Sent out — Some render had sent, as in the margin, and suppose that the spies had been sent out some days before the events of the last chapter. And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men out of Shittim to spy secretly, saying, Go see the land and … 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. Obel Moed, fol. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. To spy secretly.] Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." See also Proverbs 3:6. But it is that very light of Christ itself which shows that the form which our repugnance takes is unjust, selfish, and uncharitable. In the same collection of instructions we find that it is forbidden to build an inn (arzana) in which prostitutes live near the fortress wall, apparently because of the kind of danger described in Joshua 2." 2. "Commentary on Joshua 2:1". It was a walled city, rich and populous, having commerce with Babylon and the far East. It appears from Joshua 2:4 that Rahab hid them before the King‘s messengers reached her house, and probably as soon as the spies had come to her house. Their coming to the house of Rahab, surely was from the over-ruling power of God. She was a prostitute who had faith in God, helped the Israelites, and even became the 35th great-grandmother of our Lord Jesus Christ. Joshua 2 – The Salvation of Rahab A. Joshua … sent … two men to spy secretly — Faith is manifested by an active, persevering use of means (James 2:22); and accordingly Joshua, while confident in the accomplishment of the divine promise (Joshua 1:3), adopted every precaution which a skilful general could think of to render his first attempt in the invasion of Canaan successful. . In a Mari letter we read about two men who sow fear and panic and cause rebellion in an army. Humanly speaking, how difficult was the task that confronted Joshua and the people with regard to entering the land of Canaan? In Joshua 2, we read about a woman named Rahab. Besides there is more than presumptive proof that this custom obtained among the Israelites themselves, even in the most polished period of their history; for it is much more reasonable to suppose that the two women, who came to Solomon for judgment, relative to the dead child, ( 1 Kings 3:16, etc), were inn-keepers, than that they were harlots. BibliographyBenson, Joseph. Here is the first convert to the congregation of the Lord from the licentious heathen world. That the same custom prevailed among the Greeks we have the following proof from Apuleius: Ego vero quod primate ingressui stabulum conspicatus sum, accessi, et de Quadam Anu Caupona illico percontor. Also, the pattern of a three-day stay in an area when pursuing escapees has support in ancient eastern sources; for example the instructions to the Hittite tower commanders specify that if an enemy invades a place he must be pursued for three days. 1832. Maundrel says, that he came from Jericho to the banks of Jordan in two hours; which answers pretty nearly to the former calculation. The spies proceeded to Jericho, and towards evening they entered the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there, lit . eleven times Yerecho. Also in the New Testament she is called emphatically the harlot, η πορνη, (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25.) It is on this passage that the scholiast cites Nymphodorus for the information given above, and which he says is found in the 13th chapter of his work "On the Customs of Barbarous Nations." 1870. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/kdo/joshua-2.html. Joshua 2:1 Context. "Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary". BibliographyCalvin, John. I shall subjoin a few proofs. Their object was to determine when and how to attack, not whether to attack. BibliographyPett, Peter. He communicated his orders to the two men, and also sent them out secretly in order to avoid betrayal by any evil-minded person in his own camp. "Commentary on Joshua 2:1". BibliographyKeil, Carl Friedrich & Delitzsch, Franz. Although Joshua had received a promise from the Lord of His almighty help in the conquest of Canaan, he still thought it necessary to do what was requisite on his part to secure the success of the work committed to him, as the help of God does not preclude human action, but rather presupposes it. ; not so much with respect to the inhabitants of the land, for it is supposed in all spies, that they do their business in the most private and secret manner, so as not to be discovered by the inhabitants, whose land they are sent to spy; but with respect to the children of Israel, that they might know nothing of it, lest they should be discouraged, thinking that Joshua was in some fear of the Canaanites, and under some distrust of the promise of God to give the land to them: the word for "smiths", and also for persons deaf and dumb, coming from the same root, have furnished the Jewish writers with various conceits, as that these spies went in the habit of smiths with the instruments of their business in their hands; or acted as deaf and dumb persons, and so as incapable of giving an account of themselves, or of answering to any questions put to them, should they be taken up and examined; their commentators in general take notice of this: saying, go view the land, even Jericho; especially Jericho, so NoldiusF20P. “ by the convenience of its situation, without any knowledge of the land ; her reasons, 2:8-11... 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