Joshua 6:22 · Bible study
Joshua 6:22 Commentary: Rahab's Rescue
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Joshua 6:22 shows Joshua honoring the spies' oath to Rahab. Explore the tension between herem and mercy, the meaning of 'bring out,' and God's faithfulness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Joshua commands the spies to retrieve Rahab and her household, honoring their oath and ensuring her survival from the destruction of Jericho.
- Key words: Bring out (הוציא, Hiphil imperative: cause to go out); swore (נשבעתם, Niphal perfect: completed oath); prostitute (הזונה, definite, recalling Rahab).
- Main debate: Whether sparing Rahab violates the herem (the ban) or follows a pre-existing covenant of grace and faith.
- Theological theme: God's judgment and mercy coexist; faith and covenant faithfulness override general condemnation.
- Best use: A narrative illustration of faith, oath-keeping, and God's redemptive inclusion of outsiders.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman and all that she has out from there, as you swore to her.”
KJV King James Version 1769
But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Joshua said unto the two men that had spied out the land, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And to the two men who are spying the land Joshua said, `Go into the house of the woman, the harlot, and bring out thence the woman, and all whom she hath, as ye have sworn to her.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Joshua said to the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house and bring out thence the woman, and all that she has, as ye swore unto her.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But Joshua said to the two men that had been sent for spies: Go into the harlot's house, and bring her out, and all things that are hers, as you assured her by oath.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas Josué dijo á los dos hombres que habían reconocido la tierra: Entrad en casa de la mujer ramera, y haced salir de allá á la mujer, y á todo lo que fuere suyo, como lo jurasteis.
Mas Josué disse aos dois homens que haviam reconhecido a terra: Entrai em casa da mulher prostituta, e fazei sair dali à mulher, e a tudo o que for seu, como o jurastes.
Josué dit aux deux hommes qui avaient exploré le pays: Entrez dans la maison de la femme prostituée, et faites-en sortir cette femme et tous ceux qui lui appartiennent, comme vous le lui avez juré.
Aber Josua sprach zu den zwei Männern, die das Land ausgekundschaftet hatten: Geht in das Haus der Hure und führt das Weib von dort heraus mit allem, was sie hat, wie ihr versprochen habt.
Jozua nu zeide tot de twee mannen, de verspieders des lands: Gaat in het huis der vrouw, der hoer, en brengt die vrouw van daar uit, met al wat zij heeft, gelijk als gij haar gezworen hebt.
E Giosuè disse ai due uomini che aveano esplorato il paese: “Andate in casa di quella meretrice, menatela fuori con tutto ciò che le appartiene, come glielo avete giurato”.
Ale dwom mężom, którzy szpiegowali onę ziemię, rzekł Jozue: Wnijdźcie do domu niewiasty wszetecznej, a wywiedźcie stamtąd niewiastę, i wszystko, co jej jest, jakoście jej przysięgli.
И пошли юноши, высматривавшие [город, в дом женщины] и вывели Раав [блудницу] и отца ее и мать ее, и братьев ее, и всех, которые у нее были, и всех родственников ее вывели, и поставили их вне стана Израильского.
約書亞 吩咐窺探 地 的兩個 人 說：「你們進 那妓 女 的家，照著你們向她 所 起的誓，將 那女人和 她 所有的 都從那裡 帶出來。」
Then Joshua said to the two men who had been sent to make a search through the land, Go into the house of the loose woman, and get her out, and all who are with her, as you gave her your oath.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 6:22
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Joshua's command to the spies reflects his integrity in keeping the oath they made to Rahab (Joshua 2:14). John Calvin emphasizes Joshua's “good faith in keeping promises” and notes that Rahab's exemption was a “special privilege” granted by God, not a violation of the ban on Jericho. He points out that the spies' oath was made before the city's destruction was fully declared, so the promise was binding. Matthew Gill similarly observes that Joshua gave this order “partly on account of her kindness to them, and partly on account of the oath,” and that it may have been issued before the walls fell. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges links the rescue to Hebrews 11:31, where Rahab is saved by faith. Across these readings, the rescue is not a breach of the herem but a faithful act of covenant keeping, rooted in a prior commitment and Rahab's own trust in the God of Israel.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Special grace view: Rahab's salvation is an act of sovereign grace, overriding the herem on the basis of her faith and the Spirit's guidance (Calvin).
- Oath priority view: The oath to Rahab predated the full articulation of the ban, making the rescue a matter of keeping a prior commitment (Gill, Calvin).
- Faith foreshadowing view: Rahab's deliverance anticipates the inclusion of Gentiles who trust in Israel's God (common evangelical reading, Hebrews 11:31).
What is clear: Joshua faithfully ordered the rescue to honor the spies' oath, and Rahab's household was saved from destruction as a result of her faith and covenant with Israel.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Exemption from the Ban (Herem) | God sovereignly chose to spare Rahab and her household due to her faith and assistance to Israel. | Some argue the oath predated the formal declaration of herem (Calvin, Gill), so no conflict existed; others see it as an overriding act of grace that sets a precedent for mercy within judgment. |
| Role of Faith and Works | Rahab's actions demonstrated genuine faith in Yahweh. | Protestant readings often stress faith alone (Hebrews 11:31), while Catholic and some Anglican traditions see her works (Joshua 2:4-6; James 2:25) as integral to her justification. |
| Binding Nature of Oaths | Oaths made in God's name are sacred and must be kept (Joshua 9:15,18-20). | Whether an oath to a Canaanite could be valid given the command to destroy all inhabitants. Calvin says the Spirit prompted it; others question how an oath could bind under divine decree. |
| Household Salvation | The entire family was saved because of Rahab's actions and faith. | Does this suggest corporate salvation by association, or did each member individually choose to follow God? The text does not specify their beliefs, only their participation in the rescue. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The city of Jericho was placed under the ban (herem), a devoted state requiring total destruction (Joshua 6:17-19). All living things were to be destroyed; only silver, gold, and metal vessels were set apart for Yahweh's treasury. Yet within this sweeping judgment, a single exception had been promised: Rahab the prostitute and her household. In Joshua 2, the spies swore an oath to her because she hid them and professed faith in Yahweh (Joshua 2:9-14). That oath was made before Joshua announced the herem to the people. Gill suggests the rescue order was given “perhaps before the walls of the city fell.” Calvin adds that the spies “were not yet under any contrary obligation,” so the pact was valid.
Rahab's house was built into the city wall (Joshua 2:15). After the walls fell flat (Joshua 6:20), Wesley notes that the section of wall containing her house was “left standing by a special favour of God to her.” The spies could thus “go into the prostitute's house” and “bring out” (הוציא, a Hiphil causative verb) the woman and all her relatives. This active rescue was both a logistical mission and a theological statement: God's mercy reaches even into a condemned city to save those who trust Him.
The same principle appears in the Gibeonite treaty (Joshua 9:15-20). When the leaders had sworn an oath to let the Gibeonites live, they kept it despite the people's complaints, because they had “sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel” (Joshua 9:19). Later, in 2 Samuel 21, King Saul's violation of that oath brought a curse on the land, and David had to make atonement. These stories underline the seriousness of binding promises before God.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants in Joshua 6:22. The verse is consistent across the Masoretic Text, Septuagint, and Vulgate.
Reception History
This verse has inspired reflection on God's mercy within judgment. In the Reformation, John Calvin used it to demonstrate Joshua's integrity and the Spirit's guidance in oaths. Matthew Henry saw Rahab's rescue as a sign of God's willingness to receive repentant sinners. The book of Hebrews (11:31) and James (2:25) both lift up Rahab as a model of faith and works, securing her place in Christian theology as a prototype of Gentile salvation. The rescue also prefigures the gospel call to come out from judgment into life.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Faithfulness to a Promise, Joshua ensures the oath to Rahab is kept. This integrity reflects God's own faithfulness.
- Salvation Through Faith, Rahab is saved because she trusted Yahweh and acted on that trust. Her works (hiding the spies) were evidence of genuine faith.
- Inclusion of the Outsider, Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute, becomes part of Israel. This points forward to the gospel welcoming Gentiles into the family of God.
Five-point outline
- Joshua Leads with Integrity, He orders the rescue before the battle is even complete.
- The Oath Creates Obligation, A promise made in God's name must be kept, no matter the circumstances.
- Rahab's Faith Sets Her Apart, Her confession in Joshua 2:9-11 shows genuine conversion.
- Rescue Requires Action, The spies must “go in” and “bring out”; salvation comes through concrete obedience.
- Grace Reaches into Judgment, Rahab's rescue is a glimpse of God's mercy within His judgment on Canaan.
Illustration hooks
- Getting a trusted promise out of a dangerous situation: a journalist promising protection to a source, then following through despite pressure to break the promise.
- A family rescued from a condemned building because someone on the inside believed the warning and the demolition crew kept their word.
- In a community after a disaster, relief workers honor a prior commitment to extract one particular family, even as the surrounding area is unsafe.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God commands total destruction, how can He also spare Rahab? Does that make Him seem inconsistent?
- Are there times when our promises conflict with other commands? How do we navigate that?
- What does it mean that a prostitute becomes an ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:5)? How does that shape your view of who God includes?
Leading a Discussion
This verse puts God's judgment and mercy side by side. The spies' oath to Rahab is honored, showing that God's commands operate within a framework of covenant relationships. Rahab's faith and works (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25) make her a striking example of salvation by grace through active trust.
Discussion questions
- Read Joshua 6:22 alongside Joshua 2:14. What do you notice about the wording of the oath? Why does Joshua repeat it here?
- The word “bring out” (הוציא) in Hebrew is a causative verb. Who is doing the action? What does this tell us about the nature of salvation?
- Rahab is explicitly called a “prostitute” in the text. Why do you think the narrator keeps this label? How does it contrast with her actions and faith?
- Calvin writes that Rahab was saved by “special privilege.” In what ways is every Christian's salvation also a special privilege?
- How does this rescue compare to the later rescue of Lot from Sodom (Genesis 19)? What themes are similar?
- If you were one of the spies going into the house just after the walls fell, what would you be thinking? What does their obedience say about trust in God's protection?
- The whole household was saved because of Rahab. Does this teach anything about family and faith? How do we see this pattern elsewhere in Scripture (Acts 16:31)?
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 2:1 | Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there. |
| Joshua 2:24 | They said to Joshua, “Truly Yahweh has delivered all the land into our hands. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us.” |
| Joshua 6:17 | The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to Yahweh. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. |
| Joshua 9:15 | Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them. |
| Joshua 9:18 | The children of Israel didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes. |
| Joshua 9:20 | We will do this to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.” |
| II Samuel 21:2 | The king called the Gibeonites and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworn to them; and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah); |
| II Samuel 21:7 | But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. |
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
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that Rahab's salvation was not a violation of God's command to destroy Jericho but a special privilege of grace. She had voluntarily abandoned her people and aligned herself with the Church, so Joshua wisely recognized that her rescue came from the Spirit's prompting, not human discretion.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes the remarkable preservation of Rahab's house while the city walls fell flat around it. This connects directly to the faith that brought down the walls and the faith that saved Rahab, as Hebrews 11:30-31 pairs these two acts of faith together.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note stresses that Joshua took care to honor the oath the spies had sworn to Rahab. Even though she was a Canaanite and a harlot, the promise was binding, and Joshua made sure it was kept exactly as pledged.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that Joshua gave the order to rescue Rahab and her household before the walls fell, showing his commitment to the spies’ oath. He clarifies that "all that she hath" refers to her father's family gathered there, not her possessions. Joshua acted on their sworn promise.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws attention to a detail often overlooked: the walls of Jericho were not leveled everywhere at once. Rahab's house remained standing long enough for her relatives to be rescued, showing that the destruction was partial and strategic, not immediate and total.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes the patient, silent procession around Jericho for six days as an exercise in unconditional faith, designed to teach Israel that only God's power could conquer the city. He sees the miracle as a type of the final overthrow of all worldly powers opposed to God's kingdom, signaling that victory comes through divine intervention, not human effort.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry emphasizes the clear distinction between what is devoted to destruction and what is consecrated to the Lord. The entire city and its inhabitants were accursed, but the precious metals were set apart for God's treasury, and Rahab's family alone was preserved alive because of her faithful act in hiding the spies.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that the harlot's house and the wall it leaned on were spared from destruction. He sees this as a specific act of divine favour granted personally to her, not as a general military accident or an incidental detail in the conquest.