the house, he shall be the one re sponsible for his
death, and the guilt will not be ours. But if anyone who is with you is
killed, then may the punishment for his death come upon us.
20 However, be careful not to re veal our plan. If you do, then we are freed
from the oath we have sworn.¡±
21 Rahab said to them: ¡°So be it.¡± And after she had sent them off, she tied
the scarlet cord to the window.
22 The men went into the mountains and hid there for three days, until their
pursuers had returned. These men had searched in vain for them everywhere.
23 Then the two spies came down again from the mountains and, crossing the
Jor dan River, came to Joshua, son of Nun, and gave him an account of their
mission and everything that had happened.
24 They said to Joshua: ¡°Yahweh has given all this land into our hands;
their inhabitants already tremble before us.¡±
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Comments Joshua, Chapter 2
• 2.1 A prostitute receives Joshua¡¯s spies. They, in turn, promise to spare
her life and that of her entire household. The huge walls of Jericho had
been destroyed a century earlier but new inhabitants had settled inside
without bothering to repair them. We may imagine all this people assembled
together in a house which was built from the debris of the same walls.
This minor incident has symbolic value. The author of the book places on the
lips of Rahab a profession of faith in Yahweh, the living God, who will
entrust the country to the Hebrew peo ple. Because of this faith, Rahab will
be saved.
Jewish tradition recognizes her as an an cestress of King David, and the
Gospel mentions her name in the genealogy of Jesus (Mt 1:5).