Bible Strands

Joshua 2:15

Then Rahab let them down by a rope through the window, since the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Rahab acts while the two Israelite spies are concealed in her Jericho residence, immediately following their mutual oath of protection. She lowers them from her dwelling through a window to facilitate their escape from the city.

The words — The Hebrew verb וַתּוֹרִדֵם (vatoṣīdēm) literally means "and she lowered them," paired with בַּחֶבֶל (baḥeḇel), "with a rope." The explanatory clause כִּי בֵיתָהּ בְּקִיר הַחוֹמָה (kî bêtāh bəqîr hachōmâ) states that her house was physically integrated into the city wall.

The thread — This escape method through a wall window reappears when Paul’s followers lower him in a basket at Damascus, as recorded in Acts 9:25 and 2 Corinthians 11:33. The narrative also points forward to Joshua 6:20, where the same fortified wall will ultimately fall.

Why it lands — The text requires recognition that preservation depends on both hidden access and a tangible means of descent. It asks the reader to see how ordinary architecture becomes the instrument of survival when it serves a sworn commitment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַתּוֹרִדֵ֥םva./to.ri.De/mand/ she let down/ themבַּחֶ֖בֶלba./Che.velwith <the>/ ropeבְּעַ֣דbe.'Adthroughהַֽחַלּ֑וֹןha./cha.Lonthe/ windowכִּ֤יkiforבֵיתָהּ֙vei.Ta/hhouse/ herבְּקִ֣ירbe./Kir[was] in/ [the] wall ofהַֽחוֹמָ֔הha./cho.Mahthe/ city wallוּבַֽחוֹמָ֖הu./va./cho.Mahand/ in the/ city wallהִ֥יאhi'sheיוֹשָֽׁבֶת׃yo.Sha.vet[was] dwelling

King James Version

Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

Cross-references