Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Rahab, whose story in the Old Testament is found in Joshua 2 and Joshua 6, lived in Jericho in the land of Canaan. Although translations of the Bible commonly refer to her as a harlot or prostitute, Aramaic translations of the Hebrew text indicate that she may in fact have been an innkeeper.

She knew that God was with the Israelites following their exodus from Egypt, and she was willing to defy the rulers of the city by giving shelter to the Israelite spies who had been sent to scout out the city in preparation for Israel's conquest of it, and to mislead the authorities (who were looking for the spies) about where they were. In return for her aid, she and her extended family were spared by the Israelites when God caused the walls of Jericho to fall, allowing the Israelites to overrun the city and kill its inhabitants.

In addition, she is mentioned multiple times in the New Testament. Matthew's genealogy of Jesus through Joseph indicates (in Matthew 1:5) that she married Salmon, and was the mother of Boaz. She was therefore also the great-great-grandmother of King David, and was thus an ancestor of Jesus through both His mother and His earthly father.

She is spoken of favorably in the epistle of James (James 2:25) and in the epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 11:31) as well, as someone who gave witness to her faith through her actions.

January 20 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report