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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
J O S H U A
CHAP. II.
In this chapter we have an account of the scouts that were employed to
bring an account to Joshua of the posture of the city of Jericho.
Observe here,
I. How Joshua sent them,
II. How Rahab received them, and protected them, and told a lie for
them
(ver. 2-7),
so that they escaped out of the hands of the enemy.
III. The account she gave them of the present posture of Jericho, and
the panic-fear they were struck with upon the approach of Israel,
IV. The bargain she made with them for the security of herself and her
relations in the ruin she saw coming upon her city,
V. Their safe return to Joshua, and the account they gave him of their
expedition,
And that which makes this story most remarkable is that Rahab, the
person principally concerned in it, is twice celebrated in the New
Testament as a great believer
and as one whose faith proved itself by good works,
| The Two Spies and Rahab. | B. C. 1451. |
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1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy
secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went,
and came into a 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 wist not whence they were:
5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate,
when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I
wot not: pursue 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 flax, which she had laid in order upon
the roof.
7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the
fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone
out, they shut the gate.
In these verses we have,
I. The prudence of Joshua, in sending spies to observe this important
pass, which was likely to be disputed at the entrance of Israel into
Canaan
(v. 1).
Go view the land, even Jericho. Moses had sent spies
Joshua himself was one of them and it proved of ill consequence. Yet
Joshua now sent spies, not, as the former were sent, to survey the
whole land, but Jericho only; not to bring the account to the whole
congregation, but to Joshua only, who, like a watchful general, was
continually projecting for the public good, and, was particularly
careful to take the first step well and not to stumble at the
threshold. It was not fit that Joshua should venture over Jordan, to
make his remarks incognito—in disguise; but he sends two
men (two young men, says the LXX.), to view the land, that from
their report he might take his measures in attacking Jericho. Observe,
1. There is no remedy, but great men must see with other people’s eyes,
which makes it very necessary that they be cautious in the choice of
those they employ, since so much often depends upon their fidelity.
2. Faith in God’s promise ought not to supersede but encourage our
diligence in the use of proper means. Joshua is sure he has God with
him, and yet sends men before him. We do not trust God, but tempt him,
if our expectations slacken our endeavours.
3. See how ready these men were to go upon this hazardous enterprise.
Though they put their lives in their hands yet they ventured in
obedience to Joshua their general, in zeal for the service of the camp,
and in dependence upon the power of that God who, being the keeper of
Israel in general, is the protector of every particular Israelite in
the way of his duty.
II. The providence of God directing the spies to the house of Rahab.
How they got over Jordan we are not told; but into Jericho they came,
which was about seven or eight miles from the river, and there seeking
for a convenient inn were directed to the house of Rahab, here called a
harlot, a woman that had formerly been of ill fame, the reproach
of which stuck to her name, though of late she had repented and
reformed. Simon the leper
though cleansed from his leprosy, wore the reproach of it in his name
at long as he lived; so Rahab the harlot; and she is so called in the
New Testament, where both her faith and her good works are praised, to
teach us,
1. That the greatness of sin is no bar to pardoning mercy if it be
truly repented of in time. We read of publicans and harlots entering
into the kingdom of the Messiah, and being welcomed to all the
privileged of that kingdom,
2. That there are many who before their conversion were very wicked
and vile, and yet afterwards come to great eminence in faith and
holiness.
3. Even those that through grace have repented of the sins of their
youth must expect to bear the reproach of them, and when they hear of
their old faults must renew their repentance, and, as an evidence of
that, hear of them patiently. God’s Israel, for aught that appears, had
but one friend, but one well-wisher in all Jericho, and that was Rahab
a harlot. God has often served his own purposes and his church’s
interests by men of different morals. Had these scouts gone to any
other house than this they would certainly have been betrayed and put
to death without mercy. But God knew where they had a friend that
would be true to them, though they did not, and directed them thither.
Thus that which seems to us most contingent and accidental is often
over-ruled by the divine providence to serve its great ends. And those
that faithfully acknowledge God in their ways he will guide with his
eye. See
III. The piety of Rahab in receiving and protecting these Israelites.
Those that keep public-houses entertain all comers, and think
themselves obliged to be civil to their guests. But Rahab showed her
guests more than common civility, and went upon an uncommon principle
in what she did; it was by faith that she received those with
peace against whom her king and country had denounced war,
1. She bade them welcome to her house; they lodged there, though it
appears by what she said to them
(v. 9)
she knew both whence they came and what their business was.
2. Perceiving that they were observed coming into the city, and that
umbrage was taken at it, she hid them upon the roof of the house, which
was flat, and covered them with stalks of flax
(v. 6),
so that, if the officers should come thither to search for them, there
they might lie undiscovered. By these stalks of flax, which she herself
had lain in order upon the roof to dry in the sun, in order to the
beating of it and making it ready for the wheel, it appears she had one
of the good characters of the virtuous woman, however in others of them
she might be deficient, that she sought wool and flax, and wrought
willingly with her hands,
Prov. xxxi. 13.
From this instance of her honest industry one would hope that, whatever
she had been formerly, she was not now a harlot.
3. When she was examined concerning them, she denied they were in her
house, turned off the officers that had a warrant to search for them
with a sham, and so secured them. No marvel that the king of Jericho
sent to enquire after them
(v. 2, 3);
he had cause to fear when the enemy was at his door, and his fear made
him suspicious and jealous of all strangers. He had reason to demand
from Rahab that she should bring forth the men to be dealt with
as spies; but Rahab not only disowned that she knew them, or knew where
they were, but, that no further search might be made for them in the
city, told the pursuers they had gone away again and in all probability
might be overtaken,
Now,
(1.) We are sure this was a good work: it is canonized by the apostle
(James ii. 25),
where she is said to be justified by works, and this is
specified, that she received the messengers, and sent them out
another way, and she did it by faith, such a faith as set her above
the fear of man, even of the wrath of the king. She believed, upon the
report she had heard of the wonders wrought for Israel, that their God
was the only true God, and that therefore their declared design upon
Canaan would undoubtedly take effect and in this faith she sided with
them, protected them, and courted their favour. Had she said, “I
believe God is yours and Canaan yours, but I dare not show you any
kindness,” her faith had been dead and inactive, and would not have
justified her. But by this it appeared to be both alive and lively,
that she exposed herself to the utmost peril, even of life, in
obedience to her faith. Note, Those only are true believers that can
find in their hearts to venture for God; and those that by faith take
the Lord for their God take his people for their people, and cast in
their lot among them. Those that have God for their refuge and
hiding-place must testify their gratitude by their readiness to shelter
his people when there is occasion. Let my outcasts dwell with
thee,
Isa. xvi. 3, 4.
And we must be glad of an opportunity of testifying the sincerity and
zeal of our love to God by hazardous services to his church and kingdom
among men. But,
(2.) There is that in it which it is not easy to justify, and yet it
must be justified, or else it could not be so good a work as to justify
her.
[1.] It is plain that she betrayed her country by harbouring the
enemies of it, and aiding those that were designing its destruction,
which could not consist with her allegiance to her prince and her
affection and duty to the community she was a member of. But that which
justifies her in this is that she knew the Lord had given Israel
this land
(v. 9),
knew it by the incontestable miracles God had wrought for them, which
confirmed that grant; and her obligations to God were higher than her
obligations to any other. If she knew God had given them this
land, it would have been a sin to join with those that hindered
them from possessing it. But, since no such grant of any land to any
people can now be proved, this will by no means justify any such
treacherous practices against the public welfare.
[2.] It is plain that she deceived the officers that examined her with
an untruth–That she knew not whence the men were, that they had gone
out, that she knew not whither they had gone. What shall we say to
this? If she had either told the truth or been silent, she would have
betrayed the spies, and this would certainly have been a great sin; and
it does not appear that she had any other way of concealing them that
by this ironical direction to the officers to pursue them another way,
which if they would suffer themselves to be deceived by, let them be
deceived. None are bound to accuse themselves, or their friends, of
that which, though enquired after as a crime, they know to be a virtue.
This case was altogether extraordinary, and therefore cannot be drawn
into a precedent; and that my be justified here which would be by no
means lawful in a common case. Rahab knew, by what was already done on
the other side Jordan, that no mercy was to be shown to the Canaanites,
and thence inferred that, if mercy was not owing them, truth was not;
those that might be destroyed might be deceived. Yet divines generally
conceive that it was a sin, which however admitted of this extenuation,
that being a Canaanite she was not better taught the evil of lying; but
God accepted her faith and pardoned her infirmity. However it was in
this case, we are sure it is our duty to speak every man the truth to
his neighbour, to dread and detest lying, and never to do evil,
that evil, that good may come of it,
Rom. iii. 8.
But God accepts what is sincerely and honestly intended, though there
be a mixture of frailty and folly in it, and is not extreme to mark
what we do amiss. Some suggest that what she said might possibly be
true of some other men.
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 ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the
two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan,
Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did
melt, neither 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
pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until
the pursuers 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 didst 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, his 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.
The matter is here settled between Rahab and the spies respecting the
service she was now to do for them, and the favour they were afterwards
to show to her. She secures them on condition that they should secure
her.
I. She gives them, and by them sends to Joshua and Israel, all the
encouragement that could be desired to make their intended descent upon
Canaan. This was what they came for, and it was worth coming for.
Having got clear of the officers, she comes up to them to the roof
of the house where they lay hid, finds them perhaps somewhat
dismayed at the peril they apprehended themselves in from the officers,
and scarcely recovered from the fright, but has that to say to them
which will give them abundant satisfaction.
1. She lets them know that the report of the great things God had done
for them had come to Jericho
(v. 10),
not only that they had an account of their late victories obtained over
the Amorites in the neighbouring country, on the other side of the
river, but that their miraculous deliverance out of Egypt, and passage
through the Red Sea, a great way off, and forty years ago, were
remembered and talked of afresh in Jericho, to the amazement of every
body. Thus this Joshua and his fellows were men wondered
at,
Zech. iii. 8.
See how God makes his wonderful works to be remembered
(Ps. cxi. 4),
so that men shall speak of the might of his terrible acts,
Ps. cxlv. 6.
2. She tells them what impressions the tidings of these things had made
upon the Canaanites: Your terror has fallen upon us
(v. 9);
our hearts did melt,
v. 11.
If she kept a public house, this would give her an opportunity of
understanding the sense of various companies and of travellers from
other parts of the country, so that they could not know this any way
better than by her information; and it would be of great use to Joshua
and Israel to know it; it would put courage into the most cowardly
Israelite to hear how their enemies were dispirited, and it was easy to
conclude that those who now fainted before them would infallibly fall
before them, especially because it was the accomplishment of a promise
God had made them, that he would lay the fear and dread of them upon
all this land
(Deut. xi. 25),
and so it would be an earnest of the accomplishment of all the other
promises God had made to them. Let not the stout man glory in his
courage, any more than the strong man in his strength; for God can
weaken both mind and body. Let not God’s Israel be afraid of their most
powerful enemies; for their God can, when he pleases, make their most
powerful enemies afraid of them. Let none think to harden their hearts
against God and prosper; for he that made man’s soul can at any time
make the sword of his terrors approach to it.
3. She hereupon makes profession of her faith in God and his promise;
and perhaps there was not found so great faith (all things
considered), no, not in Israel, as in this woman of Canaan.
(1.) who believes God’s power and dominion over all the world
(v. 11):
“Jehovah your God, whom you worship and call upon, is so far above all
gods that he is the only true God; for he is God in heaven above and
in earth beneath, and is served by all the hosts of both.” A vast
distance there is between heaven and earth, yet both are equally under
the inspection and government of the great Jehovah. Heaven is not
above his power, nor is earth below his cognizance.
(2.) She believes his promise to his people Israel
(v. 9):
I know that the Lord hath given you the land. The king of
Jericho had heard as much as she had of the great things God had done
for Israel, yet he cannot infer thence that the Lord had given them
this land, but resolves to hold it out against them to the last
extremity; for the most powerful means of conviction will not of
themselves attain the end without divine grace, and by that grace Rahab
the harlot, who had only heard of the wonders God had wrought, speaks
with more assurance of the truth of the promise made to the fathers
than all the elders of Israel had done who were eye-witnesses of those
wonders, many of whom perished through unbelief of this promise.
Blessed are those that have not seen, and yet have believed; so
Rahab did. O woman, great is thy faith!
II. She engaged them to take her and her relations under their
protection, that they might not perish in the destruction of Jericho,
Now,
1. It was an evidence of the sincerity and strength of her faith
concerning the approaching revolution in her country that she was so
solicitous to make an interest for herself with the Israelites, and
courted their kindness. She foresaw the conquest of her country, and in
the belief of that bespoke in time the favour of the conquerors. Thus
Noah, being moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his
house, and the condemning of the world,
Heb. xi. 7.
Those who truly believe the divine revelation concerning the ruin of
sinners, and the grant of the heavenly land to God’s Israel, will give
diligence to flee from the wrath to come, and to lay hold of eternal
life, by joining themselves to God and to his people.
2. The provision she made for the safety of her relations, as well as
for her own, is a laudable instance of natural affection, and an
intimation to us in like manner to do all we can for the salvation of
the souls of those that are dear to us, and, with ourselves, to bring
them, if possible, into the bond of the covenant. No mention is made of
her husband and children, but only her parents, and brothers, and
sisters, for whom, though she was herself a housekeeper, she retained a
due concern.
3. Her request that they would swear unto her by Jehovah is an instance
of her acquaintance with the only true God, and her faith in him and
devotion towards him, one act of which is religiously to swear by
his name.
4. Her petition is very just and reasonable, that, since she had
protected them, they should protect her, and since her kindness to them
extended to their people, for whom they were now negotiating, their
kindness to her should take in all hers. It was the least they could do
for one that had saved their lives with the hazard of her own. Note,
Those that show mercy may expect to find mercy. Observe, She does not
demand any preferment by way of reward for her kindness to them, though
they lay so much at her mercy that she might have made her own terms,
but only indents for her Life, which in a general destruction would be
a singular favour. Thus God promised Ebed-Melech, in recompence for his
kindness to Jeremiah, that in the worst of times he should have his
life for a prey,
Jer. xxxix. 18.
Yet this Rahab was afterwards advanced to be a princess in Israel, the
wife of Salmon, and one of the ancestors of Christ,
Those that faithfully serve Christ and suffer for him he will not only
protect, but prefer, and will do for them more than they are able to
ask or think.
III. They solemnly engaged for her preservation in the common
destruction
(v. 14):
“Our life for yours. We will take as much care of your lives as
of our own, and would as soon hurt ourselves as any of you.” Nay, they
imprecate God’s judgments on themselves if they should violate their
promise to her. She had pawned her life for theirs, and now they in
requital pawn their lives for hers, and (as public persons) with them
they pawn the public faith and the credit of their nation, for they
plainly interest all Israel in the engagement in those words, When
the Lord has given us the land, meaning not themselves only, but
the people whose agents they were. No doubt they knew themselves
sufficiently authorized to treat with Rahab concerning this matter, and
were confident that Joshua would ratify what they did, else they had
not dealt honestly; the general law that they should make no covenant
with the Canaanites
did not forbid them to take under their protection a particular person,
that had heartily come into their interests and had done them real
kindnesses. The law of gratitude is one of the laws of nature. Now
observe here,
1. The promises they made her. In general, “We will deal kindly and
truly with thee,
v. 14.
We will not only be kind in promising now, but true in performing what
we promise; and not only true in performing just what we promise, but
kind in out-doing thy demands and expectations.” The goodness of God is
often expressed by his kindness and truth
(Ps. cxvii. 2),
and in both these we must be followers of him. In particular, “If a
hand be upon any in the house with thee, his blood shall be on
our head,”
If hurt come through our carelessness to those whom we are obliged to
protect, we thereby contract guilt, and blood will be found a heavy
load.
2. The provisos and limitations of their promises. Though they were in
haste, and it may be in some confusion, yet we find them very cautious
in settling this agreement and the terms of it, not to bind themselves
to more than was fit for them to perform. Note, Covenants must be made
with care, and we must swear in judgment, lest we find ourselves
perplexed and entangled when it is too late after vows to make
enquiry. Those that will be conscientious in keeping their promises
will be cautious in making them, and perhaps may insert conditions
which others may think frivolous. Their promise is here accompanied
with three provisos, and they were necessary ones. They will protect
Rahab, and all her relations always, provided,
(1.) That she tie the scarlet cord with which she was now about to let
them down in the window of her house,
This was to be a mark upon the house, which the spies would take care
to give notice of to the camp of Israel, that no soldier, how hot and
eager soever he was in military executions, might offer any violence to
the house that was thus distinguished. This was like the blood
sprinkled upon the door-post, which secured the first-born from the
destroying angel, and, being of the same colour, some allude to this
also to represent the safety of believers under the protection of the
blood of Christ sprinkled on the conscience. The same cord that she
made use of for the preservation of these Israelites was to be made use
of for her preservation. What we serve and honour God with we may
expect he will bless and make comfortable to us.
(2.) That she should have all those whose safety she had desired in the
house with her and keep them there, and that, at the time of taking the
town, none of them should dare to stir out of doors,
This was a necessary proviso, for Rahab’s kindred could not be
distinguished any other way than by being in her distinguished house;
should they mingle with their neighbours, there was no remedy, but the
sword would devour one as well as another. It was a
reasonable proviso that, since they were saved purely for
Rahab’s sake, her house should have the honour of being their castle,
and that, if they would not perish with those that believed not,
they should thus far believe the certainty and severity of the ruin
coming upon their city as to retire into a place made safe by promise,
as Noah into the ark and Lot into Zoar, and should save themselves
from this untoward generation, by separating from them. It was
likewise a significant proviso, intimating to us that those who
are added to the church that they may be saved must keep close to the
society of the faithful, and, having escaped the corruption that is
in the world through lust, must take heed of being again entangled
therein.
(3.) That she should keep counsel
(v. 14, 20):
If thou utter this our business, that is, “If thou betray us
when we are gone, or if thou make this agreement public, so as that
others tie scarlet lines in their windows and so confound us, then we
will be clear of thy oath.” Those are unworthy of the secret of the
Lord that know now how to keep it to themselves when there is
occasion.
IV. She then took effectual care to secure her new friends, and sent
them out another way,
James ii. 25.
Having fully understood the bargain they made with her, and consented
to it
(v. 21),
she then let them down by a cord over the city wall
(v. 15),
the situation of her house befriending them herein: thus Paul made his
escape out of Damascus,
She also directed them which way to go for their own safety, being
better acquainted with the country than they were,
She directs them to leave the high road, and abscond in the mountains
till the pursuers returned, for till then they could not safely venture
over Jordan. Those that are in the way of God and their duty may expect
that Providence will protect them, but this will not excuse them from
taking all prudent methods for their own safety. God will keep us, but
then we must not wilfully expose ourselves. Providence must be trusted,
but not tempted. Calvin thinks that their charge to Rahab to keep this
matter secret, and not to utter it, was intended for her safety, lest
she, boasting of her security from the sword of Israel, should, before
they came to protect her, fall into the hands of the king of Jericho
and be put to death for treason: thus do they prudently advise her for
her safety, as she advised them for theirs. And it is good advice,
which we should at any time be thankful for, to take heed to
ourselves.
22 And they went, and came unto 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, and told him
all things that befell 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.
We have here the safe return of the spies Joshua had sent, and the
great encouragement they brought with them to Israel to proceed in
their descent upon Canaan. Had they been disposed to discourage the
people, as the evil spies did that Moses sent, they might have told
them what they had observed of the height and strength of the walls of
Jericho, and the extraordinary vigilance of the king of Jericho, and
how narrowly they escaped out of his hands; but they were of another
spirit, and, depending themselves upon the divine promise, they
animated Joshua likewise.
1. Their return in safety was itself an encouragement to Joshua, and a
token for good. That God provided for them so good a friend as Rahab
was in an enemy’s country, and that notwithstanding the rage of the
king of Jericho and the eagerness of the pursuers they had come back in
peace, was such an instance of God’s great care concerning them for
Israel’s sake as might assure the people of the divine guidance and
care they were under, which should undoubtedly make the progress of
their arms glorious. He that so wonderfully protected their scouts
would preserve their men of war, and cover their heads in the day of
battle.
2. The report they brought was much more encouraging
(v. 24):
“All the inhabitants of the country, though resolved to stand it
out, yet do faint because of us, they have neither wisdom to
yield nor courage to fight,” whence they conclude, “Truly the Lord
has delivered into our hands all the land, it is all our own; we
have nothing to do, in effect, but to take possession.” Sinners’
frights are sometimes sure presages of their fall. If we resist our
spiritual enemies they will flee before us, which will encourage us to
hope that in due time we shall be more than conquerors.
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