Joshua 2:21 · Bible study
Joshua 2:21 Commentary: Rahab's Scarlet Cord
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the significance of the scarlet line in Rahab's window, a sign of faith, a symbol of deliverance, and a parallel to Passover blood.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Rahab's act of faith and obedience, tying the sign of covenant deliverance as instructed by the spies.
- Key words: bound (קָשַׁר, decisive, covenant action); scarlet (שָׁנִי, costly dye, linked to purification and Passover); cord (תִּקְוָה, also 'hope').
- Main debate: Whether she tied the cord immediately after the spies left (Gill, Wesley) or waited until Israel approached the city (Keil and Delitzsch).
- Theological theme: Salvation through a visible sign of faith, with typological links to the Passover blood and ultimately to the cross.
- Best use: Teaching the connection between faith and works, and the role of visible means as anchors for trust in God's promises.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
“Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. And when they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
WEB World English Bible 2000
She said, “Let it be as you have said.” She sent them away, and they departed. Then she tied the scarlet line in the window.
KJV King James Version 1769
And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And she saith, `According unto your words, so it is ;' and she sendeth them away, and they go; and she bindeth the scarlet line to the window.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And she said, According to your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet line in the window.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And she answered: As you have spoken, so be it done: and sending them on their way, she hung the scarlet cord in the window.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y ella respondió: Sea así como habéis dicho. Luego los despidió, y se fueron: y ella ató el cordón de grana á la ventana.
E ela respondeu: Seja assim como dissestes. Logo os despediu, e se foram: e ela atou o cordão de escarlate à janela.
Elle répondit: Qu’ il en soit selon vos paroles. Elle prit ainsi congé d’ eux, et ils s’ en allèrent. Et elle attacha le cordon de cramoisi à la fenêtre.
Sie sprach: Es sei, wie ihr sagt, und ließ sie gehen. Und sie gingen hin. Und sie knüpfte das rote Seil ins Fenster.
Zij nu zeide: Het zij alzo naar uw woorden. Toen liet zij hen gaan; en zij gingen heen; en zij bond het scharlakensnoer aan het venster.
Ed ella disse: “Sia come dite!” Poi li accomiatò, e quelli se ne andarono. Ed essa attaccò la cordicella scarlatta alla finestra.
I odpowiedziała; Jakoście powiedzieli, niechże tak będzie. Tedy je wypuściła, i poszli; i uwiązała sznur czerwony w onem oknie.
Она сказала: да будет по словам вашим! И отпустила их, и они пошли, а она привязала к окну червленую веревку.
女人說：「照你們的話行吧！」於是打發他們 去了，又把 朱紅 線繩 繫 在窗戶上。
And she said, Let it be as you say. Then she sent them away, and they went; and she put the bright red cord in the window.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 2:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Rahab's action here is an act of faith and obedience. She accepts the spies' conditions and ties the scarlet cord in the window. Gill notes she did it immediately, possibly in their sight, as a tangible expression of her trust. Wesley says she acted forthwith, partly so the spies could see the sign and partly to avoid later neglect. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown emphasize the cord's red color made it conspicuous, comparing it to the blood on the doorposts in Egypt. Keil and Delitzsch suggest she may have tied it later when necessary, but most affirm the promptness of her response. The scarlet cord becomes a visible pledge of the oath, a small act that sealed the fate of her household.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Immediate obedience view: Gill and Wesley argue she tied the cord at once, based on the sequence of verbs and to confirm the sign for the spies.
- Delayed necessity view: Keil and Delitzsch suggest she tied it later when needed, noting the narrative records the act here for closure, not chronology.
What is clear: Rahab acted on the spies' instruction, marking her house with the scarlet cord as a sign of her trust in the promise of deliverance.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Timing of tying the cord | Rahab did tie the scarlet cord in the window, as instructed. | Some commentators (Gill, Wesley) hold she did it immediately after the spies left; others (Keil and Delitzsch) suggest she tied it later, when the Israelites approached Jericho. |
| Meaning of scarlet | The red color made the cord conspicuous and carried ceremonial significance. | Some see a direct typology of Passover blood (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown); others treat it as a general sign of deliverance without explicit typological weight. |
| Nature of Rahab's faith | She trusted the spies' promise of safety for her household. | Some emphasize her earlier confession of YHWH (vv.9-11) as genuine saving faith; others view her actions as primarily pragmatic self-preservation. |
| Significance of the binding action | The act sealed the covenant between Rahab and the spies. | Whether the cord was primarily for the spies to see and remember the house, or for Rahab's own assurance and reminder. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Rahab's house was built into the city wall (Joshua 2:15), with a window facing outward over the slope. The spies escaped by a rope made of twisted fibers. That same rope becomes the sign. Scarlet dye came from the dried bodies of the kermes scale insect (H8144), a costly pigment that produced a vivid, lasting color. The cord would have been highly visible against the mudbrick wall.
The Passover echo is unambiguous. In Exodus 12, blood on the doorposts marked houses for deliverance. Here, a scarlet cord marks a house for salvation. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown explicitly draw the parallel. Both signs require obedience; both result in protection. In the tabernacle, scarlet threads were woven into the curtains and priestly garments (Exodus 26:1; 28:6), linking the color to atonement and worship.
The Hebrew word for cord, tiqvah, also means hope. While the primary sense is a physical rope, readers of Hebrew would catch the resonance: Rahab bound a hope of scarlet in her window. It was both a literal line and a visible anchor for her trust. The cord hung until the walls fell, a daily reminder that God keeps his promises.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant variant readings for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, with only minor orthographic differences (e.g., spelling of shani with or without vowel letters). The consulted sources affirm the text presents no textual difficulty.
Reception History
From early centuries, the scarlet cord has been read as a type of Christ's blood and the Church's salvation. Origen saw Rahab as an image of the Gentile Church redeemed through faith, with the cord representing the blood of Christ. Clement of Rome held her up as an example of hospitality and faith. The New Testament itself points to Rahab: Hebrews 11:31 praises her faith in receiving the spies; James 2:25 highlights her works in sending them out safely. In later tradition, the cord became a symbol of the believer's reliance on visible means of grace, baptism, Communion, the Word, as tangible anchors for trust. The small act of tying a line has echoed through history as a lesson in how faith takes concrete form.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Faith Ties the Promise to Sight. Rahab acted on the spies' word without seeing the deliverance. The cord was a concrete expression of her trust in the future God had promised.
- Obedience Ties the Instruction to Action. She did exactly what she was told. No negotiation, no delay. Her obedience turned the agreement into a reality.
- Salvation Ties the Household to the Sign. The cord marked a boundary. Whoever stayed inside would live. The sign didn't save by itself, it channeled her faith into a means of grace.
Five-Point Outline
- She agreed to the terms (v.21a).
- She sent the spies away (v.21b).
- She tied the cord in the window (v.21c).
- The cord served as a visible pledge for both parties.
- Rahab's household gathered under that sign and were saved.
Illustration Hooks
- A red ribbon tied on the mailbox after a lost child is found, a silent signal to the search team that everyone is safe.
- A medical alert bracelet worn on a wrist, a visible reminder of a hidden condition that can prompt life-saving action.
- A sticky note on a fridge that holds a promise for a hard day ahead.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- How do I "tie a scarlet cord" in my own life, what tangible steps can I take to act on God's promises?
- Does my faith have a visible, everyday expression that others can see?
- What household practices remind my family that we live under God's protection and promise?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows faith taking concrete form. A small act, tying a cord, becomes a decisive marker of trust and a means of deliverance. As your group discusses, notice how Rahab's obedience is tied to a visible sign. Reflect on how signs and actions shape and express our own faith.
Discussion Questions
- What does Rahab actually do in verse 21? Why is that action significant in the story?
- Why do you think the spies specified a scarlet cord? What associations did that color carry for the Israelites?
- How does the scarlet cord parallel the Passover blood in Exodus 12? What do both signs have in common?
- Rahab ties the cord after the spies leave. What does her prompt obedience say about her trust in their words?
- In what ways do we use visible signs or rituals to remind ourselves of God's promises today?
- How can a household today "mark itself" as under God's care? What practices or symbols serve that purpose in your family or community?
- Rahab's faith expressed itself in a concrete act. Where in your life might a specific action give shape to a promise you trust God to keep?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Joshua 2:18 | Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. |
| Matthew 7:24 | “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. |
| John 2:5 | His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that Rahab's act of binding the scarlet cord was a visible proof of her faith, obeying the spies' instruction exactly. This cord served as the appointed sign for her household's safety, showing that she trusted God's promise of deliverance through the covenant she made with his people.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to Rahab tying the scarlet cord at once, right in the spies' sight. He sees it as an act of faith meant to remind her of God's promise of safety, yet so ordinary that the town's people would suspect nothing.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB clarifies
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that Rahab did not tie the red cord in the window the moment she agreed to the conditions. She did so only when it became necessary. The verse mentions it here not as a precise timeline but simply to bring that part of the story to a close.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange distinguishes between Rahab's faith, which justifies her before God, and her lie to the king's men, which remains a sin of weakness forgiven for her faith's sake. Her faith is living and active, showing itself in works that justify her before the congregation, not before God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes Rahab's confession of God's sovereign power as the foundation of her faith, not mere fear of Israel's army. Her bold public testimony that the Lord alone is God in heaven and earth drove her to risk everything protecting His people, securing deliverance for her entire household.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Rahab hung the scarlet cord in the window immediately for two practical reasons: so the spies could see it clearly before they left and recognize it from a distance, and to prevent any accidental neglect that might occur if she delayed.