Joshua 2:2
_By night. Hebrew, "this night." (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_By night. Hebrew, "this night." (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_House. She spoke to them through a window. The messengers did not enter into her house; whence Serarius infers, that Rahab was a person consecrated to some impure deity, and therefore held in some estimation among the people of Jericho, as this was a city of the moon, in whose honour such consecrat... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hid, or "had hidden," as (ver. 6,) she had made the men retire before she spoke to the messengers, and probably before they came to demand them. As soon as she was informed of their design, she took all prudent precautions both for her own and their safety, as she could not have escaped death, if s... [ Continue Reading ]
At the time, not precisely, as otherwise the men who shut the gates must have seen them, but about that time, (Calmet) Rahab pretends that the spies had left her house, and had directed their course towards the gate, so that she made no doubt but they might easily overtake them. (Haydock) --- Notwit... [ Continue Reading ]
_There. The roofs were flat in that country, and consequently very proper to dry flax, or "cotton," as Masius understands._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jordan, where they had probably come over, though perhaps in a boat, (Menochius) and where the messengers concluded they would have the best chance of finding them, as the Israelites were on the opposite side of the river. (Haydock) --- As soon as they were gone out of the city, the guards shut the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Asleep. It seems as if the spies had been ignorant of the danger to which they had been just exposed, and had gone to the roof of the house with a design to pass the night in greater security. Rahab perceives, however, that it would be extremely rash for them to continue with her any longer, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Strength. Hebrew "they faint or melt away," deprived both of strength and counsel._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beneath. This is the confession of a true convert, (Calmet) inspired by God. (Haydock) --- For St. Paul commends her faith. (Hebrews xi. 31.) (Menochius) --- The pagans confined the power of their idols to certain districts; the power of the true God is infinite. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_True token, such a one as, when I shew it to the Israelites, they may preserve me and mine. She is not content with a verbal promise, she requires something permanent and sensible, as a mark of their mutual engagements, (Calmet) a token of their sincerity. They afterwards appointed a piece of scarl... [ Continue Reading ]
_Death. We are willing to die instead of you, if we do not fulfil our promises. --- Truth, a real and effectual mercy._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Days; the remainder of this night, and the day and night following. It is probable that they would travel only in the night time. (Calmet) --- If they had gone by the high road, they might easily have been discovered by the messengers, who would be on their return. (Haydock) --- But retiring to the... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER II. Ver 1. Sent, or as many translate, "had sent," as if Josue had dismissed the spies immediately after the mourning of Moses was ended, (Calmet) on the 1st of Nisan. On the second day they examined the city, and were obliged to flee in the night. But they only returned to their brethren on... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fear, as Rahab had testified. They might also have been witnesses of the people's consternation, which gave them the most assured hopes of victory, as the Lord had given this sign, among others, that he would be with them, Deuteronomy xxviii. 10. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]