Joshua 2

Vcr. X -A-ND Joshua the son of Nun sent.* Or had sent, before the directions given to the officers, mentioned in the foregoing chapter, ver. 10, 11. which best agrees.with the twenty-second verse of this chapter, and the rest of the story. Out ofShittim.] Which was in the plains of Moab, where Israel now lay, (Deut. xxxiv. 1.) called Abcl-Shittim, Numb, xxxiii. 49. Two men;] Which were sufficient for the business they went about. To spy secretly.] So that none were privy to it among the Israelites but Joshua; >vho, it is probable, did not send them without an order from God, who intended to dispose things so, that they sh6uld bring back to him a great encouragement to his faith. Saying, Go view the land.] Not the whole country of* Canaan, but only that part of it which lay about Jericho, as it herefollows: whose fortifications they were to observe, and the approaches to it, with the strength that was in it, • f,;ii And they went] Over the Tords of Jordan, I suppose, mentioned ver. 7. And came into a harlot’s house, called Rahab*] Who kept a public house, or an inn, to entertain strangers: by going into which, they thought they would be less suspected of any design. The word zqnah, which is commonly translated a harlot, the Chaldee paraphrase Tenders pundakit ha; which is plainly the Greek word EEavSoxfo, signifying she kept a house of public reception. And so St. Chrysostom* calls this woman, in his second sermon of repentance, TravSoxcvrptav* for there is no doubt she kept a public house. But such persons, in those days, made their bodies as public as their houses; and, therefore, she is constantly • called Rahab the harlot by the ancients; and even by two apostles, who call her iropvr), (Hcb. xi. 21. James ii. 25.) For so she had been, though now, it is probable, converted by the faith’ which was wrought in her. Which was.so • eminent, that she was not only admitted into the society of God’s" people, but married into a noble family of the tribe of Judah, from whom Christ sprung, (Matt. i. 5.) and is propounded as an example of lively faith unto all Christians, (Hcb. xi. 31. James ii. 25.) And lodged there.] Took up their lodging in her house, by a Divine direction, as appeared afterward. • Vcr.- 2. And-it was told the king of Jericho.] Who was not negligent, we may well think, to set a watch to observe who came in and -went out of the city. Saying, Behold, there camemen in hither to-night.] In the evening, which was the most proper time to (Some into the city undiscovered, because then the people, whose business lay out of the city, wero gencra^y going home to their own houses. Of the children of Israel.] As they judged by their habit, or language, or aspect. To search out the country.] For they could not think they came for any other end.

Joshua 2:3

And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, ivhich entered into thy house: for they be come to search out all the country. Ho sentsomo officers with a warrant to apprehend them, and to require her to deliver them up into their hands, as enemies of their country. Vcr. 4. And the woman took the two’ men, and hid them.y Or rather had hidden them before the officers came; having heard, it is likely, a rumour that they wero discovered, and search would be.made for them.. And said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were.] She could not deny that she received such strange guests, but would not own that she knew from what country they came; nor was it her business to make such inquiry, her house being open unto all.

Joshua 2:5

Audit came to pass,about the time of shutting of the gate. The gate of the city, next to her house, whichwas wont to be shut (as they arc now in all well-governed cities) at a certain hour. When it teas dark.’] And consequently few or none stirring in the streets. The men went oirf; whither they went I wot not.] She would have them think they went both out of the house, and out of the city; though she knew not which way they went, it being dark. • Pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake tJiem.] Yet it was so little a while since they went out, that she would have them believe they could not, if they made * haste, but overtake them before they got over Jordan. For if they were Israelites, it might be certainly concluded they went that way. Nobody can say that Rahab did not tell an untruth; but this may be said in her excuse: that it isno wonder if. she thought it lawful, if not necessary, so to do, for the saving of the life of innocent men. Since se-/ veral great philosophers have been of* that opinion, and * some of the ancient fathers of the church; particularly St. ■ Austin confesses it to be a very difficult question, cap. xv.: * ad Consentinum: and Arius Montanus upon this very, place, [makes it one’s duty to elude thoso who we think intend to do mischief to others: which he pretends to justify by many examples, in a discourse concerning Men’s; true and certain Duties. But that is too bold an under-* taking; since the fathers before St. Austin, and all the Jews, condemn this practice.

Joshua 2:6

But she brought them up, &c. Or rather, she had brought them up to the roof of the house. AVhich was made; flat, so that men might lie or walk upon it in those countries. (See Deut. xxii. 8.) And hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid, in order upon the roof] Covered them air over with* the; stalks of flax, which I suppose were newly cut, and laidupon the roof of the house to be dried by the sun, till they, wcrd fit to be peeled. Or, as some think, these were stalks of ilax cut the year before; and made use of now to shew- I11I&.UM mS J " ffwf ^^w^^I I K_V CHAP. II.) UPON JOSHUA. that nobody was gone upon the roof, where she laid them.

Joshua 2:7

And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan, unto the fords. Where Jordan was so shallow that men might wade, or so narrow that they might soon swim over it. There the pursuers lay three days, waiting to catch them in their return. And as soon as they which pursued them were gone out, they shut the gate.) Which, being opened to let the pursuers out, was immediately shut again; that if the spies lurked in the city, they might not escape in the dark; and that no other person might enter, who they might possibly think lay watchfng an opportunity to get in.

Joshua 2:8

And, before they were laid down. To compose themselves to sleep; which after their journey they might be glad to take any where. She came up tinto them upon the roof] To bring them down, it is likely, to a more commodious lodging.

Joshua 2:9

And she said unto the men, I knoiv that the Lord hath given you the land. Wonder not that I have taken such care of your preservation; for I believe in the Lord as you do, and know that he hath bestowed this country upon you for your possession. And that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inJutbitants’of the land faint because of you.] She was’the more confident of their success; because she observed the people of the land were struck with such a dread of them, as not to be able to defend their country against them. (See Deut. xi. 25.)

Joshua 2:10

For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you, when you came out of Egypt. And there overthrew Pharaoh and his host, after he had smitten him and his country with divers miraculous plagues. The report of which was come to them, as well as their passing through the sea: which, though it was forty years ago, was remembered with astonishment. And what you did unto the two kings of the Amorites that w ere on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og,tvho?n ye utterly destroyed*] This was a thing of fresh memory, and could not but strike them with consternation; these two kings being very potent; and their near neighbours and allies. For they were part of the Amorites, who dwelt in the mountainous parts of this country; as was before observed. Ver; 11. And as soon as tve heard these things.~\ As Moses prophesied they would, (Exod. xv. 14, 15.) Our hearts did melt.’] The same phrase in Deut. i. 28. where we translate it discouraged; and so it is here explained in the next words. Neither did there remain any more courage in any man because of you.] The most valiant among them were utterly disheartened.. For the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath.] This is a plain confession of the true God, the creator of heaven and earth; wherein he rules and governs all things according to his pleasure. This is her faith celebrated by the apostle to the Hebrews, which moved her to entertain the spies, and to preserve them with the danger of her own, life, if she had been discovered.

Joshua 2:12

Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord. The Targum hath it, by the Word of the Lord. An oath was the greatest security that could be desired for (he performance of what they promised. For allnations expected grievous punishments would fall upon perjured persons; which they that feared the Lord, the true God, above all men dreaded. (See Selden, lib. ii. de Synedr. cap. 11. n^ 4.) Since I have shewed you kindness.] As they could not but acknowledge. That ye tvill also shew kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token.] She asked two things of them; first, that she and her whole family might be preserved, as she had preserved them; and then, that they would give her such a token, as should not fail her; but upon the sight of it, the Israelites should abstain from doing them any hurt.

Joshua 2:13

And that you tvill save alive my father and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters:. This is a particular explication of what she meant by her father’s house, in the foregoing verse; and shews that she had no husband; nor children. And all they have, &c] All her kindred, as we translate* it, vi. 23. Or the children of her brethren and sisters: or, perhaps, all their cattle, that they could bring with them into her house.

Joshua 2:14

And the men answered her, Our life for yours. They sware to* her (it appears from ver. J 7.) and wished they might perish, if they did not preserve her and her family. For they did not doubt but Joshua would ratify what they promised; though without his authority, for the public good and safety. Jfye utter not.] Do not divulge or declare to anyone. This our business.] In the Hebrew, this our word; i. e. this agreement they had made with her. Lest others should shelter themselves under her roof, or use that token they intended to give her; and thereby secure themselves from destruction. In this they shewed great prudence and management; taking care that their gratitude might not prove an obstruction to the public justice. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we tvill deal kindly and truly with thee.] Upon this condition, they promise, when they had taken Jericho, (for that is here meant by the land, ver. 1.) they would keep their word faithfully with her, and be as kind to her as she had been to them.

Joshua 2:15

Then she let them down’ by a cord, through the window. Which in those countries were large, as appears by the story of Jezebel, whom her eunuchs threw down out of a window, 2 Kings ix. 30. 33. For her house tvas upon the town-iuall.] Both the time (which was in the night) and the place were very commodious to contrive their escape; because her house was adjoining to the wall of the city. And she dwelt upon the wall.] I take the meaning to be, that the apartment she reserved for herself was next to the wall,* and built upon it; the rest of her house towards the street being kept for strangers. This gave her the fair opportunity, without any noise, to let them clown. Vcv.lG. And she said unto them, Get ye to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you.] This was prudent advice; not to go towards Jordan presently, but first to one of the mountains, wherewith the plain of Jericho was surrounded, as Josephus tells us: (lib. i. de Bello Judaico, cap. 12, 13. and lib. v. cap t 4.) and the Scripture itself informs us as much, 2 Kings ii. 15, 16. -