Josh. ii. 3, 4, 5.I. RAHAB, an Hostess of the City of Jericho, who received into her House and concealed the Spies sent by Joshua to view the City. The Hebrew Text calls her Zona,1 which St. Jerom and many others understand of a Woman of an ill Life. But others2 think she was only an Hostess or Innkeeper, and that this is the true Signification of the original Word. Had she been a Woman of ill Fame, would Salmon, a Prince of the Tribe of Juda, have taken her to Wife, or could he have done it by the Law? Besides, the Spies of Joshua would hardly have gone to lodge with a Prostitute, a common Harlot, they who were charged with so nice and dangerous a Commission. Those that maintain she was an Harlot pretend, that perhaps she was one of those Women that prostituted themselves in Honour of the Pagan Deities; as if this could any way extenuate her Crime, or the Scandal of her Profession, if it were true that she was a publick Woman.
But whatever was Rahab’s Profession, the Spies of Joshua were no sooner entered her House,3 a but Notice was given of it to the King of Jericho, who sent to tell Rahab, that she must produce those Men that were come to her House. But she hid them, and told the Messengers, that it was true, indeed, such Men had been at her House, but she did not know from whence they came; and when the Gates of the City were shutting, they went out, and she could not tell whither they were gone. Pursue them quickly, she said, and you may overtake them. They forthwith pursued them, but in vain, for they were conceal’d upon the Terrass of Rahab’s House.
When the King’s Messengers were gone away, Rahab went up to the Terrass or Roof of her House, and said to the Israelites, I know the Lord has delivered this Country into your Hands, the Terror of your Name has seized us, and all our People are in a Consternation. Promise me therefore, that you will save the Lives of me and my Family, when you shall take Possession of this City. The Spies promis’d her with an Oath, and bid her tie a scarlet String to her Window, that her House might be distinguished when the Israelites should enter into Jericho. If we should touch any one that belongs to you, added they, which shall be then in your House, his Blood be upon us; but if they are without, their Blood shall fall upon their own Heads, and we will be blameless.
Having obtained these Promises, she let them down by a Rope that she fastened to her Window; for her House joined to the Walls of the City. She advised them to return by the Way of the Mountains, for fear of meeting those that had been sent in quest of them; and to continue upon the Mountains for three Days, in which time the Messengers would return, after which they might proceed on their Way. The Spies followed Rahab’s Counsel exactly, and at the End of three Days arrived at Joshua’s Camp, to whom they related all they had discovered at Jericho, which had happened to themselves, and the Promises they had made to their Benefactress Rahab. Some time after this, when the People for six Days had made a Circuit round Jericho with much Silence, Joshua commanded all Israel to make a Tour the seventh Time, Josh. vi. 16, 17.and when the Priests sounded the Trumpets, to cast forth a very loud Cry. To which he added, that the whole City, and whatever was found therein, was to be utterly extirpated; only Rahab and those that were found in her House, should have their Lives saved.
Joshua’s Orders were duly executed. The Walls fell down at the Cry of the Hebrews, and the City was taken and destroyed. Joshua sent the two Spies to the House of Rahab, to bring her out with all her Relations, that they might be secured from all Violence. As soon as they were come out, Joshua put fire to the City, and cursed him that should undertake to rebuild it. Rahab married Salmon, a Prince of Judah, by whom she had Boaz. Boaz was Father to Obed, and Obed to Jesse, the Father Ruth iv. 20.of King David. Thus Jesus Christ has condescended to reckon this Canaanitish Matt. i. 5. 1 Chron. ii. 11. Heb. xi. 31.Woman among his Ancestors. In the Chronicles it is said, that Nathon begat Salma, who is the same as Salmon. St. Paul magnifies the Faith of Rahab, who escaped the great Calamity of her Country, by having entertain’d and concealed the Spies.
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