Bible Characters
Who Was Rahab in the Bible? The Woman of Jericho Who Hid the Spies
Rahab was a Canaanite woman in Jericho who hid two Israelite spies sent by Joshua and helped them escape (Joshua 2:1-15). Because she protected them, she and her family were spared when Jericho fell (Joshua 6:22-25). The New Testament lists her in the genealogy of Jesus as the mother of Boaz, and she is commended in Hebrews and James (Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25).
The Bible describes Rahab as a prostitute (Joshua 2:1). It also records her confession that the Lord is God in heaven and on earth, and it holds her up as an example of faith.
Rahab Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name meaning | "Broad" or "wide" |
| Testament | Old Testament, with New Testament references |
| Key books | Joshua 2 and 6; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25 |
| Time period | Israel's entry into Canaan, about 1406 BC (traditional dating) |
| Home | A house built into the wall of Jericho (Joshua 2:15) |
| Family | Wife of Salmon and mother of Boaz (Matthew 1:5) |
| Known for | Hiding the spies and the scarlet cord in her window |
Jericho Before the Conquest
After Moses died, the Lord told Joshua to lead Israel across the Jordan into the land He had promised (Joshua 1:1-2). Jericho was the first major city in their path. For more on Israel's leader at this time, see who was Joshua in the Bible.
Joshua secretly sent two spies from Shittim to look over the land, especially Jericho. They entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there (Joshua 2:1).
Rahab Hides the Spies
The king of Jericho was told that Israelites had come to spy out the land, and he sent a message ordering Rahab to bring them out (Joshua 2:2-3). Rahab had hidden the two men. She told the king's messengers that the men had come to her, but she did not know where they were from, and they had left at dusk before the city gate closed. She urged the messengers to hurry after them (Joshua 2:4-5).
In fact she had taken the spies up to the roof and hidden them under stalks of flax (Joshua 2:6). The king's men set out along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and the gate was shut behind them (Joshua 2:7).
Rahab's Confession
Before the spies lay down for the night, Rahab went up to the roof and spoke with them. She said she knew the Lord had given them the land and that fear of Israel had fallen on everyone in Jericho (Joshua 2:8-9).
She explained why. The people had heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea when Israel came out of Egypt, and what Israel had done to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan (Joshua 2:10). Their hearts melted with fear. Then she stated that the Lord their God is God in heaven above and on the earth below (Joshua 2:11).
The Agreement and the Scarlet Cord
Rahab asked the spies to swear by the Lord that they would show kindness to her family, since she had shown kindness to them. She asked them to spare her father, mother, brothers and sisters and everyone belonging to them (Joshua 2:12-13). The men agreed, pledging their lives for hers, as long as she did not report what they were doing (Joshua 2:14).
Her house was part of the city wall, so she let them down by a rope through the window (Joshua 2:15). She told them to hide in the hills for three days until their pursuers returned (Joshua 2:16).
The spies set conditions. She was to tie a scarlet cord in the window, bring her family into the house, and keep everyone inside. Anyone who went out into the street would be responsible for their own death (Joshua 2:17-20). Rahab agreed, sent them away, and tied the scarlet cord in the window (Joshua 2:21).
The spies returned to Joshua and reported that the Lord had given the whole land into their hands and that the people were melting in fear (Joshua 2:22-24).
The Fall of Jericho
After Israel crossed the Jordan, the Lord gave Joshua instructions for Jericho. The army marched around the city once a day for six days, with priests carrying trumpets ahead of the ark. On the seventh day they marched around seven times, the priests sounded the trumpets, the people shouted, and the wall collapsed (Joshua 6:2-5, 6:15-20).
Before the attack Joshua ordered that Rahab and everyone with her in her house be spared, because she had hidden the spies (Joshua 6:17). He sent the two men who had spied out the land to bring her out along with her family and all who belonged to her (Joshua 6:22-23). They placed them outside the camp of Israel (Joshua 6:23).
The text says Rahab was still living among the Israelites at the time the Book of Joshua was written, because she hid the men Joshua sent (Joshua 6:25).
Rahab in the Genealogy of Jesus
Matthew's genealogy names four women before Mary: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and the wife of Uriah (Matthew 1:3-6). Matthew records that Salmon was the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab (Matthew 1:5). Boaz married Ruth, and their great-grandson was King David (Ruth 4:21-22; Matthew 1:5-6).
This places a Canaanite woman from Jericho in the family line of David and of Jesus. Our profiles who was Ruth in the Bible and who was David in the Bible continue that line.
Rahab in the New Testament
Two New Testament writers point to Rahab as an example. Hebrews includes her in its list of people who acted by faith:
"By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient." (Hebrews 11:31, NIV)
James uses her as an example of faith shown by action. He says she was considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction (James 2:25). Hebrews emphasizes her faith, and James emphasizes that her faith was expressed in deeds.
Was Rahab an Innkeeper?
Some older Jewish and Christian writers suggested that the Hebrew word for prostitute could mean innkeeper. The Hebrew text of Joshua 2:1 uses the ordinary word for prostitute, and the Greek word in Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25 also means prostitute. The Bible does not soften this description, and it also does not define her by it after her rescue.
Lessons From Rahab's Life
- Faith comes from hearing what God has done. Rahab's confession was based on reports of the Red Sea and the defeat of Sihon and Og (Joshua 2:10-11).
- Faith acts. She hid the spies and let them down from the wall at risk to herself (Joshua 2:4-6, 2:15; James 2:25).
- God keeps promises. The spies' oath was honored, and her whole family was spared (Joshua 6:22-23).
- God's mercy reaches outsiders. A Canaanite woman became part of Israel and of the line of David (Joshua 6:25; Matthew 1:5).
Where Rahab Appears in the Bible
- Joshua 2: Rahab hides the spies and receives their promise
- Joshua 6:17, 6:22-25: Rahab and her family are spared
- Matthew 1:5: Named in the genealogy of Jesus
- Hebrews 11:31: Commended for faith
- James 2:25: Cited as an example of faith shown by works
Note that the name "Rahab" in Psalm 89:10 and Isaiah 51:9 refers to a poetic image of a sea creature or of Egypt, not to Rahab of Jericho. In Hebrew the two names are spelled differently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Rahab in the Bible?
Rahab was a woman of Jericho who hid two Israelite spies and helped them escape (Joshua 2:1-15). She and her family were spared when Jericho fell, and she later appears in the genealogy of Jesus (Joshua 6:25; Matthew 1:5).
What did the scarlet cord mean for Rahab?
The scarlet cord tied in Rahab's window was the sign the spies gave her so that Israel would spare everyone inside her house (Joshua 2:18-21). Joshua honored that promise when the city was taken (Joshua 6:22-23).
Is Rahab an ancestor of Jesus?
Yes. Matthew 1:5 names Rahab as the mother of Boaz, who was the great-grandfather of King David and an ancestor of Jesus.
Who did Rahab marry?
Matthew 1:5 says Salmon was the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. The Old Testament does not describe the marriage itself.
Why is Rahab in the Hall of Faith?
Hebrews 11:31 says that by faith Rahab welcomed the spies and was not killed with those who were disobedient. Her faith rested on what she had heard the Lord do for Israel (Joshua 2:10-11).