J
O S H U A
CHAP. II.
In
this chapter we have an account of the scouts that were employed to bring an
account to Joshua of the posture of the city of
Jericho. Observe here, I. How
Joshua sent them, ver. 1. II. How Rahab received them, and protected them, and
told a lie for them (ver. 2-7), so that they escaped out of the hands of the
enemy. III. The account she gave them of the present posture of Jericho, and
the panic-fear they were struck with upon the approach of Israel, ver. 8-11.
IV. The bargain she made with them for the security of herself and her
relations in the ruin she saw coming upon her city, ver. 12-21. V. Their safe
return to Joshua, and the account they gave him of their expedition, ver.
22-24. And that which makes this story most remarkable is that Rahab, the
person principally concerned in it, is twice celebrated in the New Testament
as a great believer (Heb. xi. 31) and as one whose faith proved itself by good
works, James ii. 25.
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The
Two Spies and Rahab.
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B.
C. 1451.
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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 a harlot's house, named Rahab, and
lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying,
Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search
out the country. 3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab,
saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into
thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. 4 And
the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto
me, but I wist not whence they were: 5 And it came to pass about
the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out:
whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall
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 after them the way to Jordan unto
the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they
shut the gate.
In these verses we have,
I. The prudence of Joshua, in sending spies to observe this important pass,
which was likely to be disputed at the entrance of Israel into Canaan (v.
1). Go view the land, even Jericho. Moses had sent spies (Num. xiii.)
Joshua himself was one of them and it proved of ill consequence. Yet Joshua
now sent spies, not, as the former were sent, to survey the whole land, but
Jericho only; not to bring the account to the whole congregation, but to
Joshua only, who, like a watchful general, was continually projecting for the
public good, and, was particularly careful to take the first step well and not
to stumble at the threshold. It was not fit that Joshua should venture over
Jordan, to make his remarks incognito--in disguise; but he sends
two men (two young men, says the LXX.), to view the land, that from their
report he might take his measures in attacking Jericho. Observe, 1. There is
no remedy, but great men must see with other people's eyes, which makes it
very necessary that they be cautious in the choice of those they employ, since
so much often depends upon their fidelity. 2. Faith in God's promise ought not
to supersede but encourage our diligence in the use of proper means. Joshua is
sure he has God with him, and yet sends men before him. We do not trust God,
but tempt him, if our expectations slacken our endeavours. 3. See how ready
these men were to go upon this hazardous enterprise. Though they put their
lives in their hands yet they ventured in obedience to Joshua their general,
in zeal for the service of the camp, and in dependence upon the power of that
God who, being the keeper of Israel in general, is the protector of every
particular Israelite in the way of his duty.
II. The providence of God directing the spies to the house of Rahab. How they
got over Jordan we are not told; but into Jericho they came, which was about
seven or eight miles from the river, and there seeking for a convenient inn
were directed to the house of Rahab, here called a harlot, a woman that
had formerly been of ill fame, the reproach of which stuck to her name, though
of late she had repented and reformed. Simon the leper (Matt. xxvi. 6), though
cleansed from his leprosy, wore the reproach of it in his name at long as he
lived; so Rahab the harlot; and she is so called in the New Testament, where
both her faith and her good works are praised, to teach us, 1. That the
greatness of sin is no bar to pardoning mercy if it be truly repented of in
time. We read of publicans and harlots entering into the kingdom of the
Messiah, and being welcomed to all the privileged of that kingdom, Matt. xxi.
31. 2. That there are many who before their conversion were very wicked and
vile, and yet afterwards come to great eminence in faith and holiness. 3. Even
those that through grace have repented of the sins of their youth must expect
to bear the reproach of them, and when they hear of their old faults must
renew their repentance, and, as an evidence of that, hear of them patiently.
God's Israel, for aught that appears, had but one friend, but one well-wisher
in all Jericho, and that was Rahab a harlot. God has often served his own
purposes and his church's interests by men of different morals. Had these
scouts gone to any other house than this they would certainly have been
betrayed and put to death without mercy. But God knew where they had a friend
that would be true to them, though they did not, and directed them thither.
Thus that which seems to us most contingent and accidental is often over-ruled
by the divine providence to serve its great ends. And those that faithfully
acknowledge God in their ways he will guide with his eye. See Jer.
xxxvi. 19, 26.
III. The piety of Rahab in receiving and protecting these Israelites. Those
that keep public-houses entertain all comers, and think themselves obliged to
be civil to their guests. But Rahab showed her guests more than common
civility, and went upon an uncommon principle in what she did; it was by
faith that she received those with peace against whom her king and country
had denounced war, Heb. xi. 31. 1. She bade them welcome to her house; they
lodged there, though it appears by what she said to them (v. 9) she
knew both whence they came and what their business was. 2. Perceiving that
they were observed coming into the city, and that umbrage was taken at it, she
hid them upon the roof of the house, which was flat, and covered them with
stalks of flax (v. 6), so that, if the officers should come thither to
search for them, there they might lie undiscovered. By these stalks of flax,
which she herself had lain in order upon the roof to dry in the sun, in order
to the beating of it and making it ready for the wheel, it appears she had one
of the good characters of the virtuous woman, however in others of them she
might be deficient, that she sought wool and flax, and wrought willingly
with her hands, Prov. xxxi. 13. From this instance of her honest industry
one would hope that, whatever she had been formerly, she was not now a harlot.
3. When she was examined concerning them, she denied they were in her house,
turned off the officers that had a warrant to search for them with a sham, and
so secured them. No marvel that the king of Jericho sent to enquire after them
(v. 2, 3); he had cause to fear when the enemy was at his door, and his
fear made him suspicious and jealous of all strangers. He had reason to demand
from Rahab that she should bring forth the men to be dealt with as
spies; but Rahab not only disowned that she knew them, or knew where they
were, but, that no further search might be made for them in the city, told the
pursuers they had gone away again and in all probability might be overtaken, v.
4, 5. Now, (1.) We are sure this was a good work: it is canonized by the
apostle (James ii. 25), where she is said to be justified by works, and
this is specified, that she received the messengers, and sent them out
another way, and she did it by faith, such a faith as set her above the
fear of man, even of the wrath of the king. She believed, upon the report she
had heard of the wonders wrought for Israel, that their God was the only true
God, and that therefore their declared design upon Canaan would undoubtedly
take effect and in this faith she sided with them, protected them, and courted
their favour. Had she said, "I believe God is yours and Canaan yours, but
I dare not show you any kindness," her faith had been dead and inactive,
and would not have justified her. But by this it appeared to be both alive and
lively, that she exposed herself to the utmost peril, even of life, in
obedience to her faith. Note, Those only are true believers that can find in
their hearts to venture for God; and those that by faith take the Lord for
their God take his people for their people, and cast in their lot among them.
Those that have God for their refuge and hiding-place must testify their
gratitude by their readiness to shelter his people when there is occasion. Let
my outcasts dwell with thee, Isa. xvi. 3, 4. And we must be glad of an
opportunity of testifying the sincerity and zeal of our love to God by
hazardous services to his church and kingdom among men. But, (2.) There is
that in it which it is not easy to justify, and yet it must be justified, or
else it could not be so good a work as to justify her. [1.] It is plain that
she betrayed her country by harbouring the enemies of it, and aiding those
that were designing its destruction, which could not consist with her
allegiance to her prince and her affection and duty to the community she was a
member of. But that which justifies her in this is that she knew the Lord
had given Israel this land (v. 9), knew it by the incontestable
miracles God had wrought for them, which confirmed that grant; and her
obligations to God were higher than her obligations to any other. If she knew God
had given them this land, it would have been a sin to join with those that
hindered them from possessing it. But, since no such grant of any land to any
people can now be proved, this will by no means justify any such treacherous
practices against the public welfare. [2.] It is plain that she deceived the
officers that examined her with an untruth--That she knew not whence the men
were, that they had gone out, that she knew not whither they had gone. What
shall we say to this? If she had either told the truth or been silent, she
would have betrayed the spies, and this would certainly have been a great sin;
and it does not appear that she had any other way of concealing them that by
this ironical direction to the officers to pursue them another way, which if
they would suffer themselves to be deceived by, let them be deceived. None are
bound to accuse themselves, or their friends, of that which, though enquired
after as a crime, they know to be a virtue. This case was altogether
extraordinary, and therefore cannot be drawn into a precedent; and that my be
justified here which would be by no means lawful in a common case. Rahab knew,
by what was already done on the other side Jordan, that no mercy was to be
shown to the Canaanites, and thence inferred that, if mercy was not owing
them, truth was not; those that might be destroyed might be deceived. Yet
divines generally conceive that it was a sin, which however admitted of this
extenuation, that being a Canaanite she was not better taught the evil of
lying; but God accepted her faith and pardoned her infirmity. However it was
in this case, we are sure it is our duty to speak every man the truth to his
neighbour, to dread and detest lying, and never to do evil, that evil, that
good may come of it, Rom. iii. 8. But God accepts what is sincerely and
honestly intended, though there be a mixture of frailty and folly in it, and
is not extreme to mark what we do amiss. Some suggest that what she said might
possibly be true of some other men.
8 And before they were
laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 9 And she said
unto the men, I know that the LORD
hath given you the land, and that your terror is 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 ye came out of Egypt; and what
ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side
Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 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.
12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD,
since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my
father's house, and give me a true token: 13 And that ye
will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and
all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. 14 And the
men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And
it shall be, when the LORD
hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
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
unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide
yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may
ye go your way. 17 And the men said unto her, We will be
blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. 18
Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of
scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt
bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's
household, home unto thee. 19 And it shall be, that
whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall
be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be
with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any
hand be upon him. 20 And if thou utter this our business, then we
will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. 21
And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them
away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
The matter is here settled between Rahab and the spies respecting the service
she was now to do for them, and the favour they were afterwards to show to
her. She secures them on condition that they should secure her.
I. She gives them, and by them sends to Joshua and Israel, all the
encouragement that could be desired to make their intended descent upon
Canaan. This was what they came for, and it was worth coming for. Having got
clear of the officers, she comes up to them to the roof of the house
where they lay hid, finds them perhaps somewhat dismayed at the peril they
apprehended themselves in from the officers, and scarcely recovered from the
fright, but has that to say to them which will give them abundant
satisfaction. 1. She lets them know that the report of the great things God
had done for them had come to Jericho (v. 10), not only that they had
an account of their late victories obtained over the Amorites in the
neighbouring country, on the other side of the river, but that their
miraculous deliverance out of Egypt, and passage through the Red Sea, a great
way off, and forty years ago, were remembered and talked of afresh in Jericho,
to the amazement of every body. Thus this Joshua and his fellows were men
wondered at, Zech. iii. 8. See how God makes his wonderful works to be
remembered (Ps. cxi. 4), so that men shall speak of the might of his
terrible acts, Ps. cxlv. 6. 2. She tells them what impressions the tidings
of these things had made upon the Canaanites: Your terror has fallen upon
us (v. 9); our hearts did melt, v. 11. If she kept a
public house, this would give her an opportunity of understanding the sense of
various companies and of travellers from other parts of the country, so that
they could not know this any way better than by her information; and it would
be of great use to Joshua and Israel to know it; it would put courage into the
most cowardly Israelite to hear how their enemies were dispirited, and it was
easy to conclude that those who now fainted before them would infallibly fall
before them, especially because it was the accomplishment of a promise God had
made them, that he would lay the fear and dread of them upon all this land
(Deut. xi. 25), and so it would be an earnest of the accomplishment of all the
other promises God had made to them. Let not the stout man glory in his
courage, any more than the strong man in his strength; for God can weaken both
mind and body. Let not God's Israel be afraid of their most powerful enemies;
for their God can, when he pleases, make their most powerful enemies afraid of
them. Let none think to harden their hearts against God and prosper; for he
that made man's soul can at any time make the sword of his terrors approach to
it. 3. She hereupon makes profession of her faith in God and his promise; and
perhaps there was not found so great faith (all things considered), no,
not in Israel, as in this woman of Canaan. (1.) who believes God's power
and dominion over all the world (v. 11): "Jehovah your God, whom
you worship and call upon, is so far above all gods that he is the only true
God; for he is God in heaven above and in earth beneath, and is served
by all the hosts of both." A vast distance there is between heaven and
earth, yet both are equally under the inspection and government of the great
Jehovah. Heaven is not above his power, nor is earth below his cognizance.
(2.) She believes his promise to his people Israel (v. 9): I know
that the Lord hath given you the land. The king of Jericho had heard as
much as she had of the great things God had done for Israel, yet he cannot
infer thence that the Lord had given them this land, but resolves to hold it
out against them to the last extremity; for the most powerful means of
conviction will not of themselves attain the end without divine grace, and by
that grace Rahab the harlot, who had only heard of the wonders God had
wrought, speaks with more assurance of the truth of the promise made to the
fathers than all the elders of Israel had done who were eye-witnesses of those
wonders, many of whom perished through unbelief of this promise. Blessed
are those that have not seen, and yet have believed; so Rahab did. O
woman, great is thy faith!
II. She engaged them to take her and her relations under their protection,
that they might not perish in the destruction of Jericho, v. 12, 13.
Now, 1. It was an evidence of the sincerity and strength of her faith
concerning the approaching revolution in her country that she was so
solicitous to make an interest for herself with the Israelites, and courted
their kindness. She foresaw the conquest of her country, and in the belief of
that bespoke in time the favour of the conquerors. Thus Noah, being moved
with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, and the condemning of
the world, Heb. xi. 7. Those who truly believe the divine revelation
concerning the ruin of sinners, and the grant of the heavenly land to God's
Israel, will give diligence to flee from the wrath to come, and to lay hold of
eternal life, by joining themselves to God and to his people. 2. The provision
she made for the safety of her relations, as well as for her own, is a
laudable instance of natural affection, and an intimation to us in like manner
to do all we can for the salvation of the souls of those that are dear to us,
and, with ourselves, to bring them, if possible, into the bond of the
covenant. No mention is made of her husband and children, but only her
parents, and brothers, and sisters, for whom, though she was herself a
housekeeper, she retained a due concern. 3. Her request that they would swear
unto her by Jehovah is an instance of her acquaintance with the only true God,
and her faith in him and devotion towards him, one act of which is religiously
to swear by his name. 4. Her petition is very just and reasonable,
that, since she had protected them, they should protect her, and since her
kindness to them extended to their people, for whom they were now negotiating,
their kindness to her should take in all hers. It was the least they could do
for one that had saved their lives with the hazard of her own. Note, Those
that show mercy may expect to find mercy. Observe, She does not demand any
preferment by way of reward for her kindness to them, though they lay so much
at her mercy that she might have made her own terms, but only indents for her
Life, which in a general destruction would be a singular favour. Thus God
promised Ebed-Melech, in recompence for his kindness to Jeremiah, that in the
worst of times he should have his life for a prey, Jer. xxxix. 18. Yet
this Rahab was afterwards advanced to be a princess in Israel, the wife of
Salmon, and one of the ancestors of Christ, Matt. i. 5. Those that faithfully
serve Christ and suffer for him he will not only protect, but prefer, and will
do for them more than they are able to ask or think.
III. They solemnly engaged for her preservation in the common destruction (v.
14): "Our life for yours. We will take as much care of your lives
as of our own, and would as soon hurt ourselves as any of you." Nay, they
imprecate God's judgments on themselves if they should violate their promise
to her. She had pawned her life for theirs, and now they in requital pawn
their lives for hers, and (as public persons) with them they pawn the public
faith and the credit of their nation, for they plainly interest all Israel in
the engagement in those words, When the Lord has given us the land,
meaning not themselves only, but the people whose agents they were. No doubt
they knew themselves sufficiently authorized to treat with Rahab concerning
this matter, and were confident that Joshua would ratify what they did, else
they had not dealt honestly; the general law that they should make no covenant
with the Canaanites (Deut. vii. 2) did not forbid them to take under their
protection a particular person, that had heartily come into their interests
and had done them real kindnesses. The law of gratitude is one of the laws of
nature. Now observe here, 1. The promises they made her. In general, "We
will deal kindly and truly with thee, v. 14. We will not only be
kind in promising now, but true in performing what we promise; and not only
true in performing just what we promise, but kind in out-doing thy demands and
expectations." The goodness of God is often expressed by his kindness and
truth (Ps. cxvii. 2), and in both these we must be followers of him. In
particular, "If a hand be upon any in the house with thee, his blood
shall be on our head," v. 19. If hurt come through our
carelessness to those whom we are obliged to protect, we thereby contract
guilt, and blood will be found a heavy load. 2. The provisos and limitations
of their promises. Though they were in haste, and it may be in some confusion,
yet we find them very cautious in settling this agreement and the terms of it,
not to bind themselves to more than was fit for them to perform. Note,
Covenants must be made with care, and we must swear in judgment, lest we find
ourselves perplexed and entangled when it is too late after vows to make
enquiry. Those that will be conscientious in keeping their promises will
be cautious in making them, and perhaps may insert conditions which others may
think frivolous. Their promise is here accompanied with three provisos, and
they were necessary ones. They will protect Rahab, and all her relations
always, provided, (1.) That she tie the scarlet cord with which she was now
about to let them down in the window of her house, v. 18. This was to
be a mark upon the house, which the spies would take care to give notice of to
the camp of Israel, that no soldier, how hot and eager soever he was in
military executions, might offer any violence to the house that was thus
distinguished. This was like the blood sprinkled upon the door-post, which
secured the first-born from the destroying angel, and, being of the same
colour, some allude to this also to represent the safety of believers under
the protection of the blood of Christ sprinkled on the conscience. The same
cord that she made use of for the preservation of these Israelites was to be
made use of for her preservation. What we serve and honour God with we may
expect he will bless and make comfortable to us. (2.) That she should have all
those whose safety she had desired in the house with her and keep them there,
and that, at the time of taking the town, none of them should dare to stir out
of doors, v. 18, 19. This was a necessary proviso, for Rahab's
kindred could not be distinguished any other way than by being in her
distinguished house; should they mingle with their neighbours, there was no
remedy, but the sword would devour one as well as another. It was a reasonable
proviso that, since they were saved purely for Rahab's sake, her house should
have the honour of being their castle, and that, if they would not perish
with those that believed not, they should thus far believe the certainty
and severity of the ruin coming upon their city as to retire into a place made
safe by promise, as Noah into the ark and Lot into Zoar, and should save
themselves from this untoward generation, by separating from them. It was
likewise a significant proviso, intimating to us that those who are
added to the church that they may be saved must keep close to the society of
the faithful, and, having escaped the corruption that is in the world
through lust, must take heed of being again entangled therein. (3.) That
she should keep counsel (v. 14, 20): If thou utter this our
business, that is, "If thou betray us when we are gone, or if thou
make this agreement public, so as that others tie scarlet lines in their
windows and so confound us, then we will be clear of thy oath." Those are
unworthy of the secret of the Lord that know now how to keep it to
themselves when there is occasion.
IV. She then took effectual care to secure her new friends, and sent them
out another way, James ii. 25. Having fully understood the bargain they
made with her, and consented to it (v. 21), she then let them down
by a cord over the city wall (v. 15), the situation of her house
befriending them herein: thus Paul made his escape out of Damascus, 2 Cor. xi.
33. She also directed them which way to go for their own safety, being better
acquainted with the country than they were, v. 16. She directs them to
leave the high road, and abscond in the mountains till the pursuers returned,
for till then they could not safely venture over Jordan. Those that are in the
way of God and their duty may expect that Providence will protect them, but
this will not excuse them from taking all prudent methods for their own
safety. God will keep us, but then we must not wilfully expose ourselves.
Providence must be trusted, but not tempted. Calvin thinks that their charge
to Rahab to keep this matter secret, and not to utter it, was intended for her
safety, lest she, boasting of her security from the sword of Israel, should,
before they came to protect her, fall into the hands of the king of Jericho
and be put to death for treason: thus do they prudently advise her for her
safety, as she advised them for theirs. And it is good advice, which we should
at any time be thankful for, to take heed to ourselves.
22 And they went, and
came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were
returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but
found them not. 23 So the two men returned, and descended
from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and
told him all things that befell them: 24 And they said unto
Joshua, Truly the LORD
hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of
the country do faint because of us.
We have here the safe return of the spies Joshua had sent, and the great
encouragement they brought with them to Israel to proceed in their descent
upon Canaan. Had they been disposed to discourage the people, as the evil
spies did that Moses sent, they might have told them what they had observed of
the height and strength of the walls of Jericho, and the extraordinary
vigilance of the king of Jericho, and how narrowly they escaped out of his
hands; but they were of another spirit, and, depending themselves upon the
divine promise, they animated Joshua likewise. 1. Their return in safety was
itself an encouragement to Joshua, and a token for good. That God provided for
them so good a friend as Rahab was in an enemy's country, and that
notwithstanding the rage of the king of Jericho and the eagerness of the
pursuers they had come back in peace, was such an instance of God's great care
concerning them for Israel's sake as might assure the people of the divine
guidance and care they were under, which should undoubtedly make the progress
of their arms glorious. He that so wonderfully protected their scouts would
preserve their men of war, and cover their heads in the day of battle. 2. The
report they brought was much more encouraging (v. 24): "All the
inhabitants of the country, though resolved to stand it out, yet do
faint because of us, they have neither wisdom to yield nor courage to
fight," whence they conclude, "Truly the Lord has delivered into
our hands all the land, it is all our own; we have nothing to do, in
effect, but to take possession." Sinners' frights are sometimes sure
presages of their fall. If we resist our spiritual enemies they will flee
before us, which will encourage us to hope that in due time we shall be more
than conquerors.
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