Rahab appeared just before the Israelites battle Jericho, in the well known wall-of-Jericho story. She found herself interacting with the two spies sent by Joshua to scout the land in preparation for their imminent take-over. Her response and actions in this situation led to lasting impacts in both her family, and eventually, in the life of our Lord and Christ.
When the king of Jericho heard that the spies were in his city, he ordered them to be brought to him. Rahab, an in-keeper/prostitute in the city, protected the spies by hiding them on her roof. She had mentioned to them that the citizens of Jericho were fearful of the Israelites ever since they defeated the Egyptians in the Red Sea miracle (about 40 years prior)¹. She agreed to help them escape, provided that she and her family were spared in the upcoming battle. The spies agreed to her request, on condition that: 1) she distinguished her house from the others by hanging a red rope out of the window; 2) she kept her family inside the house during the battle; and 3) she did not later turn on the spies.
Rahab’s house was built into Jericho’s wall, so she let them down by a rope through a window. She advised the spies to “Escape to the hill country, …Hide there for three days from the men searching for you. Then, when they have returned, you can go on your way.” (Josh. 2:16). They did just that and returned safely to their camp. Eventually, Jericho was completely destroyed, and every man, woman, and child in it was killed. Only Rahab and her family were spared.
Ultimately, Rahab married Salmon, an Israelite from the tribe of Judah. Her son was Boaz, the husband of Ruth. Joseph, the father of Jesus, was her descendant too. She is therefore one of three women mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus (Matt 1:5–6), each with a scandalous sexual history*². Rahab’s faith and bravery are also noted in other parts of the Bible.
By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. (Heb 11:31)
Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. (James 2:25).
Rahab was introduced in the Bible as a prostitute/harlot or inn-keeper (which in those days meant a prostitute). She was not only a Canaanite, marked for annihilation (Deut 20:17), but also a prostitute who was on the social and physical margins of society, living within the city’s walls. She was a real outsider who bore witness to the true God: she “knew” Yahweh is lord of heaven and earth and that the land of Canaan belonged to the Israelites (Josh 2:9–11). Her conversation with the spies showed that she understood and recognized the power of their God.
Her story also showed allusions to the exodus story, further elevating her status as a woman of faith:
- her speech echoed Moses’ and Miriam’s song of deliverance (Ex 15);
- she resisted the murderous order of a king, just like the Hebrew midwives (Ex 1:15–17) and
- a red marker protected her home, just as it did Hebrew homes in the final plague (Ex 12:13)¹.
Rahab also hid the men under the flax drying on her roof (2:4), where a similar word (tizpeno) to the one in Ex 2:2 for Moses’s mother hiding (tizpenehu) him³ was used.
To others, Rahab betrayed her king and country in order to save herself and her family, and her confession of faith was more strategic than holy. After all, it seems that she provided the spies with just the right words that Joshua needed to hear: her words in Josh 2:11 influenced the spies account to Joshua in Josh 2:24².
Was Rahab just looking out for herself and her family or was she truly expressing her faith in Israel’s God?
* Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba’s names are recorded in Jesus’ genealogy. We’ll come to see why the stories of the other two may be considered scandalous when we take another look.
References
- GotQuestions. (n.d.). Who was Rahab in the Bible? GotQuestions.org. Retrieved March 14, 2021, from https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Rahab.html
- O’Brien, J. M. (n.d.). Rahab. Bible Odyssey. Retrieved March 14, 2021, from https://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/places/related-articles/rahab
- Frymer-Kensky, T. (2009, February 27). Rahab: Bible. Jewish Women’s Archive. Retrieved March 14, 2021, from https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/rahab-bible
