Joshua 2: Rahab Hides Spies and Secures a Promise

Short answer: Joshua secretly sends two spies to Jericho, and a prostitute named Rahab hides them from the king's men. She confesses that Yahweh has given the land to Israel and asks for a sign that her family will be spared when the city falls.

What Joshua 2 says

Joshua secretly sends two men from Shittim to spy out Jericho. They enter the house of Rahab, a prostitute, and stay there. The king of Jericho learns that Israelite men have come to spy, so he sends word to Rahab demanding she bring them out. Instead, she hides the men and tells the king's messengers that the men left before the gate was shut, urging them to pursue quickly. She had actually taken the spies up to the roof and hidden them under stalks of flax. The pursuers go toward the Jordan fords, and the gate is shut behind them. This opening scene sets up a story of danger, deception, and unexpected protection.

Before the spies lie down, Rahab comes to them on the roof and speaks. She declares that she knows Yahweh has given the land to Israel, that fear has fallen on the inhabitants, and that all melt away before them. She recounts what they have heard about Yahweh drying up the Red Sea and about the destruction of Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan. Because of this, hearts melted and no spirit remained in anyone. She confesses that Yahweh their God is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. This confession is the theological center of the chapter, showing that even a Canaanite woman recognizes Yahweh's supreme power.

Rahab then asks the spies to swear by Yahweh that they will deal kindly with her father's house, since she has dealt kindly with them. She requests a true sign and asks that they save alive her father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, delivering them from death. The men agree, promising their life for hers if she does not reveal their business, and assuring her that when Yahweh gives them the land, they will deal kindly and truly with her. She lets them down by a cord through the window, since her house is on the city wall. She advises them to hide in the mountain for three days until the pursuers return. The men instruct her to tie a scarlet line in the window and gather her family inside, warning that anyone who goes into the street will bear their own blood, but they will be guiltless if harm comes to those inside. If she talks about their business, they will be free from the oath. She agrees and ties the scarlet line.

The spies go to the mountain and stay three days until the pursuers return. The pursuers search all along the way but do not find them. Then the two men descend, cross the river, and come to Joshua. They report all that happened and declare that truly Yahweh has delivered all the land into their hands, and all the inhabitants melt away before them. The chapter closes with confidence in Yahweh's promise, contrasting the fear of Jericho with the faith of Rahab and the assurance of the spies. It prepares the way for the conquest narrative that follows, highlighting that God's purposes include saving a Canaanite woman and her household through a covenant sign.

Verses that carry the chapter

• “Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” (Joshua 2:1) They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there.” (Joshua 2:1) — This verse initiates the mission and introduces Rahab, whose house becomes the place of refuge. It sets the stage for the entire episode of spying and salvation.
• “She said to the men, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.” (Joshua 2:9) — Rahab's declaration that she knows Yahweh has given the land and that fear has fallen on the inhabitants reveals that the news of God's acts has already produced terror. It shows that the battle is already won in the hearts of the people.
• “As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:11) — This verse contains Rahab's confession that Yahweh is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. It is a high point of faith from an unexpected source, affirming God's universal sovereignty.
• “Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household.” (Joshua 2:18) — The scarlet line is given as a sign to mark the house where Rahab's family will be safe. It becomes a tangible token of the oath and a means of deliverance from destruction.

Gospel connection

The story of Rahab points forward to the gospel in several ways. Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute, is saved by faith and is included in the lineage of Jesus, as Matthew's genealogy records. Her confession that Yahweh is God in heaven and on earth anticipates the universal worship of the true God. The scarlet line in the window, a sign of the oath, resembles the blood of the Passover lamb that marked Israelite homes for deliverance. Just as Rahab and her family were saved from destruction by trusting in the sign and staying inside the house, so believers are saved through faith in Christ, who is the greater sign of God's covenant mercy. The spies' promise to deal kindly and truly with Rahab reflects God's covenant loyalty, which culminates in Jesus, the one who saves all who call on him, regardless of background.

Application

This chapter asks readers to consider where they place their trust when danger and uncertainty press in. Rahab, an outsider with a questionable past, heard about God's mighty acts and responded with faith, risking her life to protect the spies. She did not wait until she had all the answers or until her circumstances were safe. In the same way, we are invited to act on what we know of God, even when it costs us. The scarlet line was a simple act of obedience that secured her family's safety. Our obedience may also look small, but it can be the means by which God delivers others. The chapter also challenges us to examine whether we truly believe that God is sovereign over all the earth, as Rahab did, and whether our lives reflect that confidence in practical, sacrificial love.

Biblical fidelity check

The chapter does not claim that Rahab's deception was morally justified or that God commanded it. It simply reports what she did and how God used it. The text does not tell us whether the spies fully understood God's plan or whether they were certain of success beyond what Rahab said. It does not describe the fate of the other inhabitants of Jericho or how the conquest would unfold. It does not explain how Rahab knew about the Red Sea and the Amorite kings, though it implies news had spread. It does not state that Rahab became a believer in the fuller sense or that she joined Israel at that moment. It does not give the names of the spies or the king of Jericho. It does not specify how much time passed between the spies' escape and the fall of Jericho. The text is silent on Rahab's later life and on the details of her family's escape.

Questions for study

1. Why do you think Joshua sent spies secretly, and what does that reveal about the situation in Jericho?
2. Rahab hid the spies and lied to the king's men. How do we evaluate her actions in light of the rest of Scripture?
3. What specific things had Rahab heard about Yahweh, and how did that knowledge affect her and her people?
4. What does Rahab's request for a sign and her concern for her family show about her understanding of the situation?
5. How does the scarlet line function as a sign, and what does it mean for Rahab's family to be gathered inside the house?

Keep reading

Related studies: Joshua 10 Bible Study, Joshua 11 Bible Study, Joshua 12 Bible Study, Joshua 13 Bible Study.

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FAQ

Who was Rahab and why is she important in this chapter?

Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho who hid the Israelite spies and confessed faith in Yahweh. She is important because she protected the spies and secured a promise of safety for her family, and she is later included in Jesus' genealogy.

What did Rahab know about Yahweh and how did she know it?

Rahab knew that Yahweh had given the land to Israel and had dried up the Red Sea and destroyed Sihon and Og. She knew this because the news had spread among the inhabitants of Jericho, causing great fear.

What was the sign that Rahab was to use, and what did it mean?

The sign was a scarlet line tied in the window through which she let the spies down. It marked her house so that when Israel attacked, her family would be spared, and it served as a token of the oath the spies made to her.