By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What’s often missed is that Rahab’s “disobedience” wasn't to God, but to her own city’s authorities. Her act of faith—welcoming the spies—meant defying the orders of Jericho, choosing instead to trust in the God of Israel, thereby escaping the judgment of those who stubbornly refused to believe.
By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage concludes the author's lengthy catalog of faith heroes by highlighting Rahab, a Gentile and a prostitute in Jericho. Her act of faith—hiding the Israelite spies and helping them escape—contrasts sharply with the disobedience of her own people, who ultimately faced destruction when Jericho fell. Rahab's story demonstrates that faith transcends nationality and social standing, leading to salvation even for those on the fringes of society.
Rahab, a woman whose profession carried immense social stigma, is lifted up as a hero of faith. How does her story challenge our assumptions about who God uses?
Hebrews 11 doesn't shy away from the challenging details of its heroes' lives. Rahab is explicitly called 'the harlot' (ho porne). This isn't a gentle euphemism; it's a direct acknowledgment of her past and likely current occupation, a fact confirmed in the book of Joshua.
A Despised Woman, A Divine Choice
Commentators agree that 'harlot' should be taken at face value. Her occupation, while socially condemned, doesn't disqualify her in God's eyes. Instead, her act of faith is amplified because of her background.
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Rahab's faith wasn't just a private thought; it led her to take a dangerous risk. What does 'receiving the spies with peace' truly reveal about her heart?
Rahab's act of 'receiving the spies with peace' (met' eirēnēs) is the tangible expression of her faith. This wasn't just a polite greeting; it was a deliberate, life-risking decision to offer protection and aid to the agents of the God she was beginning to believe in.
More Than Just Hospitality
The verse contrasts Rahab's faith with 'those who were disobedient.' What's the crucial difference between simply not believing and actively disobeying God?
The contrast drawn in Hebrews 11:31 is sharp and important. It’s not just about a lack of belief; it’s about the active rebellion that stems from it.
The Active Nature of Disobedience
The core difference lies in the response to knowledge. One group actively resists God's revealed will, while the other, even from a marginalized position, actively embraces it.
Understand the original words
pistis · Greek Noun
A firm conviction, trust, and reliance upon God and His promises. It is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen, acting as the foundation of the believer's relationship with God.
pornē · Greek Noun
Refers to a person who engages in sexual immorality for payment; in a biblical context, it highlights the unlikely status of someone being included in God's redemptive history through faith.
apeitheō · Greek Verb
A refusal to believe or trust in God’s word; it implies active rebellion or persistent stubbornness against divine authority.
hypodechomai · Greek Verb
The act of showing hospitality or a peaceful reception to others; in this context, it refers to receiving God’s messengers or those acting on His behalf.
Rahab, a foreigner and a woman of ill repute, stands as a powerful testament that faith transcends social status and past sins, highlighting God's willingness to save anyone who turns to Him.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites Cross the Jordan River
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites miraculously crossed the Jordan River, entering the land of Canaan. This event signaled the beginning of their conquest of the Promised Land and caused fear among the Canaanite inhabitants, including those in Jericho.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Joshua Sends Spies to Jericho
Joshua dispatched two Israelite spies to scout the heavily fortified city of Jericho. They lodged at the house of Rahab, a woman who, despite her profession, chose to help them.
c. 1400 BC
Rahab Hides the Spies
Rahab concealed the spies from the king of Jericho's men, demonstrating her burgeoning faith and understanding that the God of Israel was sovereign. She lied to the authorities to protect the spies.
c. 1400 BC
Rahab's Covenant and Escape
Rahab made a pact with the spies, asking for her and her family to be spared when Jericho was destroyed. They instructed her to tie a scarlet cord in her window as a sign for the Israelite army to spare her household.
c. 1400 BC
Walls of Jericho Fall
Following God's instructions, the Israelite army marched around Jericho for seven days. On the seventh day, a great shout caused the walls to collapse, allowing the Israelites to conquer the city.
c. 1400 BC
Rahab and Her Family Spared
As promised, Rahab, her family, and all who were with her in her house were saved from the destruction of Jericho due to her act of faith and her cooperation with the spies.
This is the narrative account of Rahab's encounter with the spies, detailing her faith in action as she hides them and helps them escape.
James 2:25James echoes Hebrews, highlighting Rahab's faith and its demonstration through her actions, emphasizing that faith without works is dead.
Matthew 1:5This verse shows Rahab's inclusion in the lineage of Jesus, illustrating how God uses unlikely individuals and transforms lives through faith, even beyond societal expectations.
Joshua 6:22-25This passage describes the fulfillment of Rahab's rescue as the spies ensure her safety and that of her household during the destruction of Jericho, showing the tangible results of her faith.
ellicottHebrews 11:31: "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace."
(31) That believed not. —Bather, that were disobedient (see Hebrews 3:18 ; Hebrews 4:6 ; Hebrews 4:11 ). To her and to her countrymen alike had come the knowledge of what the Lord had done for Israel ( Joshua 2:10 ). She recognised from these signs, and acknowledged, the supremacy of Jehovah ( Hebrews 11:11 ), and she cast in her lot with His servants; the men of Jeri…
vincentHebrews 11:31: "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace."
The harlot Rahab (Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη)See Joshua 2; Joshua 6:17, and comp. James 2:25. Rahab's occupation is stated without mincing, and the lodging of the spies at her house was probably not a matter of accident. Very amusing are the efforts of some earlier expositors to evade the fact of a harlot's faith, by rendering πόρνη landlady.Perished not with (οὐ συναπώλετο)…
What’s often missed is that Rahab’s “disobedience” wasn't to God, but to her own city’s authorities. Her act of faith—welcoming the spies—meant defying the orders of Jericho, choosing instead to trust in the God of Israel, thereby escaping the judgment of those who stubbornly refused to believe.
This passage concludes the author's lengthy catalog of faith heroes by highlighting Rahab, a Gentile and a prostitute in Jericho. Her act of faith—hiding the Israelite spies and helping them escape—contrasts sharply with the disobedience of her own people, who ultimately faced destruction when Jericho fell. Rahab's story demonstrates that faith transcends nationality and social standing, leading to salvation even for those on the fringes of society.
This passage concludes the author's lengthy catalog of faith heroes by highlighting Rahab, a Gentile and a prostitute in Jericho. Her act of faith—hiding the Israelite spies and helping them escape—contrasts sharply with the disobedience of her own people, who ultimately faced destruction when Jericho fell. Rahab's story demonstrates that faith transcends nationality and social standing, leading to salvation even for those on the fringes of society.
"By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies." — What’s often missed is that Rahab’s “disobedience” wasn't to God, but to her own city’s authorities. Her act of faith—welcoming the spies—meant defying the orders of Jericho, choosing instead to trus…
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Last reviewed October 2026