Rahab and the Spies

Story Snapshot

Joshua sends two spies into Jericho, where a woman named Rahab hides them from the king's men. She confesses her belief that the LORD has given the land to Israel and asks to be spared. The spies promise protection if she marks her window with a scarlet cord. When Jericho falls, Rahab and her family are rescued and welcomed among God's people.

Main Characters

Story Summary

Joshua secretly sent two men to scout Jericho, and they came to the house of Rahab, a prostitute, and lodged there. When the king of Jericho learned of them and demanded they be handed over, Rahab hid the spies under stalks of flax on her roof and told the king's men the visitors had already left. She then told the spies that she knew the LORD had given Israel the land, for word of the parting of the Red Sea and Israel's victories had melted the courage of Jericho's people. She confessed that the LORD was God in heaven above and on earth below, and asked that she and her family be spared. The spies agreed, instructing her to tie a scarlet cord in her window and to keep her family inside. She let them down by a rope through her window, since her house was in the city wall, and they escaped. When Israel later took Jericho, Joshua kept the promise: Rahab and all her family were brought out safely and lived among Israel.

Timeline

• The Spies SentJoshua sends two men to scout Jericho.
• The HidingRahab conceals the spies from the king's men.
• The ConfessionRahab declares her faith in the LORD.
• The PromiseThe spies agree to spare her family.
• The Scarlet CordShe marks her window as a sign.
• The EscapeThe spies flee and report to Joshua.
• The RescueRahab and her family are saved when Jericho falls.

Themes

What This Story Means

Rahab's story is a striking picture of grace reaching an unexpected person. She is an outsider in every way, a Canaanite, a woman of ill repute, a resident of a doomed city, yet her faith in the LORD sets her apart and saves her. The account shows that God's mercy is not limited by nationality or past, and that genuine faith expresses itself in action and risk. Rahab is later honored in the New Testament among the examples of faith and even appears in the lineage of Jesus. The passage teaches that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace when they turn to Him in faith.

Bringing It Home

• Believe that no past puts you beyond God's grace.
• Let genuine faith show itself in courageous action.
• Welcome outsiders whom God is drawing to Himself.
• Trust God's promises of protection when you align with Him.

Key Verse

Did You Know?

• Rahab is named in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1.
• Both Hebrews and James hold her up as an example of faith.
• The scarlet cord has often been seen as a picture of rescue through blood.

Read Next

What This Shows Us About God

• God's grace reaches beyond nation and reputation.
• God honors genuine faith wherever He finds it.
• God keeps His promises of protection.

What This Shows Us About People

• Faith can arise in the most unexpected people.
• Real belief takes courageous risks.
• A person's past need not define their future with God.

A Question to Sit With

Am I limiting God's grace by deciding who is too far gone to receive it?

Prayer

Lord, You saved Rahab, an outsider with a checkered past, because she trusted You. Thank You that no history puts anyone beyond Your grace. Give me faith that acts with courage, and a heart that welcomes those You are drawing in. Amen.