It is a high honor to be included in this group of believers. (In siege warfare of antiquity, a city that fell after a prolonged siege was commonly subjected to a massacre and sack. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. Who Was Rahab? I guess that I should say that she is commonly held to be the same woman. Anyone who mentioned her name, saying, Rahab, Rahab, immediately lusted after her. She was said to be one of the four great beauties, the other three being Sarah, Abigail, and Esther (Meg. I believe you kind of have it backwards or I am reading it wrong you are not justified by your works but by your faith Rahab was not justified by her action but by the faith that led her to her actions. God bless you. Rahab (/rehb/;[1] Hebrew: .mw-parser-output .script-hebrew,.mw-parser-output .script-Hebr{font-family:"SBL Hebrew","SBL BibLit","Taamey Ashkenaz","Taamey Frank CLM","Frank Ruehl CLM","Ezra SIL","Ezra SIL SR","Keter Aram Tsova","Taamey David CLM","Keter YG","Shofar","David CLM","Hadasim CLM","Simple CLM","Nachlieli",Cardo,Alef,"Noto Serif Hebrew","Noto Sans Hebrew","David Libre",David,"Times New Roman",Gisha,Arial,FreeSerif,FreeSans}, Modern:Raav, Tiberian:R, "broad", "large", Arabic: , a vast space of a land) was, according to the Book of Joshua, a Gentile woman who lived in Jericho in the Promised Land and assisted the Israelites in capturing the city by hiding two men who had been sent to scout the city prior to their attack. David, Jesus Why did Israel need God to send them "judges" The example given is of Rahab the harlot: despite her being busy in her house (in prostitution), and her being from a people for whom theTorah she-bi-khetav: Lit. 38:13): and they pulled Jeremiah up by the ropes (Midrash Samuel[ed. 3-6). Whoever wishes, come and buy! They came to Rahabs house, and when she learned that the king of Jericho sought them, she wanted to hide the spies. [7] The same midrash appears inRuth Rabbah2:1,Ecclesiastes Rabbah5:1, andYalkut Shimoni(Nach 15:22). It would be obvious that a family , if its well grown, wouldnt have a harlot among its members. I personally eat with them but I try not to enter too deeply into a common bond or camaraderie with them. You shall not lack. A Canaanite woman living in Jericho, Rahab is a prostitute who is also a biblical heroine. This is a hard one. Israel, God always identified people by their occupation. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. The Woman at the well Thanks so much for this. ; Deut. I promise thee, therefore, that one of thy descendants [referring to Ezekiel] shall see what no prophet before him shall have seen" (comp. The better question is how far it can go to present truth and to clarify untruth which man continues to foster. ** marksqere-ketivdifferences where one form is singular and the other is plural (the context of Ezek16:51supports bothqereandketivreadings). The story of Rahab would therefore provide an answer as to how a Canaanite group became part of Israel in spite of the Deuteronomistic injunction to kill all Canaanites and not to intermarry with them.[19][20][21]. Answer In the book of Joshua, we are introduced to one of the most thought-provoking and astonishing heroines of the Old Testament. cit.). You can read about Rahab in Joshua 2 and Joshua 6 .. Also, there is a human factor of adding and deleting and changing words, phrases and stories. (Viewed on May 1, 2023) . At the conquest of Jericho by the Israelites, Joshua ordered the two spies to rescue Rahab and her family, whose descendants thenceforward dwelt in Israel (vi. 20:16): You shall not let a soul remain alive, she brought herself closer to the Omnipresent. Tough call. She converted and was married to Joshua, and her descendants included renowned kohanim (members of the priestly class) and prophets. But the meaning of the Hebrew word zanah is to commit fornication to be or play the harlot but the NT writer of Hebrews describes her as porne which means a woman who sells her body for sex. That pretty much seals it. You will lack what you wasted. The midrash recounts four disgraceful matters that are mentioned about Rahab: she is called Rahab the harlot, which she was. Even Jesus, who claimed to be equal with God, recognized the authority of His Father over himself, only doing what His Father wanted Him to do. Themidrashidentifies the two spies sent by Joshua as Phinehas and Caleb, who disguised themselves as potters, and went about crying: Pottery here! Your words reveal that the Hand of GOD is working within you in a beautiful way and is giving you a depth of understanding in the workings of His Grace. [8] It was not uncommon for both an inn and a brothel to operate within the same building; thus entering Rahab's quarters was not necessarily a deviation from Joshua's orders. So proud of you Dad! ; Tov . ; Elimelech . She knew what was about to happen and she wanted to be on the Israelite side. What it means to me is I shall not want anything in other words you have now if you believe everything you need now. They come to Rahab's house for lodging, information, and/or sex. I believe that to follow the Ten Commandments, Beatitudes, Golden Rule and Faith covers everything in life. 8-14). 18:11): Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods. Naaman made an even greater admission when he proclaimed(II Kings 5:15): Now I know that there is no God in the whole world except in Israel!; and Rahab exceeded him, when she declared(Josh. In the Babylonian Talmud, Rahab was so beautiful that the very mention of her name could cause arousal (Megillah 15a). Peter wrote: > For according to the tradition preserved in the New Testament in > Matthew 1:5, Rahab was the wife of Salmon and mother of Boaz who > married Ruth (compare Ruth 4:21, 1 Chronicles 2:11). The third thing to her discredit was her living in the land of Canaan, whose inhabitants were known to be harsh and evil. Only God can do that. But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear. She said, According to your words, so be it. So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. Since Rahab the harlot brought the spies into her house and rescued them, God accounted this as if she had acted compassionately to Him. 22). 10 There were seventy descendants of King Ahab living in the city of Samaria. The crowd goes nuts, and not in a good way. I remember I heard Pastor Webb say it like this, those works are more like -corresponding actions. 1, 15). Rahab is mentioned in both the Old Testament and New Testament, and her story is an example of God's grace and redemption. Mandelbaum] 13:5). The Scarlet Cord: Rahab's Bible Story & Our Story. Geni requires JavaScript! Her Ph.D. is from the Hebrew University. David - King David probably one of the best-known kings of Israel is a descendent of Rahab in the Bible. So by her faith in Messiah, Rahab was redeemed from the curse of the Canaanites and the curse of sin. I also learnt to act on our faith we need to act like what we believe for it could counted as unto righteousness for us. Who are the descendants of Rahab? What we cant question, though, is that the Rahab in the book of Joshua is definitely the same mentioned in the gallery of faith in Hebrews 11, therefore, I think this article adds positively to the understanding of Gods love and how He operates. Rahab symbolizes proper behavior, in contrast to the sinning Israelites. Salmon and Rahab were the father and mother of Boaz. 31 December 1999. He is WITH you and in the end, isnt that all that really matters? In those days Jews didnt give women their place and because she was a business person, perhaps an hotel owner or a sewing person. Ezek. [6], In the Christian New Testament, the Epistle of James and the Epistle to the Hebrews follow the tradition set by the translators of the Septuagint in using the Greek word "" (prn, which is usually translated to English as "harlot" or "prostitute") to describe Rahab. Nahmanides (Ramban) points out that when the angels tell Lot to gather everyone else he has, they mention sons-in-law, sons, and daughters (Gen 19:12), but Lot had no sons. I have been a apart of your teachings for years and I must say I am never disappointed. Its so amazing and quite interesting that the the two great grandmothers of Jesus Christ ( Rehab and Ruth) came from a condemned nations. 5:2): They are sure to be swearing falsely; it is written of Rahab(Josh. The most remarkable deed of Rahab was actually telling a lie, to protect two spies of Joshua. She engaged in prostitution during the forty years of the Israelites wanderings in the wilderness, until the age of fifty. And Richard, Faith WITHOUT works is dead. It so easy for people too assume or judge some one. Woooooooow, that is so AWESOME!!!!! Why he didnt go in and ransack her place is a mystery. E. G. H. M. Sel. Rahab, the prostitute of the Canaanite city of Jericho, ultimately is noteworthy for her great faith and for her place in the lineage of Jesus Christ. (Babylonian Talmud, Zevahim 116ab). She told them that she was certain of their final conquest of the land, and asked them to reward her by sparing herself and her whole familyher father, mother, brothers, and sisters, all of whom lived in the interior of the city (ii. Your email address will not be published. However, Rahab the harlot and her fathers household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. Joshua 2:17 21. "Crimson Cord" (2017), This page was last edited on 20 April 2023, at 13:35. She is one of five women mentioned in Matthew's genealogy of Christ; they are Tamar the wife of Judah, Rahab the wife of Salmon, Ruth the wife of Boaz, Bathsheba the wife of King David (after being the wife of Uriah), and Mary the Mother of Jesus. cit.). Let that sink in. Themidrashattests that Rahab married Joshua following her conversion (BTMegillah14b). Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them. But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. A few examples: The Rabbis deduced from the story of Rahab the superiority of repentance over prayer, for Moses prayed exceedingly, but God did not accept his entreaty to enterThe Land of IsraelErez Israel, while the repentance of Rahab the harlot was accepted, and seven kings and eight prophets issued forth from her (Lit. Is it that youve decided you like those rules but not others? Also, the word translated substance in the King James Bible, was also used for the legal term title-deed. See Faith Is hupostasis Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. "scroll." Jehu wrote a letter and sent copies to the rulers of the city, [] to the leading citizens, and to the guardians of Ahab's descendants. 10). When she reported to the spies who came to her house: no man had any more spirit left because of you(Josh. I think after I read this about Rahab. See also, e.g., Hartmut N. Rsel,Joshua(HCOT; Leuven: Peeters, 2011), 95, who discusses the polemics regarding the exact position of the Rahabites, as full members of the people of Israel, or merely existing beside the camp.. I Whatever God does is righteous and good. Cudi I just read your comment on the Rahab article by Rex Rouis. The ancient rabbis regarded Rahab as one of the most beautiful women in Jewish history. Priests; descendants of Aaron, brother of Moses, who were given the right and obligation to perform the Temple services. She then married Joshua and became the ancestress of eight priests who were prophets as well, Jeremiah among them, and of the prophetess Huldah (Meg. 1). ii. For more on the New Testament sources, see, e.g., Trent C. Butler,Joshua(WBC; Waco, TX: Word, 1983), p. 35; Richard D. Nelson,Joshua(OTL; Louisville, KT: Westminster John Knox, 1997), 46. Rahab undoubtedly stands for Egypt, but the exact origin of the term and of its connection with Egypt is much disputed. ' John 8:31-32. Thank you for this I am so glad I stumble across it. From this, it is clear that indeed, not only is God, LOVE, but HE is also, not a respecter of persons, HE RESPECTS FAITH!!! He said to God: Master of the Universe! In Psalm 87:4 Rahab is likened to Babylon which was destroyed in the sixth century BC. Another tradition has her saying: Pardon me by merit of the rope, the window, and the flaxen [the stalks of flax under which she concealed the spies] (BTZevahimloc. 78). Rahab lowers the spies from her house in Jericho's walls (Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, 1860 woodcut). Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, Go into the harlots house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her. So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel. 2), when he said that as Rahab was greatly recompensed for the rescue of only two men, he who rescued so many from idolatry certainly deserved some reward (Eccl. Paul told the Corinthian church not to associate with some sinners indulged in adultery, not even to eat with them until they repented of this sin. Other traditions also include Ezekiel son of Buzi (Sifrei Zutaloc. How far can biblical archaeology go to foster religious fiction? She wisely tells them to go out and stay toward the west of the city, in the opposite direction of their camp so they can hide in the hill country. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And you do not know how far each of them has already come, or how far they are able to go in God. In this case the consonants that are claimed znh are english letters that are probably not even in the original Hebrew making this claim even more dubious (the Zhn being from the Hebrew translation). 2:15): She let them down by a rope through the window, and you, too, shall be saved by a rope(Jer. It was not by chance that those spies found their way to her house. 1:1): The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests (Pesikta de-Rav Kahana, op cit., 13:12). Yes, it is interesting that the God who knows everything still wants to be shown our faith by our actions. The Descendants of Ahab Are Killed. Did you know that Rahab is one of the most celebrated women in the Bible? 2:12): Now, since I have shown loyalty to you, swear to me by the Lord, and of Israel(Jer. In Rabbinic tradition, Rahab marries Joshua, whereas in Christian tradition, she marries Salmon (father of Boaz). Strong's 3568: A son of Ham, also his descendants, also a land in the southern Nile Valley [when I say,] "This one James 2:17 Weymouth New Testament. God sent them there so that she could help them, and by it, obtain righteousness from God. The Scroll of Esther is read on Purim from a parchment scroll. Keep up the good work! Great reminder. the bible says Harlot, prostitute whore which ever! As for me, I think I have reacted in every you listed with what do I do then. Despite all this, it was stated(Josh. Further information that might be interesting. What evidence ? Ive studied it for years. Themidrashcontinues this comparison by saying that whatever was written in Israels dishonor was written in Rahabs praise. Nahmanides suggests that this was just standard speech ( ) and was not meant to suggest that the angels thought he had sons. When Jeremiah had been cast into the pit, Ebed-melech the Ethiopian was sent to bring him up (as is related inJer. Consider Dinah, her brothers essentially saved her purity by whacking the kid that raped her. We love you. Amongst such people, the life of Rahab shines forth to teach us many lessons and predominantly on faith and . Having arrived at Jericho, the two spies remained at Rahab's house, situated in the wall of the city and having a window on the outside (Josh. Perhaps He knew that she would stand up for Him and His people in courageous obedience. Why is it that every woman in the Bible had to be a wife or mother or harlot? [6] A number of scholars have noted that the narrator in Joshua 2 may have intended to remind the readers of the "immemorial symbiosis between military service and bawdy house". (Genesis 9:20-25) The people were a wicked, idolatrous who also indulged in child sacrifices and adultery. When done, Evelyn And if you ever read in the New Testament, youll observe that Jesus ALWAYS restored women back to a place of honor! It may not display this or other websites correctly. As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided. You might think from her profession that she was destined to die an early death, to fade away into shame, the disgraced woman . In the Talmudic literature, however, it is accepted that Rahab was a harlot. You cannot be saved until your lost. She is also the last person mentioned in any detail. Being part of the . We are told not to judge in the sense of executing a sentence on them, but we are also told to judge in the sense of not imitating that sinful behavior. She had heard enough to make her put her trust in the living God, and she made a life changing profession of faith when she said, the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. She then makes the spies swear to spare her and her whole family because of her protection and kindness. Your email address will not be published. According to Talmudic tradition Rahab married Leader Joshua on Nun, which would place her elsewhere in the tree, but Christian sources (Matthew 1:5 - "And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab;") put her here, although some scholars claim this was another woman with the same name. Therefore, at first glance, Rahab seemed to be Israel's enemy. And as William Smith put it, "Here the descendant of Rahab did not disdain the hospitality of Zaccaeus the publican.". So, I would not be surprised if in all those references it was the same Rahab. So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it so long as it stands alone. I see that it is really difficulty to understand God s mind. Think about that. Some have claimed that the symbol of the red cord is related to the practice of the "red-light district". According to the narrative in Joshua 2, before the conquest of Canaan, Joshua sends two men as spies to see the land. Pauls comments are primarily aimed at hypocrisy among believers, of which family members could be a part. [2] In the New Testament, she is lauded both as an example of a saint who lived by faith,[3] and as someone "considered righteous" for her works. Even though out of some of those moments I got just what I asked for and the consequences to go with them. Learn how your comment data is processed. R. Nahman responded to this: But I say Rahab, Rahab, and nothing happens to me!, and was answered: This refers to one who knows her and is intimate with her (BTLit. Rahab, who begins as triply marginalized (Canaanite, woman, and prostitute), moves to the center as bearer of a divine message and herald of Israel in its new land. I would give this article zero credence. All were ostracized by society yet Jesus loved each of them, corrected and healed them, and Graciously restored them back into places of honor! The Israelites were still camped on the east side of the Jordan River, approximately 15 miles away from Jericho. [8] For more on the Rabbinic sources, see David J. Zucker and Moshe Reiss,Judaisms First Converts: A Pagan Priest and a Prostitute,TheTorah.com(2017). That proved to be the end of him and his whole family (Joshua 7:24, 25). They departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. >>In James, she is an example of someone justified by God and declared righteous for putting their faith into action. [16], When the city of Jericho fell,[17] Rahab and her whole family were preserved according to the promise of the spies, and were incorporated among the Jewish people. Jericho was a mighty, fortified city in the land of Canaan. Hebrews 11:31. Other then Mary, Rahab is the only one mentioned again in the New Testament. In the Book of Joshua, Rahab (a heroine nonetheless known as "Rahab the Harlot") assisted two Israelite spies in escaping out a window and down the city wall of Jericho. http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200003623 [15], Rahab told the spies: .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. The Canaanites were the descendants of Noah's grandson Canaan whose father Ham was cursed because of his sin against Noah. He is an awesome God. Who was Rahab in the Bible? When Rahab heard of the miracles that God had performed for Israel when He parted the Red Sea for them, she wanted to cleave to Israel, as portrayed inJer. window.location.replace(""); If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Oops! She was a prostitute who became a believer and played a key role in the Israelite conquest of Jericho. 1:1] [ed. God redefined Rahab from a fallen woman to a chosen woman, from a bad girl to a bride, from a mess to a mother and from prostitute to progenitor of the Messiah. But the spies were safe, for she had hid them on the roof under wet and smelly piles of rotting flax. [7] The Hebrew zn may refer to secular or cultic prostitution, and the latter is widely believed to have been an invariable element of Canaanite religious practice, although recent scholarship has disputed this. The letter read: 2 "You are in charge of the king's descendants, and you have at your disposal chariots, horses, weapons, and fortified cities. She acted wisely when she concealed the spies in her house, thereby saving her entire family from the ravages of war. a prostitute; whore. You have no idea what is going on in the hearts of individuals. Possibly we do not know. Jennings, Jenifer. The Spies Agree to Save Rahab's Family In preparation for the conquest of Jericho, the first city to be taken after the Israelites cross the Jordan River, Joshua sends two spies, who arrive at the house of Rahab, a harlot, in Jericho. Terrible exegesis. II Peter 2:9 Gods Word Translation. This, too, is a liberating lifestyleto acknowledge God as our supreme authority and to accept the death of His Son as payment for our sins. Otto, I think if no one ever sits down with them, they cant ever get saved. stop trying to soft peddle sin, this event needs to represent how depraved man is and how righteous God is! When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. It was a great article either way! 116b). Frederic. "Rahab: Midrash and Aggadah." How can He understand the human experience if he never married or knew a woman? The Eastern Church (Christian) Ethiopian tradition (Book of Adam and Eve 13:3) also argues against this, listing Salmon's wife as Saphila, the daughter of Aminadab - i.e.
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