Joshua 2:7
in Joshua 2So the king’s men set out in pursuit of the spies along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they had gone out, the gate was shut.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the men pursued after them the way to the Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they that pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Joshua 2
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The sense is, that “they pursued along the way which leads to Jordan and across the fords;” probably those described in Jdg 3:28.
This site's exposition
But Rahab had taken them up to the roof
on Joshua 2:6-7
Flax was pulled in spring and dried on flat roofs. Adam Clarke puts that harvest at the end of March, days before the crossing of 4:19. The same season floods the Jordan at 3:15, so the harvest that hides the spies also makes the river impassable.
This site's exposition
the fords of the Jordan
Barnes takes these to be the fords of Judges 3:28, where Ehud's men later held the crossing against Moab. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown place two fords near Jericho, above and below the pilgrims' bathing place. The shut gate would trap any spy still inside.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Clement of RomeClement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 12 · Written before 99.
proposed
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.
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.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Fords - Or passages, that is, the places where people used to pass over Jordan, whether by boats or bridges. The gate - Of the city, to prevent the escape of the spies, if peradventure Rahab was mistaken, and they yet lurked therein.
And the men pursued after them,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The first and second immediately below the sea of Galilee; the third and fourth immediately above and below the pilgrims' bathing-place, opposite Jericho. as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate--This precaution was to ensure the capture of the spies, should they have been lurking in the city. THE COVENANT BETWEEN HER AND THEM.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים | vehaanashim | and the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| רָדְפ֤וּ | radefu | they pursued | H7291 → | 143 times |
| אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙ | ʾachareihem | after them | H310 → | 715 times |
| דֶּ֣רֶךְ | derekh | [the] road of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן | haiyarden | the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| עַ֖ל | ʾal | to | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַֽמַּעְבְּר֑וֹת | hama'berot | the fords | H4569 → | |
| וְהַשַּׁ֣עַר | vehashaar | and the gate | H8179 → | 374 times |
| סָגָ֔רוּ | sagaru | people closed | H5462 → | 91 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֕י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר | kaasher | just when | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יָצְא֥וּ | yatzeu | they had gone out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| הָרֹדְפִ֖ים | harodefim | the pursuers | H7291 → | 143 times |
| אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ | ʾachareihem | after them | H310 → | 715 times |
וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֗יםand the men
vehaanashimH582 →566 times
רָדְפ֤וּthey pursued
radefuH7291 →143 times
אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙after them
ʾachareihemH310 →715 times
דֶּ֣רֶךְ[the] road of
derekhH1870 →707 times
הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ןthe Jordan
haiyardenH3383 →182 times
עַ֖לto
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
הַֽמַּעְבְּר֑וֹתthe fords
hama'berotH4569 →
וְהַשַּׁ֣עַרand the gate
vehashaarH8179 →374 times
סָגָ֔רוּpeople closed
sagaruH5462 →91 times
אַחֲרֵ֕יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רjust when
kaasherH834 →5497 times
יָצְא֥וּthey had gone out
yatzeuH3318 →1067 times
הָרֹדְפִ֖יםthe pursuers
harodefimH7291 →143 times
אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃after them
ʾachareihemH310 →715 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
Judges 3:28“Follow me,” he told them, “for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they followed him down and seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did…
it leads to
- Judges 7:24
Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim to say, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth-barah.” So all the men…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Judges 12:5
The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he…
- Judges 7:15
When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Get up, for the LORD has delivered the camp of Midian into your…
- 1 Samuel 17:47
And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our…
- Judges 7:9
That night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up and go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.
- Judges 7:24
Through
Judges 12:5The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he…
it leads to
- Judges 3:28
“Follow me,” he told them, “for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they followed him down and seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did…
- Judges 3:28
Through
Acts 5:23“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards posted at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”
it leads to
- Psalms 2:4
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.
- Psalms 33:10
The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.
- Psalms 2:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
On this verse
About Joshua

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.
