Joshua 2:4
in Joshua 2But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the woman took the two men, and hid them; and she said, Yea, the men came unto me, but I knew not whence they were:
KJV
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:
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This verse in Joshua 2
Commentary
3 notes on this verseon Joshua 2:4-5
This was the case with Rahab. Scripture not only recalls nothing virtuous about her but even speaks of her immorality. Yet for her lie alone, whereby she chose to conceal the spies rather than betray them, she deserved to share an eternal blessing with the people of God.
This site's exposition
the woman took the two
on Joshua 2:4-5
She has hidden them before she opens her mouth, so the words at the door cover a decision already made. What she says is false, and the older commentators say so without softening it: John Wesley calls it unquestionably sinful though her intention was good, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown call it a sinful expedient pardoned in a believer, and Adam Clarke writes that God never says to any, Do evil that good may come of it. John Cassian took the other line and held that for the concealment itself she earned a share in the blessing of God's people. Scripture commends the receiving of the messengers at James 2:25 and the faith at Hebrews 11:31, and neither passage mentions the answer she gave the officers.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And this is justly mentioned as a great and generous act of faith, Heb. xi, 31, for she apparently ventured her life upon a steadfast persuasion of the truth of God's word and promise given to the Israelites. Whence they were - Her answer contained in these and the following words, was false, and therefore unquestionably sinful; tho' her intention was good therein.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתִּקַּ֧ח | vatikach | and she took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| הָֽאִשָּׁ֛ה | haishah | the woman | H802 → | 781 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׁנֵ֥י | shenei | [the] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| וַֽתִּצְפְּנ֑וֹ | vatitzpeno | and she hid him | H6845 → | |
| וַתֹּ֣אמֶר׀ | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| כֵּ֗ן | ken | right | H3651 → | 771 times |
| בָּ֤אוּ | bau | they came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֵלַי֙ | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָדַ֖עְתִּי | yada'ti | I knew | H3045 → | 945 times |
| מֵאַ֥יִן | meayin | from where | H370 → | |
| הֵֽמָּה׃ | hemah | [were] they | H1992 → | 553 times |
וַתִּקַּ֧חand she took
vatikachH3947 →966 times
הָֽאִשָּׁ֛הthe woman
haishahH802 →781 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׁנֵ֥י[the] two
sheneiH8147 →768 times
הָאֲנָשִׁ֖יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
וַֽתִּצְפְּנ֑וֹand she hid him
vatitzpenoH6845 →
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר׀and she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
כֵּ֗ןright
kenH3651 →771 times
בָּ֤אוּthey came
bauH935 →2568 times
אֵלַי֙to me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יָדַ֖עְתִּיI knew
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
מֵאַ֥יִןfrom where
meayinH370 →
הֵֽמָּה׃[were] they
hemahH1992 →553 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Exodus 1:19The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”
it leads to
- Joshua 2:4–24
But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from.
- 2 Samuel 17:19–20
Then the man’s wife took a covering and spread it over the mouth of the well, scattering grain over it so nobody would know a thing.
- 1 Samuel 21:2
“The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission or charge. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a…
- Joshua 2:4–24
Through
2 Kings 6:19And Elisha told them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are seeking.” And he led them to Samaria.
it leads to
- Mark 8:34
Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
- Luke 24:16
But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.
- Luke 9:23
Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
- Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
- 2 Samuel 16:18–19
“Not at all,” Hushai answered. “For the one chosen by the LORD, by the people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain.
- Mark 8:34
Where this verse is studied
About Joshua
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 17.17.1-2 and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.