Jo’s Place

​ Rahab Helps the Spies Escape   Since Rahab’s house was built into the town wall, she let them down by a rope through the window.  “Escape to the hill country,” she told them.  “Hide there, for three days, from the men searching for you.  Then, when they have returned, you can go on your way.”  Before they left, the men told her,  “We will be bound, by the oath, that we have taken, only if you follow these instructions.  When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet rope, hanging from the window, through which you let us down.  And all your family members—your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your relatives—must be here, inside the house.  If they go out, into the street, and are killed, it will not be our fault.  But, if anyone lays a hand, on people inside this house, we will accept the responsibility for their death.  If you betray us, however, we are not bound by this oath …in any way.”  “I accept your...

Rahab Protects the Spies Joshua secretly sent out two spies, from the Israelite camp, at Acacia Grove.  He instructed them,  “Scout out the land, on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.”  So, the two men set out …and came to the house of a prostitute, named Rahab …and stayed there that night.  But, someone told the king of Jericho,  “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.”  So, the king, of Jericho, sent orders to Rahab:  “Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land.”  Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied,  “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know …where they were from.  They left the town, at dusk, as the gates were about to close.  I don’t know where they went.  If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.”  (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof …and hidden them beneath bundles of flax, th...