Joshua 6:22
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Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Joshua opened the campaign with the siege of Jericho, a city which could not trust so much to the courage of its people as to act offensively, and to send out its forces to oppose Israel's landing and encamping, but trusted so much to the strength of its walls as to stand upon its defence, and not to surrender, or desire conditions of peace. Now here we have the story of the taking of it, I. The directions and assurances which the captain of the Lord's host gave concerning it (Jos 6:1-5). II. The trial of the people's patient obedience in walking round the city six days (Jos 6:6-14). III. The wonderful delivery of it into their hands the seventh day, with a solemn charge to them to use it as a devoted thing (Jos 6:15-21 and Jos 6:24). IV. The preservation of Rahab and her relations (Jos 6:22, Jos 6:23, Jos 6:25). V. A curse pronounced upon the man that should dare to rebuild this city (Jos 6:26, Jos 6:27). An abstract of this story we find among the trophies of faith, Heb 11:30. "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days."
Open source ↗6:22-23 The two spies fulfilled Joshua’s command and their oath to Rahab. Through the actions of God’s people, a pagan household saw that God is trustworthy. • the prostitute’s house: See study note on 2:1. • Moving Rahab and her family near the camp of Israel provided security.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.
Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.
who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,
He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land,
‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke.
And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)