Rahab receives and conceals the two spies sent from Shittim, 1-7. The covenant between her and them, 8-22. Their return and relation, 23, 24.
1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent from Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, "Go, view the land, even Jericho." And they went, and came into the house of a harlot named Rahab and lodged there. 2 And it was told to the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men came in here tonight of the children of Israel to search out the country." 3 And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring forth the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house, for they have come to search out all the country." 4 And the woman took the two men and hid them, and said thus: "Men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went, I do not know. Pursue after them quickly, for you will overtake them." 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. 7 And the men pursued them the way to the Jordan to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.
8 And before they had lain down, she came up to them upon the roof, 9 And she said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that your terror has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 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 to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts melted, 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. 12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you will also show kindness to my father's house, and give me a true token, 13 That you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death." 14 And the men answered her, "Our life for yours, if you do not utter our business. And it shall be, when the LORD has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you."
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. 16 And she said to them, "Depart to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. And hide yourselves there three days until the pursuers have returned. And afterward you may go your way." 17 And the men said to her, "We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall bind this line of scarlet cord in the window by which you let us down. And you shall bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household home to you. 19 And it shall be, that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is upon him. 20 And if you utter our business, then we will be acquitted of your oath which you have made us to swear." 21 And she said, "According to your words, so be it." And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet line in the window.
22 And they went and came to the mountain and stayed there three days until the pursuers had returned. And the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but did not find them. 23 So the two men returned, descended from the mountain, passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them. 24 And they said to Joshua, "Truly the LORD has delivered into our hands all the land, for even all the inhabitants of the country faint because of us."
Matthew Henry Commentary - Joshua, Chapter 2[➚]
[v.10a] - "the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea" - Reference, Exodus 14:21-22.
[v.10b] - "what you did to the two kings of the Amorites" - Sihon: Numbers 21:21-26; Og: Numbers 21:33-35.