Joshua 2:5
in Joshua 2At dusk, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I do not know which way they went. Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out; whither the men went I know not: pursue after them quickly; for ye will overtake them.
KJV
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.
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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 Nineteenth Century1 voice
When it was dark - So it appears that it was after night that the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, ordering her to produce the persons who lodged with her. The season itself was friendly to the whole plot: had these transactions taken place in daylight, it is scarcely possible that the spies could have escaped. But this is no excuse for the woman’s prevarication, for God could have saved his messengers independently of her falsity. God never says to any, Do evil that good may come of it. See at the end of the chapter, Jos 2:24 (note).
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֨י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| הַשַּׁ֜עַר | hashaar | the gate | H8179 → | 374 times |
| לִסְגּ֗וֹר | lisgor | [about] to shut | H5462 → | 91 times |
| בַּחֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ | bachoshekh | at <the> darkness | H2822 → | |
| וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים | vehaanashim | and the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| יָצָ֔אוּ | yatzau | they went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָדַ֔עְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אָ֥נָה | ʾanah | where? | H575 → | |
| הָלְכ֖וּ | halekhu | did they go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֑ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| רִדְפ֥וּ | ridfu | pursue | H7291 → | 143 times |
| מַהֵ֛ר | maher | quickly | H4118 → | |
| אַחֲרֵיהֶ֖ם | ʾachareihem | after them | H310 → | 715 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| תַשִּׂיגֽוּם׃ | tasigum | you will overtake them | H5381 → |
וַיְהִ֨יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
הַשַּׁ֜עַרthe gate
hashaarH8179 →374 times
לִסְגּ֗וֹר[about] to shut
lisgorH5462 →91 times
בַּחֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙at <the> darkness
bachoshekhH2822 →
וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֣יםand the men
vehaanashimH582 →566 times
יָצָ֔אוּthey went out
yatzauH3318 →1067 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יָדַ֔עְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
אָ֥נָהwhere?
ʾanahH575 →
הָלְכ֖וּdid they go
halekhuH1980 →1546 times
הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֑יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
רִדְפ֥וּpursue
ridfuH7291 →143 times
מַהֵ֛רquickly
maherH4118 →
אַחֲרֵיהֶ֖םafter them
ʾachareihemH310 →715 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
תַשִּׂיגֽוּם׃you will overtake them
tasigumH5381 →
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
Jeremiah 50:20In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, a search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none, and for Judah’s sins, but they will not be found; for…
it leads to
- Micah 7:19
He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast out all our sins into the depths of the sea.
- Jeremiah 31:34
No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I…
- Isaiah 43:25
I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.
- Micah 7:19
Through
Isaiah 60:11Your gates will always stand open; they will never be shut, day or night, so that the wealth of the nations may be brought into you, with their kings being led in procession.
it leads to
- Revelation 21:25–26
Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day, because there will be no night there.
- Isaiah 60:5
Then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and swell with joy, because the riches of the sea will be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations will…
- Revelation 21:25–26
Through
Revelation 21:25Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day, because there will be no night there.
it leads to
- Isaiah 60:11
Your gates will always stand open; they will never be shut, day or night, so that the wealth of the nations may be brought into you, with their kings being led in procession.
- Revelation 22:5
There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and…
- Zechariah 14:7
It will be a day known only to the LORD, without day or night; but when evening comes, there will be light.
- Isaiah 60:11
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 and John Cassian, CONFERENCE 17.17.1-2.