Joshua 2:1

 

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

 

a. NLT: Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.

 

b. NIV: Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

 

c. YLT: And Joshua son of Nun sendeth from Shittim, two men, spies, silently, saying, 'Go, see the land -- and Jericho;' and they go and come into the house of a woman, a harlot, and her name is Rahab, and they lie down there.

 

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as scouts, saying, Go, view the land, especially Jericho. And they went and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab and lodged there.

 

e. Septuagint: And Joshua the son of Naue sent out of Sattin two young men to spy [the land], saying, Go up and view the land and Jericho: and the two young men went and entered into Jericho; and they entered into the house of a harlot, whose name [was] Raab, and lodged there.

 

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Joshua son of Nun dispatched two men—men—spies—from Shittim, secretly saying, “Go observe the land and Jericho. So they went and arrived at the house of a woman innkeeper whose name was Rahab, and slept there.

 

1. “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim…”

 

a. Joshua [3091 * Yhowshuwa`; or Yhowshua] [Strong: from 3068 and 3467; Jehovah-saved; Jehoshua (i.e. Joshua), the Jewish leader:--Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Joshua.]

 

b. the son [1121 * ben] [Strong: from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

 

c. Nun [5126 * Nuwn; or Nown] [Strong: from 5125; perpetuity, Nun or Non, the father of Joshua:--Non, Nun.]

 

d. sent out [7971 * shalach] [Strong: a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).]

 

e. of Shittim [7851 * Shittiym] [Strong: the same as the plural of 7848; acacia trees; Shittim, a place East of the Jordan:--Shittim.]

 

1). Israel had been camped at Shittim for at least a year, having arrived there immediately after the military campaigns against Sihon and Og in Numbers 21.

 

a). Numbers 22:1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

 

2). This means that everything recorded in Scripture, from Numbers 22 until Joshua 2:24 occurred at Shittim which is about 15-17 miles from the walls of Jericho.

 

 

3). This includes the episode with Balaam in Numbers 22-24, the idolatrous fornication with the Midianite women in Numbers 25 and the war with the Midianites in Numbers 31 all occur while Israel is camped about 17 miles from Jericho. The citizens of Jericho had witnessed all these things but probably most important of all they witnessed God’s presence with them through the cloudy pillar during the day and the pillar of fire at night.

 

2. “…two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho…”

 

a. two [8147 * shnayim; dual of 8145; feminine shttayim] [Strong: two; also (as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, + twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.]

 

b. men [582 * 'enowsh] [Strong: from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word.]

c. to spy [7270 * ragal] [Strong: a primitive root; to walk along; but only in specifically, applications, to reconnoiter, to be a tale-bearer (i.e. slander); also (as denominative from 7272) to lead about:--backbite, search, slander, (e-)spy (out), teach to go, view.]

 

d. secretly [2791 *  cherish] [Strong: from 2790; magical craft; also silence:--cunning, secretly.]

 

e. saying [559 * 'amar] [Strong: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

 

f. Go [3212 * yalak] [Strong: a primitive root (Compare 1980); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses):--X again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, + follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, + pursue, cause to run, spread, take away ((-journey)), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, X be weak.]

 

g. view [7200 * ra’ah] [Strong:  ra'ah raw-aw' a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve, behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X surely, X think, view, visions.]

 

h. the land [776 * 'erets eh'-rets from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.]

 

i. even Jericho [3405 * Yriychow; or Yrechow] [Strong: or variation (1Kings 16:34) Yriychoh {yer-ee-kho'}; perhaps from 3394; its month; or else from 7306; fragrant; Jericho or Jerecho, a place in Palestine:--Jericho.]

 

3. “…And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.”

 

a. And they went [3212 * yalak] [Strong: a primitive root (Compare 1980); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses):--X again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, + follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, + pursue, cause to run, spread, take away ((-journey)), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, X be weak.]

 

b. and came [935 * bow’] [Strong: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, + besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken (in age), X surely, take (in), way.]

 

c. into a harlot’s [2181 * zanah] [Gesenius:to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot, to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication, to commit adultery, to be a cult prostitute, to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.), to play the harlot, to cause to commit adultery, to force into prostitution, to commit fornication.] [Strong: a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah):--(cause to) commit fornication, X continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.]

 

d. harlot’s [802 *  'ishshah; feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym] [Strong: a woman (used in the same wide sense as 582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none, one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.]

 

1). Some speculate that Rahab was referred to as a “harlot” because of her former life and that she had ceased being a harlot and had begun running a reputable inn. The line of thought is, she was at the time the spies came to her house, bearing the reproach of the sins of her youth. Personally I don’t believe that; my thinking is that as wicked as Canaan was, including Jericho, there would be no reproach for a woman who had been a harlot. The whole culture was corrupt in every way, especially sexually. It is quite possible that it may have been the opposite, not dishonor but honor.  It is also quite possible, I think probable that up to the time the spies came, that  Rahab in fact was a harlot and perhaps ran a house of prostitution, but knowing the inevitable conquest of Jericho by Israel, she heard and received the word of faith and responded in obedience and received wonderful blessings as a result. One scholar believes she was an entrepreneur of a secular prostitution, hotel and dye business. I think that is a believable business grouping. The interesting fact about this is there is another Hebrew word to distinguish this individual. It is the Hebrew word [Strong 802] for woman, “‘ishshah”, and it means, “woman, wife, female”.  I believe this is important in light of the fact that homosexuality was rampant in these cultures and that the distinction needs to be made. This was a female fornicator, a female prostitute as opposed to a homosexual prostitute.

 

e. house [1004 * bayith] [Strong: probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).]

 

f. named [8034 * shem] [Strong: a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; Compare 8064); an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character:--+ base, (in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.]

 

g. Rahab [7343 * Rachab] [Strong: the same as 7342; proud; Rachab, a Canaanitess:--Rahab.]

 

h. and lodged there [7901 * shakab] [Strong: a primitive root; to lie down (for rest, sexual connection, decease or any other purpose):--X at all, cast down, ((lover-))lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay.]

 

1). Rahab eventually married a man named Salmon, they had a son named Boaz, who eventually married Ruth the Moabitess, the same Ruth in the book of Ruth. Rahab was the great grandmother to King David. What a wonderful example of the grace and mercy of God, how He is able to forgive and build up and establish those who seek Him with the whole heart. Glory to God!

 

a). Matthew 1:5, 6 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

 

b). Ruth 4:13-17 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

4:14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

4:15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

4:16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

4:17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.