view the land, even Jericho. | a harlot's house, named Rahab, And they went, and came into and lodged there. b Heb. 11. 31. James 2, 25. The latter, according to him, was situated four miles nearer Jerusalem, at the very foot of the mountains, where he noticed the ruins of a place of consequence. The plain of Jericho extends from the mountains, where the ruins of the old city are to be found, eastward towards Jordan, and is nearly inclosed on all sides by these or similar mountains. And came into a harlot's house. The character of this woman has been a much disputed point among commentators. As she is commended by the Apostle for her faith, Heb. 11. 31, and by her marriage with Salmon, Matt. 1. 5, subsequently came into the line of our Lord's progenitors, great anxiety has been evinced to clear her reputation, if possible, from the reproach of an infamous course of life. On this account, great pains have been taken to show that the original term may be properly rendered 'hostess,' and so does not necessarily convey the idea attached to the English word 'harlot.' But it is beyond all question, that the legitimate and uniform signification of the Heb. term is that of a 'harlot,' either literal or spiritual. Judg. 11. 1. 1 Kings 3. 16. Ezek. 23. 44. So also the word is rendered in the Sept. and this rendering is adopted by two apostles, Heb. 11. 31. James 2. 25; though we do not consider the latter circumstance by any means decisive as to the genuine import of the original; for as the Sept. was the translation at this time in common use, they adopted the expression as they found it, without claiming thereby to settle its propriety as a version of the original. It is moreover to be remembered, that Rahab lived in the midst of a people, corrupt, abandoned and profligate to the last degree. Vices of the most enormous and debasing character were practised without reserve, and received the c Matt. 1. 5. sanction of every class of people. From repeated intimations in regard to the devoted nations, it appears that the divine_judgments were kindled against them more on account of the abominations of their lewdness than any thing else, as had been the case with Sodom and Gomorrah of old. As these sins pervaded all ranks, they would cease to be regarded as infamous, and the term applied to Rahab does not perhaps indicate a character degraded much below the ordinary standard. Suppose her, however, to have been a harlot in the worst sense of the word, the licentiousness of her life, besides being the natural product of the universal laxity of moral sentiment on the subject, may have been promoted by the false religion in which she was educated. All this is said, not to excuse or justify her iniquitous conduct, but to make it less surprising that the spies should have fallen in with a person of her character, and been entertained by her. As to her being a hostess, or keeping an inn, there is not a particle of evidence from the original that such was the case, nor have we any reason to suppose, from the known customs of oriental nations, that any such establishments as houses of public entertainment, in our acceptation of the phrase, existed among them. Caravanserais or khans are indeed found in most parts of the East, but they are very different from public houses, taverns, or hotels with us. These are the result of a much more advanced state of society than has ever prevailed in the East. The following discription from Volney, will give the reader somewhat of a correct idea of oriental accommodations of this nature. 'There are no inns any where; but the cities, and commonly the villages, have a large building, called a khan or caravanserai, which serves as an asylum 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to-night of the children of Israel, to search out the country. 3 And the king of Jericho d Ps. 127. 1. Prov. 21. 30. sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thy house: for they be come to search out all the country. ( 4 And the woman took the e See 2 Sam. 17. 19, 20. And lodged there. Heb. and lay down there.' That is, they went in with the design of lodging there, and probably had actually lain down and composed themselves to rest, when the arrival of the king's messengers defeated their purpose, interrupted their repose, and made it necessary for them to save themselves by flight. Thus Gen. 37. 21, 'And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands,' i. e. he purposed to deliver him. for all travellers. These houses of be called by a former denomination reception are always built without even after the grounds of it have the precincts of towns, and consist ceased, Thus Matthew is called of four wings round a square court, Matthew the publican,' Matt. 10. 3. which serves by way of inclosure-9. 9, after he had been chosen an for the beasts of burden. The lodg- apostle, and Simon is called 'Simon ings are cells, where you find no- the leper,' Matt. 26. 6, though cleansthing but bare walls, dust, and some- ed from his leprosy. But if she had times scorpions. The keeper of this truly repented and reformed, there khan gives the traveler the key and is no more justice in charging the a mat; and he provides himself the sins of her former life upon her, rest. He must therefore carry with than in reproaching Abraham with him his bed, his kitchen utensils, the sin of idolatry, of which he was and even his provisions; for fre- doubtless guilty before his call. quently not even bread is to be found in the villages.' That Rahab had charge of such an establishment is in the highest degree improbable. Far more likely is it that she was, or had been, a woman of loose morals, living in a private station, and that the spies came to her house, moved doubtless by a secret impulse from above, because from its appearance, locality, or other causes, which we cannot now ascertain, it seemed to them a stopping place best suited to the purpose in which they were now engaged; and in countries but little civilized, there is never much ceremony among travelers in applying for a night's lodging. Hospitality is almost a universal characteristic of such a state of society. But what ever may have been Rahab's character previous to the destruction of Jericho, there is no reason to suppose that after that event it was other than pious and exemplary, and such as became a true penitent. The opprobrious appellation, it is true, remained, and it was not unfitting that her name, in the providence of God, should descend to posterity with something of a stigma attached to it, especially as it is according to scriptural usage, that a person should 2. Behold there came men-to search out the country. This could have been only a conjecture, yet they affirm it as a matter of absolute certainty. As they could conceive of no other motive for which they had come, it was perhaps natural that they should confidently assign this as the true one. 3. For they be come, &c. This seems to have been said by way of answer to anticipated objections on her part, as if it were the height of treachery to her guests thus to deal with them. 'But no, you need have no scruples on this score, for the men are not good men, as you may have supposed; they have come hither as enemies and spies, whom it will be no breach of the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, laws of hospitality to deliver up to justice. when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. faith would have been dead and inactive, and would not have justified her. James 2. 25. But her conduct showed that it was active and lively, and the event proved that it was efficacious to her salvation. So unless our faith leads us to incur hazards and make sacrifices for God, it is to be accounted of no avail. ¶ There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were. Thus far, perhaps, her answer contains no violation of truth. She admits that two men came to her house, but at the time of their coming, she knew not whence they were. The verb in the original is in the past tense, and should be so rendered-'I knew not.' 4. And the woman took the two men, and hid them. Heb. ' hid him,' i. e. each one of them; implying probably that she hid them separateÎy, at some distance from each other. The original for took,' should probably be rendered had taken,' and the whole clause inclosed in a parenthesis. She had, in all likelihood, learnt soon after their arrival the object of their errand, and aware of the danger to which they would be exposed if discovered, she had, at an early hour, conveyed them to a place of concealment; not, however, before rumors of their presence began to circulate about the city. This is justly 5. About the time of shutting of celebrated by the apostle as an in- the gate. The gate of the city. stance of high and heroic faith, Heb. T The men went out, &c. This is 11. 31. So strong was her persua- the part of Rahab's conduct most difsion of the truth of what had been an- ficult to be accounted for, consistently nounced to her, so fully was she con- with the commendations elsewhere vinced, from what she had heard of bestowed upon her by the sacred the wonders wrought for Israel, that writers. That she deceived the mestheir God was the only true God, and sengers by a falsehood is indubitable. consequently that his declared pur- She said the spies had left her house pose in regard to Canaan would when they were still in it. How is surely come to pass, that she ven- this to be reconciled with the worktures her life upon her faith. She ings of a heart made right in the knew that harboring them was expo- sight of God? The question is cersing herself to the death of a traitor tainly one of no easy solution; but to her country, and yet she runs the in forming a judgment of her conrisk. 'She contemns her life for the duct, it is fair that Rahab should present, that she may save it for the have the benefit of every extenuating future; neglected her own king and circumstance that can be adduced in country, for strangers which she her favor; and such are the follownever saw; and more feared the de-ing. (1.) Having been born and struction of that city before it knew that it had an enemy, than the displeasure and mortal revenge of her king'. Bp. Hall. It was thus that her faith justified itself by works. Had she merely assured the spies, that though she believed that both Jericho and Canaan would fall into their hands, yet in her circumstances she could show them no kindness, her brought up among the depraved Canaanites, she had probably never been taught the evil of lying, and least of all where an apparently good end was to be answered by it. From the uniform testimony of travelers and missionaries, it is evident that among all heathen nations, particularly those of the East, lying ever has been, and still is, a practice 6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and f See Ex. 1. 17. 2 Sam. 17. 19. of universal prevalence, and of the could in fact injure nobody, where criminality of which they have as by giving them up, she would scarcely any sense. So weak is the sacrifice not them only, but also feeling of obligation, as to the obser- herself and her family. Was there vance of strict veracity, that even then any other conceivable mode apparently sincere converts have by which she could act accordthe greatest difficulty in freeing ing to her faith, than by practisthemselves from the habit of equivo- ing an imposition upon the king's cation, and need to be perpetually officers? (3.) By the very fact of admonished on that score. (See her exercising a firm faith in the Read's Christian Brahmun.) What divine testimony, she did virtually wonder then that Rahab, a poor, ig- throw herself upon the side of Israel, norant, heathen woman, upon whose and unite her interests with theirs. mind the light of a saving knowl- Henceforth their enemies were hers. edge had just begun to dawn, should If the Canaanites had no right to dehave prevaricated in the trying cir- mand the truth of Israel, they had cumstances in which she was placed? no right to demand it of her. If it How much allowance precisely is would have been right for the Israelto be made for her on this ground ites to have recourse to a stratagem we may not know; but God does. To to mislead an enemy in arms, we him we may leave it. That it should see not why it was not equally right go somewhat in abatement of her for her. But that the Israelites often guilt, if guilty she were, we have no did resort to such expedients in cardoubt. (2.) Apart from the above- rying on their wars is beyond quesmentioned consideration, it was tru- tion, nor do the scriptures absolutely ly a difficult problem to be solved, condemn them. They are certainly how she should, under the circum- as lawful as war itself is. No one stances, act according to her faith. probably doubts that Elisha was jusShe fully believed that what the tified in deceiving the Syrian army, spies had told her was true. She and leading them blinded from Dosays not, 'I fear,' or 'I believe,' but tham, whither they had come to des'I know, that the Lord hath given troy him, to Samaria, where they you the land.' She was satisfied were brought into the power of the that it was in vain to fight against king of Israel. Considering Rahab God, and what could she do? If then as really leagued with Israel she had either told the truth or re- against her countrymen, why is she mained silent, she had betrayed the not equally to be justified with Elisha spies; but if she believed them sent in imposing upon her enemies? If of God, could she have done this they will suffer themselves to be dewithout sin? She knew, moreover, ceived by her direction to pursue the very well, that if these two spies were spies another way, let them be deput to death, it would make no differ-ceived. The fidelity that she owed ence whatever as to the issue of the contest. The whole city and its inhabitants would at any rate be destroyed. To what purpose then would it be to deliver up the spies? It would not save one single life; it would only be to continue fighting against God, and to bring on herself and her family that destruction which it was now in her power to avert. By concealing the spies she to God was entirely paramount to that which she owed her country, and she was bound to act accordingly. But whether we justify or condemn her conduct, it can afford no precedent to us. Before we can plead her example in justification of treachery or falsehood, we must be circumstanced as she was. But this it is nearly impossible we ever should be. 6. She had brought them up to the hid them with the stalks of flax, | lain down, she came up unto which she had laid in order upon them upon the roof; the roof. 9 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. 10 For we have heard how g Gen. 35. 5. Ex. 23. 27. Deut. 2. 25. & 11. 25. roof of the house. This verse is also ¶ Shut the gate. Doubtless with esparenthetical, and designed to ex-pecial care, and perhaps setting an plain more particularly the circum-extra guard, both to bar out enemies stances of the concealment men- that might be lurking in the neightioned, v. 4. The roofs of houses borhood, and to prevent the escape were then, as they still are in that of the spies, if perchance they still country, flat, and being furnished remained in the city. with such battlements or parapets, 9. 1 know that the Lord hath given, as were commanded to the Jews, &c. I know and am assured; I am Deut. 22. 8, were made use of for perfectly satisfied; I have not a doubt. walking or sleeping upon, or for de- An emphatic declaration implying positing any kind of goods or chat- much more than a shrewd conjectels which could not be convenient-ture or strong suspicion from existly bestowed elsewhere. See 'Illus-ing circumstances that such would trations of the Scriptures,' p. 159, be the result. The words are ex414, 461. T Hid them with the stalks pressive of the strength of her faith. of flax, &c. This was probably laid Your terror. The dread of you. upon the roof, in order to dry in the See Ex. 23. 27.-34. 24. Deut. 11. sun, preparatory to beating and 25.-28. 7. ¶ All the inhabitants of dressing it for the wheel on which it the land faint. Heb. are melted, was to be spun. Had she kept a dissolved, liquefied.' Precisely the public-house, as some have supposed, same expression is used, Ex. 15. 15, she would have been less likely to in reference to this very event: 'all have had her roof spread over with the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt such an article. The original is ex-away.' It expresses, in the strongplicit in saying that the flax had been spread out or laid in order for herself,' as if for her own use; from which the inference is, we think, not inaptly drawn, that she possessed one at least of the characters of the virtuous woman, viz. that 'she sought wool and flax, and wrought willingly with her hands,' Prov. 31. 13, and perhaps, at this time, supported herself in a way of honest industry. 7. Unto the fords. Or, Heb. 'passages, crossing-places,' whether by boats, bridges, or fording. Probably there were several such places, and the pursuers may have divided themselves into different companies, and directed their course to each of them. est manner, the effect of the general consternation which had seized upon the devoted nations, in view of contending with such a powerful foeone which was under the special conduct and protection of an almighty arm. Their very hearts quailed before the approach of Israel, in a certain fearful looking for of judgment and vengeance at their hands. It was probably something more than a mere natural dread of a formidable enemy; it was a supernatural panic sent upon their spirits by the immediate power of God, a fearful presage of the destruction that awaited them. 10. For we have heard, &c. The first of these events, the drying up |