Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 2:15
Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house [was] upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
15. she let them down by a cord ] Comp. the escape of St Paul from Damascus (Act 9:25).
her house was upon the town wall ] i.e. her chamber was in the upper story of the house, which rose above the wall, as may be seen even now in old cities along the Rhine.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Upon the town wall – The town wall probably formed the back wall of the house, and the window opened therefore into the country. (Compare Pauls escape, 2Co 11:33).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. Then she let them down by a cord c.] The natural place of this verse is after the first clause of Jos 2:21 for it is certain that she did not let them down in the basket till all those circumstances marked from Jos 2:16-20 inclusive had taken place.
She dwelt upon the wall.] That is, either the wall of the city made a part of her house or her house was built close to the wall, so that the top or battlements of it were above the wall with a window that looked out to the country. As the city gates were now shut there was no way for the spies to escape but through this window; and in order to this she let them down through the window in a basket suspended by a cord, till they reached the ground on the outside of the wall.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Which gave her the opportunity of dismissing them when the gates were shut.
She dwelt upon the wall; her particular dwelling was there; which may possibly be added, because the other part of her house was reserved for the entertainment of strangers.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. her house was upon the townwallIn many Oriental cities houses are built on the walls withoverhanging windows; in others the town wall forms the back wall ofthe house, so that the window opens into the country. Rahab’s wasprobably of this latter description, and the cord or ropesufficiently strong to bear the weight of a man.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then she let them down by a cord through the window,…. Which must be large, and the cord strong, as well as she herself a masculine woman, to let down two men by it, unless she employed any of her servants in the affair; though this being so great a secrecy, it is probable she trusted none of her domestics with it as little as possible: in like manner the Apostle Paul was let down by the wall of Damascus in a basket, Ac 9:25; Jarchi supposes it was the same cord and window, by means of and in at which her gallants used to come and go:
for her house [was] upon the town wall; in a suitable and convenient place to receive her guests and gallants: and it is observed, that harlots have had their houses on or under walls: Martial speaks of harlots whom he calls l Summoenianae, whores that plied under the walls and in the suburbs of cities:
and she dwelt upon the wall; that part of the house in which she particularly dwelt was built on or over the wall, and the rest towards the city was for the entertainment of persons that resorted to her house.
l Epigram. l. 3. Ep. 62.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Rahab then let them down by a rope through the window, namely, into the open country; for her house stood against or upon the town wall, so that she lived upon the wall, and advised them to get to the mountains, that they might not meet the men who had been sent out in pursuit of them, and to hide themselves there for three days, when the pursuers would have returned.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(15) Her house was upon the town wallHappily for the two spies. Perhaps, indeed, they selected it for this reason, as it enabled them to leave the town without passing the gate.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Then she let them downs by a cord [Many interpreters are of opinion that there is a confusion in the order of verses here, and that this verse should follow the first sentence of Jos 2:21. For it is improbable, they urge, that Rahab and the spies continued to converse after the latter were let down from the window, inasmuch as such conversation would have led to their detection and exposure. But against such an opinion are the words, Thou didst let us down, (Jos 2:18😉 and as for the confusion of verses, Keil well remarks that “the Hebrews often connect together the principal circumstances attending any particular event, and, after fully describing these, proceed to fill up the details of minor importance. This, however, is nor, a confusion in the order of events, but an anticipation of the result consequent upon a well-arranged division of the subject-matter.”] Some have thought that it was impossible that she could let them down alone, and they have furnished her with “friends or domestics” to assist her. But there is no need of this assistance. By fastening the cord to something within the room they could descend, sailor-like, even without aid from within. Paul was let down in a basket. (2Co 11:33.)
Her house was upon the town wall , in the depth of the wall. Her house was so constructed that the city wall formed also the back wall of the house.
She dwelt upon the wall For her house was built on the wall, and projected beyond its outer edge, so that from one of its outer windows the men could be let down beyond the walls of the city. (See note on Act 9:25.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.’
The rope could have been fastened to some object in the room (they were no longer on the roof for there is a window) so that they could safely descend (compare 1Sa 19:12). She was probably used to doing this. A house on the wall was useful for a prostitute so that her clients could easily escape unseen if the need arose. Note the typical repetition common in ancient narratives.
In Jos 2:14 Jos 2:15 the activity is stated briefly and will be followed by an expansion in detail in the following verses. This was typical of early style. It causes some modern commentators difficulties because they overlook this difference in style,
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Ver. 15. Then she let them down, &c. Having thus mutually given their word to each other, she took advantage of the darkness of the night, to let them down by means of a cord, through a window of her house which opened to the country. This house was built upon the wall, or in the wall itself of the city, very near the gate. One of the fronts looked into the city; the other out of it.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jos 2:15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house [was] upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
Ver. 15. For her house was upon the town wall. ] In an obscure nook, among the poorer sort of people: for this harlot Rahab had not got such an estate as Phryne had, who offered at her own charge to repair the ruined walls of Thebes, if these words only might have been inscribed on them, “Alexander overturned these walls, and Phryne set them up again.” a
And she dwelt upon the wall.
a O A , .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 2:15-21
15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16She said to them, Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way. 17The men said to her, We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, 18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household. 19It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear. 21She said, According to your words, so be it. So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
Jos 2:15 The exact location of her place of business and home is uncertain. Jericho was a double walled city. There may have been walkways from the roofs of buildings built against the inner walls to the top of the outer wall. Robert Bratcher and Barclay Newman in A Translators Handbook on the Book of Joshua by the United Bible Societies, have an interesting comment,
Archaeological excavations reveal that at one time Jericho had two city walls, an inner one and an outer one, separated by a space of some 3.5 to 4.5 meters. Houses were built on heavy timbers laid from one wall to the other: the window through which Rahab let the men down looked out from the outer wall (p. 32).
Jos 2:16 go This VERB (BDB 229, KB 246) is a Qal IMPERATIVE. Her advice was crucial in their escape.
the hill country This referred to the rugged hill country to the west and south of Jericho. In other words, she instructed them to go the opposite direction from the camp of Israel.
Jos 2:18 The term rope (BDB 286 II) in Jos 2:15 is different from the term (BDB 876 CONSTRUCT 296) used in Jos 2:17. The first implies a corded strong rope, the second a much smaller, weaker rope, or thick thread (cf. Joshua 21). By putting out this small rope/thread it did not draw undue attention to her home by the inhabitants of Jericho.
The color scarlet is often associated with the tabernacle color, but must have also been a common color for thread (cf. Gen 38:28; Gen 38:30). These spies may have had it with them. The dye color came from a worm (BDB 1040).
gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household In the OT salvation has to do with physical deliverance. Notice Rahab’s whole family is delivered by her act of faith. This corporate concept is not only common in the OT, but extends to the household conversions of the NT (cf. Jos 2:2; Joh 4:44; Joh 4:53; Act 11:14; Act 16:14-15; Act 16:31-33; Act 18:8; 1Co 1:16).
Jos 2:19-20 Notice the conditional covenant related to the faith of Rahab (cf. Jos 2:20) and her family (Jos 2:19). If they believe in YHWH they will abide by the three conditions of the spies (cf. Jos 2:18-20).
Jos 2:19 his blood shall be on his own head This is a Hebrew idiom of personal responsibility (cf. Eze 18:13; Eze 33:5).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
cord = the rope. Compare Septuagint here with Act 9:25, and 2Co 11:33. Compare 1Co 11:10.
upon the town wall = [built] into thehomah; i.e. the outer or lower wall.
upon the wall = in the kir; i. e. the inner or higher wall.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the Escape and Report of the Spies
Jos 2:15-24
Rahabs trust in the promise of the spies, and in the efficacy of the scarlet line around her window is a striking type of the faith that relies on the promise of God, that those who are united with Christ shall be saved in this world and the next. Her faith was not the result of impulse, but of a considerate review of the story of the Exodus. Would you have faith, soak your soul in the fact and teachings of Christ.
Note the strict conditions exacted by the spies as to the extent of their responsibility. Amid the general destruction, only those sheltered in the precincts of Rahabs house would escape. To be outside, though related to her, would not avail. So the great salvation of Jesus is available only to those who are found in Him, having upon them the divine righteousness, Php 3:9.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
she let them: 1Sa 19:12-17, Act 9:25, 2Co 11:33
for her house: Jos 6:20
Reciprocal: Act 17:10 – the brethren
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 2:15-16. Her house was upon the town-wall Which gave her the opportunity of dismissing them when the gates were shut. She dwelt upon the wall Her particular dwelling was there; which may possibly be added, because the other part of her house was reserved for the entertainment of strangers. Get you to the mountain That is, to some of the mountains wherewith Jericho was encompassed, in which also there were many caves where they might lurk. Three days Not three whole days, but one whole day, and part of two days.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The spies gave their solemn promise to spare Rahab and her household but specified three conditions that Rahab had to meet.
1. She had to make her home known to the Israelites when they attacked (Jos 2:18).
2. She had to assemble her family into her home before the battle (Jos 2:18).
3. She had to keep the mission of the spies a secret (Jos 2:20; Jos 2:14).
The cord Rahab was to hang out of her window and over the town wall-her house stood on the wall (Jos 2:15)-was scarlet in color (Jos 2:15; Jos 2:18). Archaeologists have discovered houses within the ruined walls of ancient Jericho. [Note: See Bryant G. Wood, "Did the Israelites Conquer Jericho? A New Look at the Archaeological Evidence," Biblical Archaeology Review 16:2 (1990):56.] Its unusual color would have marked Rahab’s house for the Israelites. The color had symbolic significance, too, since red recalls blood and vigorous life.
"In the preaching of the Christian church, all the way back to Clement of Rome . . ., this has been taken as a sign of the blood of Christ, the Lamb." [Note: Frances Schaeffer, Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History, p. 77.]
There is no Scriptural statement that the cord is a type, however.
"It answered, therefore, the same purpose with the blood sprinkled upon the door-posts in Egypt, which secured the first-born from the destroying angel." [Note: Bush, pp. 39-40.]
God spared the lives of Rahab and her household because of her faith. Any of Rahab’s relatives that would have gathered with her before the Israelite siege would have done so because of their faith in God’s promise through the spies. If they had no faith they would have stayed in their own homes. Thus the deliverance of Rahab and her family depended on believing a promise from God. Salvation always depends on believing a promise from God (cf. Gen 15:6; Joh 3:16; et al.).