Meet Rahab, the Prostitute and Grandmother of Jesus

My name is Joshua the son of Nun and in case you were wondering, my name means “Jehovah-Savior.”

Not long ago the Lord God, told our leader Moses, to put his hand on me and passed his responsibilities to lead the children of Israel upon my shoulders.

God just spoke with me and said, “Moses my servant is now dead, rise up and go over the Jordan river, you and all the people. As I told Moses, every place your feet tread on, I will give to you. From this wilderness to the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the great sea and all the coast! No man can stand in your way for as long as you live, as it was with Moses, I will be with you, I won’t fail you or forsake you.

Be strong and courageous because you will cause these people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.

3 times God told me to “be strong and courageous” I am convinced he felt my heaviness of heart. Moses is gone and now and I must lead.

I gathered the officers and instructed them to tell their tribes we would be leaving over the Jordan to take possession of the land God promised us.

With confidence I said, “Prepare provisions now because we are leaving in 3 days. The women, children and livestock will stay, but all men of valor shall go armed before your brothers.”

They obeyed just as if I was Moses.

I wanted to spy out the land first and had a secret meeting with 2 brave men from Shittim. I told them “Go view out the land, especially Jericho.” I had heard of Jericho but wanted first hand knowledge of it.

My two spies left early in the morning before day break. They crossed over the Jordan and traveled up the dirt road to Jericho. Because of its trading, the city attracted merchants and farmers from miles around.

As they approached the city gates they could see it was about 10 acres in size and fortified immensely. Jericho is said to be the oldest and first completely walled in city. It’s surrounded by a stone retaining wall at its base. The retaining wall was 12 to 15 feet in height. On top of that was another wall, made from mud brick 6 feet thick and 20 to 26 feet high. On the outside of this retaining wall was another mud brick wall 46 feet in height.

Both of my spies were amazed at how well the fortress was built.

They entered thru the front gate quickly as to not attract un-wanted attention. Walking thru the narrow dirt roads weaving by the mud brick buildings. They couldn’t help but be surprised at how the entire fortress had a sweet smell from the Balsam and Date Palm trees lined everywhere in the city.

They had to find somewhere to stay for the night without attracting attention and came to an Inn owned and run by a harlot named Rahab. It sat in the North section of Jericho and on the outside wall, perfect to escape from in the event of an emergency…

“My name is Rahab, welcome, come quickly inside!” I said, as I greeted these two men. I knew these two men were different, they were foreigners and something told me they were from the people of the true God, the one’s called “the Children of Israel.”

I had heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea when they escaped out of Egypt and also what they did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan.

I was told the Lord had given them this land where my family and I lived. Because of my business, I had heard many things from visitors outside of Jericho.

My city is wicked, the people worship demonic idols, they sacrifice children to the Canaanite gods and commit taboo sexual acts. Sadly I myself am not innocent, I’m a harlot and I know these men have come to spy out Jericho so they and their Lord can destroy it.

This is my chance to save myself and my family and worship the true and living God I have heard so much about!

Maybe the soldiers of Jericho are already searching for them, I must hide them. I said to them, “Come upstairs, I will hide you under the stalks of flax I have drying on the roof!”

Shortly after hiding the two men upstairs there was a loud pounding on my front door. Soldiers were there, they look down upon me because I’m a harlot and commanded, “Bring out the men who have come to stay with you and search out the land.”

I looked them in the eyes and replied, “It’s true the men came to my Inn, but I don’t know where they are from, and just before the gate closed at dark, they left. If you go quickly now, you should be able to catch up with them!”

They left immediately without even searching my home. I’m a good liar because in my profession, you get lots of practice telling men what they want to hear… I knew I could not let them find the spies otherwise we would all be killed.

I ran upstairs just as the soldiers left and told the spies all that I knew about their people and their Lord. I also told them that the spirit has left all men in this land, they fear the children of Israel because the Lord their God is the God in the heavens above and the earth below.

I knew this was my last chance to save myself, my family and to become a follower and worshipper of the one true God! I pleaded with them, “Please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my fathers house and give me a sign that you will save alive my father, mother, brothers and sisters and all who belong to them and deliver our lives from death!”

Oh how my heart leaped for joy when they replied, “Our life for yours even to death! If you don’t tell anyone of our business, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”

I grabbed a rope and lowered it down thru the window and they went down. I said to them, “Go into the hills, or the soldiers will find you, and hide there 3 days until the soldiers have returned. Then afterwards you may continue on your way.”

The men said to me, “When we come into the land, you must tie this scarlet cord in the window we just came down, gather all your family and household inside your house. Then if anyone goes outside your doors into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. But, if you tell anyone of our business, we will be guiltless with our oath between you and us, that you made us swear.”

Excitedly I said to them, “Yes according to your words so be it” and I tied the scarlet cord in my window…

My two spies spent 3 days waiting in the hills and then came back to me and reported. I was very happy and relieved to hear them say, “Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands, and also all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.”

They also told me of the harlot who saved their lives and made them swear to spare her and her family and the scarlet cord for identification. Surely I will honor their promise to this brave harlot named Rahab.

If you enjoyed this first person narrative on Joshua 1–2, all I ask is you follow me on Medium and on X @HumDog64. Super excited if you share this article on your social media!

Part 2 of the story of the amazing Rahab is the next article coming soon, her story has just started, stay tuned! We will find out what happened with Rahab and how she became the great grandmother, 31 generations back, to be in the lineage of Jesus Christ!

thx,

Peter