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Joshua 2:10

in Joshua 2

For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

For we have heard how Jehovah dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond the Jordan, unto Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

KJV

For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

This verse in Joshua 2

Commentary

7 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

Before the spies lay down for the night

on Joshua 2:8-11

Her speech is the Song of the Sea coming true in Canaan, since Exodus 15:14-16 foretold its people melting in dread. Her confession echoes Deuteronomy 4:39, and Albert Barnes observes that the reports which brought her to faith left her countrymen only afraid.

This site's exposition

whom you devoted to destruction

Devoted to destruction is the ban of Deuteronomy 2:34 and 3:6, under which the cities of Sihon and Og were destroyed whole. Henry says the report told Rahab that no mercy would be shown to the Canaanites. Her plea for her family in verse 13 follows from it.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

On account of her faith and hospitality, Rahab the harlot was saved. For when spies were sent by Joshua, the son of Nun, to Jericho, the king of the country ascertained that they had come to spy out their land, and sent men to seize them, in order that, when taken, they might be put to death. But the hospitable Rahab receiving them, concealed them on the roof of her house under some stalks of flax. And when the men sent by the king arrived and said, "There came men unto you who are to spy out our land; bring them forth, for so the king commands," she answered them, "The two men whom you seek came unto me, but quickly departed again and are gone," thus not discovering the spies to them. Then she said to the men, "I know assuredly that the Lord your God has given you this city, for the fear and dread of you have fallen on its inhabitants. When therefore you shall have taken it, keep ye me and the house of my father in safety." And they said to her, "It shall be as you have spoken to us. As soon, therefore, as you know that we are at hand, you shall gather all your family under your roof, and they shall be preserved, but all that are found outside of your dwelling shall perish." Moreover, they gave her a sign to this effect, that she should hang forth from her house a scarlet thread. And thus they made it manifest that redemption should flow through the blood of the Lord to all them that believe and hope in God. You see, beloved, that there was not only faith, but prophecy, in this woman.

A commentator

Clement of Rome

1 CLEMENT 12 · Written before 99.

proposed

For her faith and hospitality Rahab the harlot was saved. For when the spies were sent forth into Jericho by Joshua the son of Nun, the king of the land perceived that they were coming to spy out his country, and [he] sent forth men to seize them, that being seized they might be put to death. So the hospitable Rahab received them and hid them in the upper chamber under the flax stalks. And when the messengers of the king came near and said, "The spies of our land entered into your house; bring them forth, for the king so orders," then she answered, "The men truly, whom you seek, came to me, but they departed immediately and are journeying on the way"; and she pointed out to them the opposite road. And she said to the men, "Without a doubt I perceive that the Lord your God will deliver this city to you; for the fear and the dread of you is fallen upon its inhabitants. When therefore it shall come to pass that you take it, save me and the house of my father." And they said to her, "It shall be even so as you have spoken to us. Therefore, when you perceive that we are coming, you shall gather all your folk beneath your roof, and they shall be saved; for as many as shall be found outside of the house shall perish." And moreover they gave her a sign, that she should hang out from her house a scarlet thread, thereby showing beforehand that through the blood of the Lord there shall be redemption for all them that believe and hope on God. You see, dearly beloved, not only faith, but prophecy, is found in the woman.

A commentator

Theodoret of Cyrus

ON DIVINE PROVIDENCE 10.49 · Written before 458.

proposed

For he selected this one nation to teach the knowledge of God to all the others. Just as he had selected one man—at one time Moses, at another Joshua, at another Samuel, at another some other of the prophets—to look after the welfare of this …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

For we have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

She was convinced of the supremacy of Jehovah, and her earnest stipulations for the preservation of her relatives amid the perils of the approaching invasion, attest the sincerity and strength of her faith.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

And there was no longer any spirit. [The men had no spirit (desire)] even to lie with a woman. It was said by the Sages: There was no prince or ruler who had not had [sexual] relationships with Rochav, the harlot.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Joshua 2:11:1, via Sefaria, The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

26 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • כִּ֣יfor

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • שָׁמַ֗עְנוּwe have heard

    shama'nuH8085 →1159 times

  • אֵ֠ת<obj.>

    ʾetH853 →10935 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־this:

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • הוֹבִ֨ישׁhe dried up

    hovishH3001 →59 times

  • יְהוָ֜הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • מֵ֤י[the] waters of

    meiH4325 →581 times

  • יַם־[the] sea of

    yam-H3220 →396 times

  • סוּף֙reed[s]

    sufH5488 →28 times

  • מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔םfrom before you

    mipeneikhemH6440 →2123 times

  • בְּצֵאתְכֶ֖םwhen came out you

    betzetekhemH3318 →1067 times

  • מִמִּצְרָ֑יִםfrom Egypt

    mimitzrayimH4714 →641 times

  • וַאֲשֶׁ֣רand [that] which

    vaasherH834 →5497 times

  • עֲשִׂיתֶ֡םyou did

    ʾasitemH6213 →2628 times

  • לִשְׁנֵי֩to [the] two

    lishneiH8147 →768 times

  • מַלְכֵ֨י[the] kings of

    malkheiH4428 →2525 times

  • הָאֱמֹרִ֜יthe Amorite[s]

    haemoriH567 →87 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֨רwho

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • בְּעֵ֤בֶר[was] on [the] other side of

    beeverH5676 →90 times

  • הַיַּרְדֵּן֙the Jordan

    haiyardenH3383 →182 times

  • לְסִיחֹ֣ןto Sihon

    lesichonH5511 →37 times

  • וּלְע֔וֹגand to Og

    uleogH5747 →22 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֥רwhom

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • הֶחֱרַמְתֶּ֖םyou totally destroyed

    hecheramtemH2763 →52 times

  • אוֹתָֽם׃<obj.> them

    ʾotamH853 →10935 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Deuteronomy 2:30

    But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as…

    it leads to

    • Numbers 21:23

      But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel.

    • Exodus 4:21

      The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that…

    • Exodus 11:10

      Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the Israelites go out of his land.

    • Joshua 11:19–20

      No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle.

    • Romans 9:17–23

      For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

  • Through

    Numbers 23:22

    God brought them out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox.

    it leads to

    • Numbers 24:8

      God brought him out of Egypt with strength like a wild ox, to devour hostile nations and crush their bones, to pierce them with arrows.

    • Deuteronomy 33:17

      His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are like those of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even to the ends of the earth. Such are the…

    • Job 39:9–11

      Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will he stay by your manger at night?

Where this verse is studied

About Joshua

Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon, John Martin, 1816, National Gallery of Art. Public domain.
Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon, John Martin, 1816, National Gallery of Art. Public domain.

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Clement of Rome, Clement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 12; Clement of Rome, 1 CLEMENT 12; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, ON DIVINE PROVIDENCE 10.49.