Joshua 2:7

_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._ The men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords. That river is crossed at several well-known fords. The first and second immediately below the sea of Galilee (Irby and Mangles, pp. 296, 301; Seetzen, p. 351; Buckingham, p. 448; Burckhardt, p. 344; Van de Velde, 2: 477; Stanley, 'Sinai and Palestine,' pp. 322, 335), the third and fourth immediately above and below the pilgrims' bathing-place, opposite Jericho (see all of them alluded to in Judges 3:28; 1 Samuel 13:7; 2 Samuel 2:29;...

7._And the men pursued, _etc. Their great credulity shows that God had blinded them. Although Rahab had gained much by deluding them, a new course of anxiety intervenes; for the gates being shut, the city like a prison excluded the hope of escape. They were therefore again aroused by a serious trial to call upon God. For seeing that this history was written on their report, it is impossible they could have been ignorant of what was then going on, especially as God, for the purpose of magnifying his grace, purposely exposed them to a succession of dangers. And now when they were informed that search was made for them, we infer from the fact of their being still awake, that they were in anxiety and alarm. Their trepidation must have been in no small degree increased when it was told them that their exit was precluded. It appears, however, that Rahab was not at all dismayed, since she barga...

1-7 Faith in God's promises ought not to do away, but to encourage our diligence in the use of proper means. The providence of God directed the spies to the house of Rahab. God knew where there was one that would be true to them, though they did not. Rahab appears to have been an innkeeper; and if she had formerly been one of bad life, which is doubtful, she had left her evil courses. That which seems to us most accidental, is often overruled by the Divine providence to serve great ends. It was by faith that Rahab received those with peace, against whom her king and country had war. We are sure this was a good work; it is so spoken of by the apostle, James 2:25; and she did it by faith, such a faith as set her above the fear of man. Those only are true believers, who find in their hearts to venture for God; they take his people for their people, and cast in their lot among them. The spi...

The sense is, that “they pursued along the way which leads to Jordan and across the fords;” probably those described in Judges 3:28....

EXPOSITION RAHAB AND THE SPIES.— JOSHUA 2:1 AND JOSHUA THE SON OF NUN SENT. Rather, as margin, _had_ sent (see note on Joshua 1:2). It might have been at the very time when the command was given to the Israelites, for, according to a common Hebrew manner of speech (see, for instance, 1 Samuel 16:10), the three days (verse 22) may include the whole time spent by the spies in their exploring expedition. Out of Shittim. Literally, _from the valley of acacias. _It is so called in full in Joel 3:18. This place (called A

AND THE MEN PURSUED AFTER THEM,.... As they thought: THE WAY TO JORDAN; on the other side of which the people of Israel lay encamped, to which they supposed, according to Rahab's account, these two men directed their course: UNTO THE FORDS; the fords of Jordan, the passages through it; for in some places, and at some times, it was fordable; which accounts for the way in which these spies could get over Jordan, see Genesis 32:10; it was most reasonable to conclude they would return the same way; and so far the king's messengers went, but further they did not choose to go, because it would be to no purpose, and they might expose themselves to the camp of Israel, which lay on the other side: AND AS SOON AS THEY WHICH PURSUED AFTER THEM WERE GONE OUT, THEY SHUT THE GATE; that is, either as soon as the king's messengers were gone out of

2. THE SPIES AND RAHAB'S FAITH CHAPTER 2 _ 1. The spies sent forth (Joshua 2:1)_ 2. Rahab's faith and works (Joshua 2:2) 3. The escape of the spies and assurance given (Joshua 2:15) 4. The return of the spies (Joshua 2:22) The historical account needs not to be restated. Joshua, who was one of the spies sent out by Moses, now sends two spies to view the land, even Jericho. Jericho was the great stronghold of the enemy, surrounded by high walls. Jericho means “fragrance” and is a type of the world. (It is interesting to note that in the Hebrew Jericho differs in its spelling in Joshua from that in Numbers. Th

II. TWO HEBREW SPIES VISIT JERICHO AND EVADE CAPTURE. The narrative is inconsistent with Joshua 1:11, Within three days ye are to pass over Jordan. The events in ch. 2 must have taken longer than three days, for Joshua 2:22 tells us that the spies abode three days in the mountains; and with one day to go and another to return, five days at least would be required. This is an indication that Joshua 2 and Joshua 1 are from different sources. And perhaps Joshua 2 itself is composite. The narrative reads consistently if Joshua 2:15 is omitted, for we can hardly think of the conversation being continued between Rahab at the window and the spies on the ground outside the wall. 1. SHITTIM:...

_Rahab Hides the Spies Joshua 2:1-7_ 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 tonight 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 t

THE TWO SPIES AT JERICHO Joshua himself had been one of twelve sent by Moses on a similar errand, some thirty-eight years before (Numbers 13). The incident, natural in itself, acquires a special interest as bringing before us for the first time Rahab, the great-great-grandmother of David, and so human ancestress of our Saviour (Matthew 1:3, cp. Ruth 4:18). it affords incidentally a signal instance among Gentiles of belief in the power of the true God (Joshua 2:11.), which is rewarded (Joshua 6:25), like the similar attitude of Ruth the Moabitess ...