II. THE SPIES AND RAHAB. (1) JOSHUA... SENT OUT OF SHITTIM. — That is, he sent the spies before the people left the place where they had been encamped for some months (Numbers 22:1; Numbers 33:49). Shittim was the last stage of the Exodus under Moses. Probably the sending of these two spies was sim... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STALKS OF FLAX. — It is remarked that flax and barley are both early crops (Exodus 9:31), and that the first month (see Joshua 4:19) was the time of barley harvest. (Comp. 2 Samuel 21:9.)... [ Continue Reading ]
(9-11) SHE SAID UNTO THE MEN, I KNOW THAT THE LORD HATH GIVEN YOU THE LAND.... — The words of this confession are memorable in everyway. Note the fulfilment of the prophetic song of Moses, which is partly repeated here (Exodus 15:15, with Joshua 2:9), “All the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away;... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVE ALIVE MY FATHER, AND MY MOTHER, AND MY BRETHREN, AND MY SISTERS. — Whatever Rahab may have been herself, her acknowledgment of all her family is observable. She was in no way separated or degraded from their society. When we remember what Moses describes the Canaanites to have been (in certain... [ Continue Reading ]
HER HOUSE WAS UPON THE TOWN WALL — Happily for the two spies. Perhaps, indeed, they selected it for this reason, as it enabled them to leave the town without passing the gate.... [ Continue Reading ]
GET YOU TO THE MOUNTAIN. — The mountains between Jerusalem and Jericho have often been a refuge for worse characters than Joshua’s two spies (Luke 10:30).... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WINDOW WHICH THOU DIDST LET US DOWN BY. — It seems almost needless to observe that the scarlet line and the cord by which the men were lowered are not the same thing, but described by different words in the original. It would have been preposterous to require Rahab to display in her window the m... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER SHALL GO OUT OF THE DOORS OF THY HOUSE INTO THE STREET, HIS BLOOD SHALL BE UPON HIS HEAD. — Comp. Exodus 12:22 (the account of the Passover), “Ye shall.... strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the bason: and _none of you shall go out at the door of his house u... [ Continue Reading ]
THREE DAYS — i.e., probably until the completion of three days from the commencement of their mission, according to the usual inclusive reckoning of the Old Testament.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD HATH DELIVERED. — Observe the entirely satisfactory effect of this mission, and compare what was said on Joshua 2:1.... [ Continue Reading ]