John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. And the woman took the two men , etc.] Or “she had taken” them f24 before the messengers came, upon a rumour she understood was gone abroad, that she had got Israelitish spies in her house, and so might expect to be visited and searched by the king’s officers, and therefore took this precaution: and hid them ; the Hebrew word is singular, “him” f25 : hence the Jews, who take these two spies to be Caleb and Phinehas, say, that only Caleb was hid, and Phinehas, though he was before them, was not seen, being an angel, ( Malachi 2:7); but the sense is, that she hid each of them, and very probably singly and apart, that if one was found, the other might escape, as Ben Gersom observes; and Abarbinel is of opinion that she hid them twice, now in the middle of her house, one in one place, and the other in another, for the reason before given, and after this hid them in the roof of her house, as afterwards related: and said thus, there came men unto me ; that is, into her house, this she owned: but I wist not whence they [were] ; of what country they were, whether Israelites or not; which whether she knew or not is not certain; it is probable she did, and told an untruth, as she also did in ( Joshua 2:5).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - Faith in God's promises ought not to do away, but to encourage ou diligence in the use of proper means. The providence of God directe the spies to the house of Rahab. God knew where there was one tha would be true to them, though they did not. Rahab appears to have bee an innkeeper; and if she had formerly been one of bad life, which i doubtful, she had left her evil courses. That which seems to us mos accidental, is often overruled by the Divine providence to serve grea ends. It was by faith that Rahab received those with peace, agains whom her king and country had war. We are sure this was a good work; it is so spoken of by the apostle, Jas 2:25; and she did it by faith, suc a faith as set her above the fear of man. Those only are tru believers, who find in their hearts to venture for God; they take his people for their people, and cast in their lot among them. The spie were led by the special providence of God, and Rahab entertained the out of regard to Israel and Israel's God, and not for lucre or for an evil purpose. Though excuses may be offered for the guilt of Rahab' falsehood, it seems best to admit nothing which tends to explain i away. Her views of the Divine law must have been very dim: a falsehoo like this, told by those who enjoy the light of revelation, whateve the motive, would deserve heavy censure.
Original Hebrew ותקח3947 האשׁה802 את853 שׁני8147 האנשׁים376 ותצפנו6845 ותאמר559 כן3651 באו935 אלי413 האנשׁים376 ולא3808 ידעתי3045 מאין370 המה׃1992
