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Texts -- Joshua 2:1-24 (NET)

Context
Joshua Sends Spies into the Land
2:1 Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them: “Find out what you can about the land , especially Jericho .” They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there . 2:2 The king of Jericho received this report : “Note well! Israelite men have come here tonight to spy on the land .” 2:3 So the king of Jericho sent this order to Rahab : “Turn over the men who came to you– the ones who came to your house – for they have come to spy on the whole land !” 2:4 But the woman hid the two men and replied , “Yes , these men were clients of mine , but I didn’t know where they came from. 2:5 When it was time to shut the city gate for the night , the men left . I don’t know where they were heading . Chase after them quickly , for you have time to catch them!” 2:6 (Now she had taken them up to the roof and had hidden them in the stalks of flax she had spread out on the roof .) 2:7 Meanwhile the king’s men tried to find them on the road to the Jordan River near the fords . The city gate was shut as soon as they set out in pursuit of them. 2:8 Now before the spies went to sleep , Rahab went up to the roof . 2:9 She said to the men , “I know the Lord is handing this land over to you. We are absolutely terrified of you, and all who live in the land are cringing before you. 2:10 For we heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings , Sihon and Og , on the other side of the Jordan . 2:11 When we heard the news we lost our courage and no one could even breathe for fear of you. For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below ! 2:12 So now , promise me this with an oath sworn in the Lord’s name. Because I have shown allegiance to you , show allegiance to my family . Give me a solemn pledge 2:13 that you will spare the lives of my father , mother , brothers , sisters , and all who belong to them, and rescue us from death .” 2:14 The men said to her, “If you die, may we die too ! If you do not report what we’ve been up to, then, when the Lord hands the land over to us, we will show unswerving allegiance to you.” 2:15 Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window . (Her house was built as part of the city wall ; she lived in the wall .) 2:16 She told them, “Head to the hill country , so the ones chasing you don’t find you. Hide from them there for three days , long enough for those chasing you to return . Then you can be on your way .” 2:17 The men said to her, “We are not bound by this oath you made us swear unless the following conditions are met: 2:18 When we invade the land , tie this red rope in the window through which you let us down , and gather together in your house your father , mother , brothers , and all who live in your father’s house . 2:19 Anyone who leaves your house will be responsible for his own death – we are innocent in that case! But if anyone with you in the house is harmed , we will be responsible . 2:20 If you should report what we’ve been up to, we are not bound by this oath you made us swear .” 2:21 She said , “I agree to these conditions .” She sent them on their way and then tied the red rope in the window . 2:22 They went to the hill country and stayed there for three days , long enough for those chasing them to return . Their pursuers looked all along the way but did not find them. 2:23 Then the two men returned – they came down from the hills , crossed the river, came to Joshua son of Nun , and reported to him all they had discovered . 2:24 They told Joshua , “Surely the Lord is handing over all the land to us! All who live in the land are cringing before us!”

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Bible Dictionary

  • Rahab

    [ebd] insolence; pride, a poetical name applied to Egypt in Ps. 87:4; 89:10; Isa. 51:9, as "the proud one." Rahab, (Heb. Rahab; i.e., "broad," "large"). When the Hebrews were encamped at Shittim, in the "Arabah" or Jordan valley o...
    [isbe] RAHAB - ra'-hab: (1) (rachabh, "broad"; in Josephus, Ant, V, i, 2, 7, Rhachab; Heb 11:31 and Jas 2:25, Rhaab): A zonah, that is either a "harlot," or, according to some, an "innkeeper" in Jericho; the Septuagint porne, "harl...
    [nave] RAHAB 1. Called also Rachab. A woman of Jericho. Assists the spies of Israel, Josh. 2. Is spared at the taking of Jericho, Josh. 6:17-25. Ancestor of Joseph, Matt. 1:5. Faith of, commended, Heb. 11:31; Jas. 2:25. 2. A sy...

  • Jericho

    [ebd] place of fragrance, a fenced city in the midst of a vast grove of palm trees, in the plain of Jordan, over against the place where that river was crossed by the Israelites (Josh. 3:16). Its site was near the 'Ain es-Sultan, ...
    [isbe] JERICHO - jer'-i-ko (the word occurs in two forms. In the Pentateuch, in 2 Ki 25:5 and in Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles it is written yerecho; yericho, elsewhere): In 1 Ki 16:34 the final Hebrew letter is he (h), instead of waw...
    [smith] (place of fragrance), a city of high antiquity, situated in a plain traversed by the Jordan, and exactly over against where that river was crossed by the Israelites under Joshua. (Joshua 3:16) It was five miles west of the Jo...
    [nave] JERICHO 1. A city E. of Jerusalem and near the Jordan, Num. 22:1; 26:3; Deut. 34:1. Called the City of Palm Trees, Deut. 34:3. Situation of, pleasant, 2 Kin. 2:19. Rehab the harlot lived in, Josh. 2; Heb. 11:31. Joshua s...

  • Armies

    [nave] ARMIES Who of the Israelites were subject to service in, Num. 1:2, 3; 26:2; 2 Chr. 25:5; who were exempt from service in, Num. 1:47-50; 2:33; Deut. 20:5-9; Judg. 7:3. Enumeration of Israel's military forces, Num. 1:2, 3; 26...

  • Treason

    [nave] TREASON. Instances of Of Aaron and Miriam against Moses, Num. 12:1-11. Of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses and Aaron, Num. 16:1-33. Of Rahab against Jericho, Josh. 2. Of the betrayer of Beth-el, Judg. 1:24, 25. ...

  • Treachery

    [nave] TREACHERY, Jer. 9:8. Of Rahab to her people, Josh. 2. Of the man of Beth-el, Judg. 1:24, 25. Of Jael, Judg. 4:18-21. Of Shechemites, Judg. 9:23. Of Joab, 2 Sam. 3:26, 27. Of Baanah and Rechab, 2 Sam. 4:6. Of David to...

  • Recooissance

    [nave] RECOOISSANCE Of Jericho, Josh. 2:1-24; Beth-el, Judg. 1:23; Laish, Judg. 18:2-10. See: Spies.

  • Hospitality

    [nave] HOSPITALITY. Ex. 22:21; Ex. 23:9; Lev. 19:10, 33, 34; Lev. 24:22; Deut. 10:18, 19; Deut. 26:12, 13; Deut. 27:19; Prov. 9:1-4; Prov. 23:6-8; Isa. 58:6, 7; Matt. 22:2-10; Matt. 25:34-46; Luke 14:12-14; Rom. 12:13; Rom. 16:1, ...

  • Treaty

    [nave] TREATY Between nations: Israelites and Gibeonites, Josh. 9:3-15; Judah and Syria, 1 Kin. 15:19. Cession of territory by, 1 Kin. 9:10-14; 20:34. Sacredness of, Josh. 9:16-21, with Josh. 2:8-21. Reciprocity, 1 Kin. 5:1-12. ...

  • Kindness

    [isbe] KINDNESS - kind'-nes (checedh; chrestotes): "Kindness" in the Old Testament is (with one exception) the translation of checedh, "kindness," "favor," "mercy," etc., used chiefly of man but also of God (Gen 20:13; 40:14; 1 Sam...
    [nave] KINDNESS. Lev. 19:34; Deut. 22:1 vs. 2-4.; Psa. 112:5; Prov. 14:21; Prov. 19:22; Prov. 31:26; Isa. 11:13; Zech. 7:9, 10; Matt. 5:7, 42 Luke 6:30. Matt. 25:34-36; Luke 6:34, 35; Acts 20:35; Rom. 12:15; Rom. 15:1, 2, 5; 1 Cor...

  • HANDICRAFT

    [smith] (Acts 18:3; 19:25; Revelation 18:22) A trade was taught to ail the Jewish boys as a necessary part of their education. Even the greatest rabbis maintained themselves by trades (Delitzsch). Says Rabbi Jehuda, "He who does not ...

  • Prostitute

    [nave] PROSTITUTE Shamelessness of, Prov. 2:16; 7:11-27; 9:13-18. Plots of, Prov. 7:10; 9:14-17; Isa. 23:15, 16; Hos. 2:13. To be shued, Prov. 5:3-20; 7:25-27. Hire of, not to be received at the temple, Deut. 23:18. Rahab, Josh...

  • House

    [isbe] HOUSE - hous (bayith; oikos, in classical Greek generally "an estate," oikia, oikema (literally, "habitation"), in Acts 12:1, "prison"): I. CAVE DWELLINGS II. STONE-BUILT AND MUD/BRICK-BUILT HOUSES 1. Details of Plan and Con...
    [nave] HOUSE Built of stone, Lev. 14:40-45; Isa. 9:10; Amos 5:11; brick, Gen. 11:3; Ex. 1:11-14; Isa. 9:10; wood, Song 1:17; Isa. 9:10. Built into city walls, Josh. 2:15. Used for worship, Acts 1:13, 14; 12:12; Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. ...

  • Flax

    [ebd] (Heb. pishtah, i.e., "peeled", in allusion to the fact that the stalks of flax when dried were first split or peeled before being steeped in water for the purpose of destroying the pulp). This plant was cultivated from earli...
    [isbe] FLAX - flaks pesheth, also pishtah; linon (Mt 12:20)): The above Hebrew words are applied (1) to the plant: "The flax was in bloom" (the King James Version "bolled"; Ex 9:31); (2) the "stalks of flax," literally, "flax of th...
    [smith] a well-known plant with yellowish stem and bright-blue flowers. Its fibres are employed in the manufacture of linen. The root contains an oil, and after the oil is expressed is sued as a food for cattle. Egypt was celebrated ...
    [nave] FLAX In Egypt, Ex. 9:31. In Palestine, Josh. 2:6. Linen made from, Prov. 31:13; Isa. 19:6; Hos. 2:5, 9. Robes made of, Esth. 1:16; Ezek. 40:3. See: Linen. Figurative Smoking flax not quenched, Isa. 42:3; Matt. 12:20.

  • Shittim

    [ebd] acacias, also called "Abel-shittim" (Num. 33:49), a plain or valley in the land of Moab where the Israelites were encamped after their two victories over Sihon and Og, at the close of their desert wanderings, and from which ...
    [isbe] SHITTIM - shit'-im (ha-shiTTim, "the acacias"; Sattein): (1) This marked the last camping-ground of Israel before they crossed the Jordan to begin the conquest of Western Palestine. Here it was that the people fell into the ...
    [smith] (the acacias), the place of Israel?s encampment between the conquest of the transjordanic highlands and the passage of the Jordan. (Numbers 25:1; 33:49; Joshua 2:1; 3:1; Micah 6:5) Its full name appears to be given in the fir...
    [nave] SHITTIM 1. Called also Abel-shittim, Num. 33:49. A camping place of Israel, Num. 25:1; 33:49. Joshua sends spies from, Josh. 2:1. Valley of, Joel 3:18. Balaam prophesies in, Mic. 6:5. 2. Called also Shittah, a tree, the...

  • Token

    [isbe] TOKEN - to'-k'-n ('oth, usually rendered "sign" (on Dt 22:14 ff see the comms.)): "Sign" and "token" are virtually synonymous words and in the King James Version are used with little or no distinction (in Ex 13, compare 13:9...
    [nave] TOKEN A sign, Ex. 3:12. Sun and moon for time and seasons, Gen. 1:14. The mark of Cain, Gen. 4:15. Rainbow, that the world might no more be destroyed by a flood, Gen. 9:12-17. Circumcision, of the covenant of Abraham, Ge...

  • Faith

    [nave] FAITH. 2 Sam. 22:31; Psa. 5:11; Psa. 7:1; Psa. 9:9, 10; Psa. 18:30; Psa. 32:10; Psa. 33:18, 19; Psa. 34:8, 22 vs. 1-8;; Psa. 2:12. Psa. 36:7; Psa. 40:4; Psa. 64:10; Psa. 78:7 vs. 5-7.; Psa. 84:5, 12; Psa. 112:5, 7, 8; Psa. ...

  • Lies and Deceits

    [nave] LIES AND DECEITS Ex. 23:1; Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:11, 12, 16 Ex. 20:16. Job 13:4; Job 21:34; Job 27:4; Job 31:5, 6, 33; Job 36:4; Psa. 5:6, 9; Psa. 10:7; Psa. 12:2, 3; Psa. 28:3; Psa. 31:18; Psa. 34:13 1 Pet. 3:10. Psa. 36:3; P...

  • Og

    [isbe] OG - (`ogh; Og): King of Bashan, whose territory, embracing 60 cities, was conquered by Moses and the Israelites immediately after the conquest of Sihon, king of the Amorites (Nu 21:33-35; Dt 3:1-12). The defeat took place a...
    [smith] (giant , literally long-necked), an Amoritish king of Bashan, whose rule extended over sixty cities. (Joshua 13:12) He was one of the last representatives of the giant race of Rephaim, and was, with his children and his peopl...
    [nave] OG, king of Bashan. A man of gigantic stature, Num. 21:33; Deut. 3:11; Josh. 12:4; 13:12. Defeated and slain by Moses, Num. 21:33-35; Deut. 1:4; 3:1-7; 29:7; 31:4; Josh. 2:10; 9:10; Psa. 135:10, 11; 136:18-20. Land of, give...

  • Miracles

    [nave] MIRACLES. Index of Sub-topics Catalog of, and Supernatural Events, Of Jesus, in Chronological Order, Of the Disciples of Jesus; Convincing Effect of; Design of; Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Miscellany of Minor Sub-...

  • Oath

    [nave] OATH, a solemn qualification. Used in solemnizing covenants: Between Abraham and the king of Sodom, Gen. 14:22, 23; and Abimelech, Gen. 21:22, 23; between Isaac and Abimelech, Gen. 26:26-29, 31. Abraham requires oath of his ...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 14:1-4 Scholars have not been able to locate definitely the sites referred to in verse 2."An Egyptian papyrus associates Baal Zephon with Tahpahnes . . . a known site near Lake Menzaleh in the northeastern delta region."235Ho...
  • As I have explained previously, the date of the Exodus was about 1446 B.C. (cf. 1 Kings 6:1).7Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness (Exod. 16:35; Num. 14:33-34). Thus Israel crossed the Jordan River and entered the land abo...
  • I. The conquest of the land chs. 1-12A. Preparations for entering Canaan chs. 1-21. God's charge to Joshua 1:1-92. Joshua's charge to Israel 1:10-183. The spying out of Jericho ch. 2B. Entrance into the land 3:1-5:121. Passag...
  • In one sense verses 1-9 are a preamble to the whole book. They contain the basic principles that were to guide Joshua and Israel so they could obtain all that God had promised their forefathers.1:1 The first word of the book ...
  • As preparation for entering Canaan, Joshua sent spies to reconnoiter the area Israel would enter."Although Joshua had received a promise from the Lord of His almighty help in the conquest of Canaan, he still thought it necess...
  • 3:1-6 Joshua may have moved the nation from Shittim to the Jordan's edge at approximately the same time he sent the spies on their mission (cf. vv. 1-2 and 1:11; 2:22). However the sequence of events was probably as it appear...
  • At Jericho, Israel learned God's strength. At Ai, she learned her own weakness. She could only conquer her enemies as she remained faithful to God's covenant."We are never in greater danger than right after we have won a grea...
  • The writer identified 31 kings in the order in which Joshua defeated them."Many of the same names appear in the Amarna letters, thus confirming the historicity of our text."158"The description was not complete. Shechem is not...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan. "The Province-List of Judah."Vetus Testamentum9 (1959):225-46.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwel...
  • This chapter begins with another reference to the fact that there was no king in Israel then (cf. 17:6). The writer reminded us again that the Israelites were living unrestrained lives. Abundant evidence of this follows in ch...
  • Verse 13 is a key verse in the book because it records the fulfillment of Naomi and Ruth's plans to obtain rest (2:2; 3:1-5).82A son was indispensable to the continuation of the line of Boaz as well as that of Mahlon and Elim...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • The Philistines, as we have already seen in Judges, were Israel's primary enemy to the west at this time. Samson, too, fought the Philistines (Judg. 13-16).52There are about 150 references to the Philistines in 1 and 2 Samuel...
  • Naaman (Aram. gracious) was commander of the Aramean army under Ben-Hadad II (cf. 1 Kings 15:18, 20). Leprosy in the ancient world degenerated the bodies of its victims and eventually proved fatal. At this time no one could c...
  • Haman covered his head (v. 12) as a sign of his grief (cf. 2 Sam. 15:30; 19:4; Jer. 14:3-4; Ezek. 24:17). His friends evidently realized that unseen forces were maintaining the blessing that they had observed following the Je...
  • 66:1-4 The psalmist speaking for his nation called the other nations to join in praise by shouting, singing, and speaking. In verses 1-12 he wrote in the first person plural, but in verses 13-20 he used the first person singu...
  • 9:1 In his vision Ezekiel heard the Lord (cf. v. 4) cry out loudly for the executioners (guards), who would punish the people of Jerusalem, to draw near to Him with their weapons in hand. The Lord had predicted that the peopl...
  • "Moses and Abraham hold the most prominent places in the roll of faith; and the central event of both their lives, as Hebrews presents them, is a journey."36711:23 Faith confronts hostility in a characteristic way that the wr...
  • 2:24 The use of the plural "you"in this verse in the Greek text shows that James had completed his response to the objector. He was now addressing his readers directly again (cf. vv. 14-17).Works declare us righteous in the s...
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