Joshua 2

Joshua 2:1-7

In this chapter we have an account of the spies Joshua sent, ver. 1.

2. How Rahab received and protested them, ver. 2—7. 3. The account the gave them of the present papers of Jericho, ver. 8—11.

3. The keepers do made oath them for the journey of benefit and her relations, ver. 12—21. 5. Their safe return to Joshua, and the account they gave him of their expedition, ver. 12—24.

4. AND Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shitim 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. 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 will not whence they were: 5. And it came to pass about the time of floating of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went, I was not purse 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 flux, which

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the had laid in order upon the roof. 7. And the men purfued after them the way to Jordan, unto the fords: and as soon as they which purfued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.

Joshua, as a wise leader, though affured of God’s protection, uses those prudential means which might most rationally endure success. 1. He sends out spies to get information concerning the easiest method for his intended attack on Jericho. We must not tempt God by a neglect of the means, though we must must him for the success of every enterprise. 2. The spies with ready obedience undertake the dangerous service, and as all good soldiers ought to do, put their lives in their hands, rends Jordan, secretly enter Jericho by night, and take up their abode at an harbor’s house, whose name was Rahab. A woman whose conduct had justly deferred to be figurated, yet who is more distinguished by the choice of sovereign grace among the eminent vessels of mercy. Note, (1.) The wife must not despair; the grace of God knows no difference; it is grace abounding to the chief of sinners. (2.) The remembrance of what we were, should serve to affect our minds more deeply with thankfulness to God, for what, through grace, we are. 3. Rahab very kindly entertains and protects them. They had not entered Jericho quite unperceived. Suspicion of their design had raised a search after them, and had they not found so hospitable a friend, they were in the most imminent danger. But Rahab having heard and believed the report of God’s promise to Israel, resolved, at all hazards, to secure them, which she did under the flax, which lay on the flat roof of her house; and with a lie, which nothing could excuse, betray her country, and deceive the inquisitors. It was by faith, we are affured, she concealed the spies: an action which the Holy Christ has marked as highly commendable, though there appears in the means she used much to condemn. Learn hence, (1.) There may be true and justifying faith where much corruption still works, and sin in some instance prevails. (2.) The hazard she herself ran in this concealment, shewed the fenness of her confidence in the divine promise to Israel. They who truly believe, will risk all for God, and not count their very lives dear unto them. (3.) We must not hastily call out, as repudiates, those whom in some actions we cannot but condemn: they may be found in faith, though Satan have gained advantage in a trying time against them.

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 you came out of Egypt; and what you did unto the two kings of the Americas that were on the other side Jordan, Sion and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11. And as soon as we had heard their kings, our hearts did melt, neither I 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 purifiers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the purifiers 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 shalt 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, this 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.

Joshua 2:8-21

Having happily succeeded in her stratagem on the men of Jericho, whilst they were gone on their pursuit, Rahab comes up to her concealed guests; and,

1. Informs them of the dread and terror the people of the land were under, because of them. The same of God’s wonders in Egypt, and in the land of Gilad and Bafra, had gone before them, and, more than half conquered by their fears, the hearts of the Canadians already fanned at their approach: and convinced herself of God’s power and faithfulness, to give them the land, the makes protection of her faith, which could not but mightily conduce to disruption theirs. God had given them the land, and they had nothing more to do, than come up and possess it. Note, (1.) God can feed his tenets to the hearts of his enemies, so that the bidders shall tremble with panic fear. (2.) It is a great help to confirm the faith of the weak, to hear the encouraging provisions of their believing brethren. (3.) Faith is a distinguishing gift of God; though all Jericho heard the same report, Rahab alone effectually received it. Thus where the gospel is preached, sometimes one, and that too perhaps the most unlikely person in the congregation, hears and believes, whilst the rest continue an impanement and inflict an before.

2. Rahab engages them to afford her protection, on the approaching ruin of her country; she knew the certain destruction, and was falterance to provide against it. With a tender concern for her relations, she would secure them with herself, and requests them, by an oath, to endure their lives with her own, as a just consequence for her care of them. Note, (1.) Faith which foresaw the ruin of the ungodly, will urge us to save ourselves from among them. (2.) They who have a concern about their own souls, cannot but be exceedingly follicitous for those of their own house. (3.) The lives that are jeopardized for Christ’s service, shall be secured by his care.

3. They readily consent to her request, and confirm it by an oath, to take the same care of her life as their own, which indeed they owed to her concealment, to deal kindly with her beyond her requests, and to see that no violence should be offered to any under her roof; with this proviso, that she complied with the instructions which they gave her, which were to conceal the whole of what had passed; to tie the scarlet cord by which they were let down, in her window, as a mark upon her house; and to suffer none within her doors to go out, least they should fall in the promiscuous laughter. Note, (1.) When we swear, it must be with caution, inferring every needful proviso, least afterwards we should be enslaved by the words of our lips. (2.) The blood of Christ upon the believer’s heart, is as this scarlet cord upon Rahab’s house, a protection from the sword of the destroyer. (3.) They must not mingle with the world which loth in wickedness, who would not be condemned with it.

4. Being let down by the wall, and following the advice she gave them, after hiding themselves three days in the mountains till their pursuits were returned, the spies hasten to the camp, and Rahab binds the cord in the window, that she might be ready for the approaching event. Note, (1.) Produce means are to be used for our safety, when we are most truly trusting our all with God. (2.) We must make no delay to get the blood of sprinkling on our conscience, that so we may never be surprised unaware by death or danger.

5. And they went and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the purifiers were returned. And the purifiers fought 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 befel 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.

Joshua 2:16-18

10. ¶ Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11. Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it. 12. ¶ And to the Rechencies, and to the Gaddies, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, 13. Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land: 14. Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them: 15. Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth

them: * then ye shall return unto the land of your possessions, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD’s servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sun-rising.

b. 10—15. No sooner hath God done commanding, than Joshua, as a faithful servant, begins obeying. 1. He offers forth orders to prepare for the march. Manna they had for bread, but as they were now in a land where cattle abounded, they might provide must for their hosts, as on the influence of impasse, the enemy would probably remove their cattle to the other places. Proclamation is made, that within three days they should pass over Jordan, and possess the land which Joshua speaks of with the fullest confidence, and in so doing, could not but greatly encourage them. This proclamation forms to have been issued after the thirty days mourning was ended, and just as, or immediately after the return of the spies mentioned Chap. II. Nate, We ought to speak confidently of the fulfilment of God’s promises, that by our own faith we may strengthen our brethren. 2. The two tribes and half, though they had their statements on this side Jordan, must, according to agreement, pass over before their brethren. They must not quit them, till they were comfortably settled also. Nate, The interests of God’s Hear must be made our own, and we must be ready to share their warfare, and to seek their rest as our own.

16. ¶ Add they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us, we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. 17. According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD may God be with thee, as he was with Moses. 18. Whosoever he do that does rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words, in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.

The heads of these tribes readily acknowledge their obligations, and profess their willingness to go with their brethren, and be obedient to him as they had been to Moses, to go and do whatsoever he should command them. Nate, They who have taken the Lord Jesus for their master, will yield a ready and willing obedience to his word, and submission to his providences. They add also, 1. An earnest prayer for his success, and a profession of their trust, that God would be with him, as he was with Moses. Nate, (1.) Ministers and magistrates should have continually an interest in our prayers. Their blessing is in effect our own. (2.) The mercy, which saith affirms us we shall obtain, we are not the less bound to pray for. 2. They make an act, that rebellion against his commands should be death. The man who refused to go over Jordan with his brethren, deserved not to live so enjoy his own possessions. Accordingly forty thousand of them, being as many as Joshua sheds, or were needed, went over to war, the rest staying at his command, to guard their conquests. 3. They encourage him to lead the way, and therein profess their cheatshires to follow him as to certain victory. Nate, It is a great encouragement to ministers to see the people hearty, and strengthening their hands in their work and labours.

Joshua 2:22-24

The spies being returned in safety, make a faithful report of their expedition, the happy incident of Rahab’s kindness, and the dread and terror of the people, affording gathering from thence the conquest of the land, and encouraging their brethren to go up without delay. Note, (1.) The fears of sinners are the prefaces of their approaching ruin. (2.) They may comfortably and confidently go up against their spiritual enemies, who have God’s promises of victory to encourage them.