Joshua 2:10
For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Rahab’s testimony reveals something profound: she doesn’t just list Israel's military victories, but focuses on how the LORD acted. This shows she understands that God's power, not just Israel's strength, is the true force behind their successes. She's already attributing their impending victory to the God who controls the seas and nations.
Two Israelite spies, sent by Joshua, have sought refuge in the house of Rahab in Jericho. The king's men have discovered their presence and are demanding they be handed over, but Rahab has hidden them on her roof. In this tense moment, Rahab reveals her fear and awe of Israel's God, acknowledging His mighty acts that have preceded their arrival.
What did the Israelites' past victories have to do with Rahab's decision to hide them? It turns out, everything.
Rahab's confession in Joshua 2:10 isn't just a history lesson; it's the bedrock of her burgeoning faith.
Echoes of the Exodus
She specifically recalls the parting of the Red Sea. This wasn't just a natural event; it was a demonstration of God's sovereign power over creation itself. By drying up the sea, God showed His people a way through the impossible, leaving Pharaoh and his army to perish. This miracle declared God's might and His commitment to Israel's liberation.
Victories Beyond the Jordan
Rahab also mentions the defeat of Sihon and Og. These were more recent victories, occurring just as Israel approached Canaan. These Amorite kings, powerful rulers in their own right, were utterly destroyed. This demonstrated God's power to grant victory over hostile nations and fulfill His promises concerning the land.
A Unified Message of Power
Together, these events paint a picture for Rahab: God is not only powerful enough to deliver His people from bondage but also mighty enough to conquer their enemies and secure their inheritance. This dual testimony—liberation and conquest—instills a profound fear and awe, leading Rahab to believe that Israel's God is the one true God.
Rahab understood that Israel's God didn't just save His people; He also judged their enemies.
Rahab's understanding of God extends beyond mere power to encompass His righteous judgment and covenant faithfulness.
The Devotion to Destruction
The phrase 'whom you devoted to destruction' is crucial. It signifies more than just defeat; it speaks of a complete and utter destruction as an act of divine judgment. These kings and their people were set apart for destruction, a terrifying consequence for their opposition to God's plan and people. This shows that God's actions were not arbitrary but part of a divinely ordained judgment.
Understand the original words
yam sūp · Hebrew Proper Noun
A place of safety or a region located between the continents of Africa and Asia, famously crossed by the Israelites as a miraculous act of God's deliverance from Egyptian bondage.
hāram · Hebrew Verb
A term indicating a divine command to completely destroy or dedicate something exclusively to the LORD as an act of judgment, prohibiting any personal gain or preservation of the item.
Rahab's statement reveals that news of Israel's miraculous past—the Red Sea crossing and the decisive defeat of Sihon and Og—had spread, creating widespread fear and shaping her belief in the God of Israel.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt and Red Sea Crossing
The Lord miraculously parts the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape from Egyptian bondage, a foundational event in their national memory.
c. 1407 BC
Conquest of Sihon and Og
After wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites defeat and conquer the Amorite kings Sihon and Og east of the Jordan River.
c. 1407 BC
Israelites Arrive at the Plains of Moab
The Israelite army sets up camp on the plains of Moab, directly across the Jordan River from Jericho.
c. 1407 BC— this verse
Joshua Sends Spies to Jericho
Joshua, now the leader of Israel, sends two spies to scout the heavily fortified city of Jericho.
This passage directly describes the miraculous drying of the Red Sea, the event Rahab references as proof of God's power, showing the foundational miracle that instilled fear in the surrounding nations.
Numbers 21:21-31This passage details the Israelites' victory over Sihon king of the Amorites, a conquest Rahab mentions, highlighting how God granted them territory even before they entered the promised land.
Numbers 21:33-35This passage recounts the defeat of Og king of Bashan, the other Amorite king mentioned by Rahab, further demonstrating God's mighty power in clearing the way for His people.
Joshua 6:1This verse shows Jericho's gates were shut and barred because of Israel's approach, echoing the fear and paralysis Rahab describes her people experiencing due to Israel's reputation.
Hebrews 11:31This New Testament passage commends Rahab's faith, explicitly linking her saving of the spies to her belief in God's actions, which she articulates by recalling the Red Sea and the Amorite kings.
calvinJoshua 2:1-24: "And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there."
Miserat [31] autem Josue filius Nun viros duos exploratores clam, [32] dicendo: Ite, considerate terram et Jericho. Profecti sunt igitur et ingressi sunt domum mulieris meretricis, cujus nomen erat Rahab, et dormierunt illic.
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there…
jfbJoshua 2:8-21: "And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;"
Jos 2:8-21. The Covenant between Her and Them.8-13. she came up unto them upon the roof and said—Rahab's dialogue is full of interest, as showing the universal panic and consternation of the Canaanites on the one hand (Jos 24:11; De 2:25), and her strong convictions on the other, founded on a knowledge of the divine promise, and the stupendous miracles that had opened the way of the Israelites to the confines…
Rahab’s testimony reveals something profound: she doesn’t just list Israel's military victories, but focuses on how the LORD acted. This shows she understands that God's power, not just Israel's strength, is the true force behind their successes. She's already attributing their impending victory to the God who controls the seas and nations.
Two Israelite spies, sent by Joshua, have sought refuge in the house of Rahab in Jericho. The king's men have discovered their presence and are demanding they be handed over, but Rahab has hidden them on her roof. In this tense moment, Rahab reveals her fear and awe of Israel's God, acknowledging His mighty acts that have preceded their arrival.
Two Israelite spies, sent by Joshua, have sought refuge in the house of Rahab in Jericho. The king's men have discovered their presence and are demanding they be handed over, but Rahab has hidden them on her roof. In this tense moment, Rahab reveals her fear and awe of Israel's God, acknowledging His mighty acts that have preceded their arrival.
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Faith Rooted in Divine Justice
Rahab’s faith is not just in a powerful deity, but in a God who enacts justice and fulfills His promises. She heard not only that Israel won, but how—through God’s direct intervention and judgment. This understanding of God's character as both powerful and just is what makes her subsequent plea for mercy so significant.
A Glimpse of God's Sovereignty
By mentioning the 'devotion to destruction,' Rahab acknowledges God's supreme sovereignty over all nations. He was not just the God of Israel, but the God who judged other nations and determined their fate. This awareness of God's universal authority is a key component of her developing faith.
"For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction." — Rahab’s testimony reveals something profound: she doesn’t just list Israel's military victories, but focuses on how the LORD acted. This shows she understands that God's power, not just Israel's st…
