And before they were laid down ,.... Under the stalks of the flax; or rather, since they are said to be hid in them, before they were fallen asleep, so Kimchi and Abarbinel: she came up unto them upon the roof ; to acquaint them how things were, and to converse with them on the following subjects. read more
And she said unto the men ,.... The two spies: I know that the Lord hath given you the land ; the land of Canaan, of which she was an inhabitant, and in which they now were; this she knew either by some tradition that was among them; or by divine revelation, a supernatural impulse upon her mind: or by observing what the Lord had done already, in putting the land of the Amorites into their hands, which were one of the seven nations of Canaan; and by this it also appears, and more clearly... read more
For we have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt ,.... To make a passage for them through it, to walk in as on dry land; this they had heard of and remembered, though it was forty years ago: and what you did unto the kings of the Amorites that were on the other side Jordan : which were things more recent, done but a few months ago: Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed ; the history of which see in Numbers 21:21 ; who were... read more
And as soon as we had heard these things , our hearts did melt ,.... Particularly what were done to the two kings of the Amorites, who, and their people, were utterly destroyed, their goods made a prey of, and their countries seized upon and possessed: neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you ; they looked dejected in their countenances, had no heart to go about any business, trembled at the shaking of a leaf, or at the least rumour and report made that the... read more
Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord ,.... Which being a religious action, and done by men that feared the Lord, she knew it would be binding upon them: the Targum is,"swear to me by the Word of the Lord:" since I have showed you kindness ; by receiving them with peace into her house, and hiding them when inquired for and demanded of her; in doing which she risked her own, life, had this treachery to her country, as it would have been deemed, been discovered; that you... read more
And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters ,.... She makes no mention of any husband or children she had, as harlots seldom have, and which seems to confirm her character as such; and so Abarbinel observes, that her father's house is only mentioned to tell us that she had no husband, for she was an harlot and had no children, and puts her father and mother in the room of an husband, and her brethren and sisters in the room of children: and all... read more
And the men answered her ,.... The two spies: our life for yours ; or "our souls in your stead to die" F9 נפשנו תחתיכם למות "anima nostra pro vobis ad moriendum", Pagninus, Montanus. ; that is, we engage for the security of your lives, should they be in danger; we promise to die in your room and stead rather than you should: this they said not as though their lives would be required of them for them, but to assure her of the safety of her and her father's house, on the... read more
Then she let them down by a cord through the window ,.... Which must be large, and the cord strong, as well as she herself a masculine woman, to let down two men by it, unless she employed any of her servants in the affair; though this being so great a secrecy, it is probable she trusted none of her domestics with it as little as possible: in like manner the Apostle Paul was let down by the wall of Damascus in a basket, Acts 9:25 ; Jarchi supposes it was the same cord and window, by means... read more
And she said unto them, get ye unto the mountain ,.... Which was near to the city, and is supposed to be the same which is now called Quarantania: Dr. Shaw, a late traveller in those parts, says F13 Travels, p. 276. Ed. 2. , from the mountain Quarantania, the very same perhaps where the two spies concealed themselves, Joshua 2:16 , we have a distinct view of the land of the Amorites, of Gilead, and of Bashan, the inheritance of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and of the half tribe of... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 2:8-21
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... read more