B C 2:1-24. Joshua's two spies.
D 3:1–5:12. Jordan. The passage of it.
C 5:13-15. Yahaveh's one Captain.
D 6:1–7:26. Jericho. The taking of it.
C e 1-. Their mission.
f -1-22. Events. Their happening.
e 23-. Their return.
f -23,24. Events. Their narration.1451 B.C.
Joshua 2)
1: And Joshua (He had been one of the 12 spies himself. Num. 13:8,16.) the son of Nun had sent (see 1:11, cp. 1:2) out of Shittim (Heb. = the acacias) two men to spy secretly, saying, “Go and view the land, even Jericho” (In Num. 11 time Yerecho. Here Yericho. Showing difference in authorship).
f g -1. The Spies. Their arrival.
h 2-7. Search of king.
g 8-22-. The Spies. Entertainment.
h -22. Search of king.
And they went, and came to Jericho and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab (see Matt. 1:5. Heb. 11:31. Jas. 2:25), and lodged there.
2: And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, there came men in to this place to night of the sons of Israel to search out the country.”
3: And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring forth the men that are come to you, which are entered into your house: for they come to search out all the country.” (some codices omit "all")
4: And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, “There came men to me, but I knew not from which place they were:” (it is this record that is inspired, not the act and words of Rahab)
5: And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: to which place the men went I know not: pursue after them quickly; for you all shall overtake them.”
6: But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax (Heb. =flax of stalks. Flax now ripe: just before Passover. Cp. Ex. 9:31 with Josh. 4:19; 5:10), which she had laid in order upon the roof.
7: And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan to the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
g i k 8-14. Treaty with Rahab.
l 15. Dismissal of Spies.
m 16. Advice given.
i k 17-21-. Treaty with Rahab.
l -21. Dismissal of Spies.
m 22-. Advice taken.
8: And before they were laid down, she came up to them upon the roof;
9: And she said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land (Faith's conclusion from what she had heard, vv.10,11. Corresponds with Sarah's "she judged" in Heb. 11:11), and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you (cp. v.11).
10: For we have heard (this is the "ground" [Heb. 11:1] of faith. Cp. Rom. 10:17) how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you (cp. Ex. 14:21), when you all came out of Egypt; and what you all did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan (this written in the Land. Cp. Num. 21:31), Sihon and Og, whom you all utterly destroyed.
11: And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt (cp. Ex.15:14,15. Prophecy fulfilled), neither did there remain (Heb. = rise up) any more courage in any man (Heb. ruach, spirit), 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 to me by the Lord, since I have showed you kindness, that you all will also show kindness to my father's house, and give me a true token (note the "ands" in vv.12,13, showing the earnestness of the appeal):
13: And that you all 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.” (Heb. "souls")
14: And the men answered her, “Our life for yours, if you utter not this our business. And it shall be, when Yehovah has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.” (= in loving-kindness and faithfulness. Perhaps Fig. Hendiadys, "in true loving-kindness)
15: Then she let them down by a cord through the window (= the rope. Cp. Septuagint here with Acts 9:25. and 2 Cor. 11:35. Cp. 1 Cor. 11:10): for her house was upon the town wall (= built into the homah, i.e. the outer or lower wall), and she dwelt upon the wall (= in the kir; i.e. the inner or higher wall).
16: And she said to 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 you all go your way.”
17: And the men said to her, “We will be blameless of this you oath which you have made us swear.
18: Behold, when we come into the land, you shall bind this line (Heb. "rope", put for the line which was taken of it) of scarlet thread in the window which you did let us down through (referring to the window. Cp. v.21): and you shall gather your father, and your mother, and your brethren, and all your father's household, to the house to you (the "line" was outside, for Joshua to see; not for the inmates. Cp. Ex. 12:13, "When I see, &c." So the ground of our assurance is not experienced within, but the token outside).
19: And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
20: And if you utter this our business, then we will be quit of your oath which you have made us to swear.”
21: And she said, “According to your words, so be it.”
And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
22: And they went, and came to 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,
25th or 26th March, 1451 B.C.
and told him all things that befell them:
24: And they said to Joshua, “Truly the Lord has delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.”