Joshua 2:9
in Joshua 2and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and she said unto the men, I know that Jehovah hath given you the land, and that the fear of you is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.
KJV
And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
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This verse in Joshua 2
Commentary
11 notes on this verseI know that the Lord hath given you the land - It is likely she had this only from conjecture, having heard of their successes against the Amorites, their prodigious numbers, and seeing the state of terror and dismay to which the inhabitants of her own land were reduced.
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
the fear of you has fallen on us
Clarke thinks her claim to know rested on inference from Israel's victories over the Amorites, their great numbers and the terror she saw around her. Henry reads it as faith. He sets her beside John 20:29, belief without sight, since she had seen none of the wonders herself.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 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.
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 Awakening2 voices
) she knew both whence they came and what their business was. Perceiving that they were observed coming into the city, and that umbrage was taken at it, she hid them upon the roof of the house, which was flat, and covered them with stalks of flax (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
And she said unto the men,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Blessed are those that have not seen, and yet have believed; so Rahab did. O woman, great is thy faith! She engaged them to take her and her relations under their protection, that they might not perish in the destruction of Jericho,
Rahab knew, by what was already done on the other side Jordan, that no mercy was to be shown to the Canaanites, and thence inferred that, if mercy was not owing them, truth was not; those that might be destroyed might be deceived.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
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.
The words behind it
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| יָדַ֕עְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נָתַ֧ן | natan | he has given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לָכֶ֖ם | lakhem | to <the> you | ||
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָאָ֑רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְכִֽי־ | vekhi- | and that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נָפְלָ֤ה | nafelah | it has fallen | H5307 → | 435 times |
| אֵֽימַתְכֶם֙ | ʾeimatkhem | dread your | H367 → | |
| עָלֵ֔ינוּ | ʾaleinu | on us | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וְכִ֥י | vekhi | and that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נָמֹ֛גוּ | namogu | they have melted away | H4127 → | |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יֹשְׁבֵ֥י | yoshevei | [the] inhabitants of | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| הָאָ֖רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| מִפְּנֵיכֶֽם׃ | mipeneikhem | <from> because of you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙and she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
יָדַ֕עְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
נָתַ֧ןhe has given
natanH5414 →2011 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לָכֶ֖םto <the> you
lakhem
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָאָ֑רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
וְכִֽי־and that
vekhi-H3588 →4482 times
נָפְלָ֤הit has fallen
nafelahH5307 →435 times
אֵֽימַתְכֶם֙dread your
ʾeimatkhemH367 →
עָלֵ֔ינוּon us
ʾaleinuH5921 →5755 times
וְכִ֥יand that
vekhiH3588 →4482 times
נָמֹ֛גוּthey have melted away
namoguH4127 →
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
יֹשְׁבֵ֥י[the] inhabitants of
yosheveiH3427 →1079 times
הָאָ֖רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
מִפְּנֵיכֶֽם׃<from> because of you
mipeneikhemH6440 →2123 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 23:27I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 11:25
No man will be able to stand against you; the LORD your God will put the fear and dread of you upon all the land, wherever you set foot, as He has promised you.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 2:25
This very day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon all the nations under heaven. They will hear the reports of you and tremble in anguish because of you.”
- Genesis 35:5
As they set out, a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.
- Deuteronomy 7:23
But the LORD your God will give them over to you and throw them into great confusion, until they are destroyed.
- Deuteronomy 11:25
Through
Deuteronomy 2:25This very day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon all the nations under heaven. They will hear the reports of you and tremble in anguish because of you.”
it leads to
- Exodus 15:14–16
The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the dwellers of Philistia.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 15:14–16
Through
Genesis 35:5As they set out, a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:27
I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 23:27
Through
Joshua 2:11When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.
it leads to
- Joshua 5:1
Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 4:39
Know therefore this day and take to heart that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.
- Joshua 5:1
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 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.