Bible Strands
Joshua 6:17
Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joshua addresses the assembled Israelites at the walls of Jericho immediately after the seventh circuit and the priests' trumpet blast. He pronounces the city's fate before the assault commences.
The words — חֵרֶם (Che.rem) designates a devoted thing set apart for destruction, while רַק (rak) limits survival to only one group. These terms establish the absolute boundary between total judgment and specific preservation.
The thread — Deuteronomy 20:17 commands the complete destruction of the Canaanite nations as the legal basis for this decree. James 2:25 later notes that Rahab was justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them away safely.
Why it lands — The text demands immediate obedience to a divine judgment that spares no one outside its explicit boundaries. It requires readers to acknowledge that survival depends solely on the stated condition of protecting the messengers, not on prior status or merit.
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 city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 20:17 For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you,
- Micah 4:13 Rise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion, for I will give you horns of iron and hooves of bronze to break to pieces many peoples. Then you will devote their gain to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
- James 2:25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?
- Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
- Matthew 25:40 And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’
- 1 Corinthians 2:7 No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.
- Galatians 3:10 All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
- Galatians 3:12 The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”
- Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
- Hebrews 11:31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.