Bible Strands
Joshua 2:3
So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole land.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The king of Jericho commands Rahab to surrender the two Israelite men who entered her house after being alerted that they have arrived to scout the territory. This directive occurs immediately following the initial report of their arrival.
The words — הוֹצִיאִי (Ho.tzi.'i) is a direct imperative meaning "bring out" and functions as the core command of the verse. מֶלֶךְ (Me.lekh) establishes the royal figure who initiates the search and issues the order.
The thread — The text records a ruler demanding the exposure of concealed visitors, a pattern that reappears in 2 Samuel 10:3 and Genesis 42:9 where authorities suspect covert infiltration. These references share the same structural demand for the surrender of individuals operating under suspicion.
Why it lands — The verse presents a straightforward political ultimatum that places a resident in immediate conflict between royal authority and hidden guests. It requires the reader to recognize the precise moment where compliance with a sovereign's command directly threatens the safety of those in custody.
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
King James Version
And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 10:3 the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?”
- Genesis 38:24 About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”
- Genesis 42:9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”
- Genesis 42:31 But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies.
- Leviticus 24:14 “Take the blasphemer outside the camp, and have all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then have the whole assembly stone him.
- Joshua 10:23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.
- 1 Chronicles 19:3 the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Have not his servants come to you to explore the land, spy it out, and overthrow it?”
- Job 21:30 Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.
- John 19:4 Once again Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him.”
- Acts 12:4 He arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.