Joshua 2:11

And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, 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.

a. NLT: No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: And as soon as we had heard it, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Jehovah your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And we hear, and melt doth our heart, and there hath not stood any more spirit in any man, from your presence, for Jehovah your God, He is God in the heavens above, and on the earth beneath. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: When we heard it, our hearts melted, neither did spirit or courage remain any more in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Rubin Edition/ Joshua: We heard and our hearts melted, no spirit remained in any man because of you, for HASHEM, your God, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. [The Artscroll Series/Rubin Edition The Prophets: Joshua/Judges Copyright 2000 by Mesorah Publication, Ltd.] 

1. “And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you…”

a. [And as soon as we] heard [these things [Strong: 8085 shama` shaw-mah' a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.]

b. [our] hearts [Strong: 3824 lebab lay-bawb' from 3823; the heart (as the most interior organ); used also like 3820:--+ bethink themselves, breast, comfortably, courage, ((faint), (tender-)heart((-ed)), midst, mind, X unawares, understanding.]

c. [did] melt [Strong: 4549 macac maw-sas' a primitive root; to liquefy; figuratively, to waste (with disease), to faint (with fatigue, fear or grief):--discourage, faint, be loosed, melt (away), refuse, X utterly.]

d. neither [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

e. [did there] remain [Strong: 6965 quwm koom a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative):--abide, accomplish, X be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, X be dim, endure, X enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, X but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-)rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-)stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, - rising).]

f. any more [Strong: 5750 `owd ode or rod {ode}; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more:--again, X all life long, at all, besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer, (any) more(-over), X once, since, (be) still, when, (good, the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet (within).]

g. courage [Strong: 7307 ruwach roo'-akh from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)), tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).]

h. [in] any man [Strong: 376 'iysh eesh contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, + champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people, person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.]

i. because of you [Strong: 6440 paniym paw-neem' plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh {paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s) past, (un-)to(-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with(- in, + -stand), X ye, X you.]

1). The LORD had told Moses that He would do this to the people of Canaan. The reason for this was for the event to have the same effect on the rest of the nations as it did on Rahab. There is a similar use of language in Joshua 5 that needs to be looked at more closely.

a). Joshua 5:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel. 

2). The use of the phrase “that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more”, is similar to the phrase used in 1 Kings 10:5 in referring to the effect of Solomon’s godly administration upon the Queen of Sheba.

a). 1 Kings 10:1-5 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

10:3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

10:4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,

10:5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

b). Most of the other translations read, “there was no more spirit in her”. The NIV says “she was overwhelmed”, while the Amplified Bible says, “she was breathless and overcome.” The similar aspect of these two passages is the use of the phrase “there was no more spirit”. There was no more spirit in the Canaanite and Amorite kings and there was no more spirit in the Queen of Sheba, and there was no more spirit in Rahab. All of these examples use the same Hebrew words. They were all hopeless at what was facing them. The most important aspect of these similarities is the fact of how each responded to their situation. The Queen of Sheba and Rahab got right with the one true God, while the Canaanite and Amorite kings went to war against Israel.

(1). Jesus said in Matthew 12:42 the queen of the south (Sheba) would rise in judgment against the generation that rejects Jesus and as the Apostle Paul relates in 1 Corinthians 6:2, that only the saints shall judge the world.

d). I conclude that God’s desired effect was the nations to hear of His great power and accept Him as the one true God.

(1). Romans 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 

(2). Romans 10:12-14 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

2. “…for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.”

a. for [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. [the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

c. [your] God [Strong: 430 'elohiym el-o-heem' plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.]

d. he [is] [Strong: 1931 huw' hoo of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.]

e. God [Strong: 430 'elohiym el-o-heem' plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.]

f. [in] heaven [Strong: 8064 shamayim shaw-mah'-yim dual of an unused singular shameh {shaw-meh'}; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve):--air, X astrologer, heaven(-s).]

g. above [Strong: 4605 ma`al mah'al from 5927; properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.:-- above, exceeding(-ly), forward, on (X very) high, over, up(-on, -ward), very.]

h. [and] in [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

i. earth [Strong: 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.]

j. beneath 8478 tachath takh'-ath from the same as 8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.:--as, beneath, X flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when...was mine, whereas, (where-)fore, with.]

1). Here is the purpose of God in all the supernatural demonstration, that the whole earth would hear and know the God of Israel is the one true God. He told Pharaoh that very thing.

a). Exodus 9:13-16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

9:14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

9:15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

2). As Scripture reveals, there was a large number of people who were not Israelites that also came out of Egypt it was a mixed multitude. Many of them were probably from mixed marriages of Israelite and Egyptian origin, others were Egyptian only and still others were from other nations who had been enslaved by the Egyptians.

a). Exodus 12:38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

b). Leviticus 24:10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and the son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp.

3). The Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans said the very same thing.

a). Romans 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

4). Paul goes on to give the reason that God’s name would be declared over the whole earth.

 

a). Romans 10:13, 14 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

5). The purpose was for the all the inhabitants of the earth to hear about the name of the one true God and be saved, yet in Jericho only Rahab believed and obeyed. The others in the city refused to believe.

a). Hebrews 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

b). It says here that Rahab perished not with them that “believed not”. The Greek word used here  for “believed not” is “apeitheo” [Strong: 544], and it means “not to allow one's self to be persuaded, to refuse or withhold belief, to refuse belief and obedience, not to comply with”. The people of Jericho refused to believe, they would not allow themselves to be persuaded. We must understand all of the events that the people of Jericho witnessed when Israel camped just 17 miles from their walls. They witnessed everything from Numbers 22 to Joshua 2. Rahab, along with the other citizens of Jericho and everyone around them witnessed the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. And of course heard what happened to Egypt forty years previous when Israel was delivered out of Egypt and what happened as they traveled in the wilderness during this time.