Joshua 2:6
Joshua 2:6 in Multiple Translations
(But Rahab had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had laid out there.)
But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
But she had brought them up to the roof, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
But she had taken them up to the roof, covering them with the stems of flax which she had put out in order there.
(She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under some bundles of flax that she had lying there.)
(But she had brought them vp to the roofe of the house, and hidde them with the stalkes of flaxe, which she had spread abroad vpon the roofe)
and she hath caused them to go up on the roof, and hideth them with the flax wood, which is arranged for her on the roof.
But she had brought them up to the roof, and hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.
But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
But she made the men go up to the top of her house, and covered them with the stalks of flax, which was there.
But she was lying, she had taken the two men up to the flat roof of her house and had hidden them under the piles of flax that she had laid on the roof.
Berean Amplified Bible — Joshua 2:6
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Joshua 2:6 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/הִ֖יא
הֶעֱלָ֣תַ/ם
הַ/גָּ֑גָ/ה
וַֽ/תִּטְמְנֵ/ם֙
בְּ/פִשְׁתֵּ֣י
הָ/עֵ֔ץ
הָ/עֲרֻכ֥וֹת
לָ֖/הּ
עַל
הַ/גָּֽג
וְ/הִ֖יא
hûwʼ
H1931
he/she/it
Conj | Pron
הֶעֱלָ֣תַ/ם
ʻâlâh
H5927
to ascend
V-Hiphil-Perf-3fs | Suff
הַ/גָּ֑גָ/ה
gâg
H1406
roof
Art | N-ms | Suff
וַֽ/תִּטְמְנֵ/ם֙
ṭâman
H2934
to hide
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs | Suff
בְּ/פִשְׁתֵּ֣י
pishteh
H6593
flax
Prep | N-mp
הָ/עֵ֔ץ
ʻêts
H6086
tree
Art | N-ms
הָ/עֲרֻכ֥וֹת
ʻârak
H6186
to arrange
Art | V-Qal-Inf-c
לָ֖/הּ
Prep | Suff
עַל
ʻal
H5921
upon
Prep
הַ/גָּֽג
gâg
H1406
roof
Art | N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Joshua 2:6
וְ/הִ֖יא
hûwʼ
H1931
"he/she/it"
Conj | Pron
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Definition: pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)
Usage: Occurs in 1693 OT verses. KJV: he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who. See also: Genesis 2:11; Genesis 32:19; Exodus 21:3.
הֶעֱלָ֣תַ/ם
ʻâlâh
H5927
"to ascend"
V-Hiphil-Perf-3fs | Suff
To ascend means to go up or rise, like the smoke from an altar going up to God, as described in many Bible passages, including Leviticus and Psalms.
Definition: : rise/go 1) to go up, ascend, climb 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go up, ascend 1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat 1a3) to go up, come up (of animals) 1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation) 1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon) 1a6) to come up (before God) 1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary) 1a8) to excel, be superior to 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away 1b2) to take oneself away 1b3) to be exalted 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up 1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away 1c3) to bring up, draw up, train 1c4) to cause to ascend 1c5) to rouse, stir up (mentally) 1c6) to offer, bring up (of gifts) 1c7) to exalt 1c8) to cause to ascend, offer 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be carried away, be led up 1d2) to be taken up into, be inserted in 1d3) to be offered 1e) (Hithpael) to lift oneself
Usage: Occurs in 817 OT verses. KJV: arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 34:4; Joshua 7:6.
הַ/גָּ֑גָ/ה
gâg
H1406
"roof"
Art | N-ms | Suff
The Hebrew word for roof, or the top of an altar, like the one in the temple in Jerusalem.
Definition: 1) roof, top, housetop 1a) roof (of house) 1b) top (of altar of incense)
Usage: Occurs in 27 OT verses. KJV: roof (of the house), (house) top (of the house). See also: Exodus 30:3; 2 Kings 23:12; Psalms 102:8.
וַֽ/תִּטְמְנֵ/ם֙
ṭâman
H2934
"to hide"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs | Suff
In the Bible, this word means to hide or conceal something, often secretly, as in Joshua. It can also mean to bury or lay something aside, out of sight or knowledge.
Definition: 1) to hide, conceal, bury 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to hide 1a2) hiding, concealing, secretly laying (participle) 1a3) darkness (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to hide oneself 1c) (Hiphil) to hide
Usage: Occurs in 29 OT verses. KJV: hide, lay privily, in secret. See also: Genesis 35:4; Psalms 35:7; Psalms 9:16.
בְּ/פִשְׁתֵּ֣י
pishteh
H6593
"flax"
Prep | N-mp
This Hebrew word refers to flax, a plant used to make linen thread. It is mentioned in Exodus 9 as part of the plague of hail that damaged the flax crops in Egypt. The word is about a natural resource used for clothing.
Definition: 1) flax, linen 1a) fibre used as material for garments
Usage: Occurs in 15 OT verses. KJV: flax, linen. See also: Leviticus 13:47; Proverbs 31:13; Isaiah 19:9.
הָ/עֵ֔ץ
ʻêts
H6086
"tree"
Art | N-ms
This Hebrew word for tree or wood refers to a strong and firm object, like a tree or a wooden plank, as seen in the carpentry work of Jesus' earthly father Joseph in Matthew 13:55.
Definition: : wood 1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows 1a) tree, trees 1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
Usage: Occurs in 289 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] carpenter, gallows, helve, [phrase] pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood. See also: Genesis 1:11; Joshua 9:23; Psalms 1:3.
הָ/עֲרֻכ֥וֹת
ʻârak
H6186
"to arrange"
Art | V-Qal-Inf-c
This Hebrew word means to value or arrange things in order. It is used in various contexts, like setting up an army for battle or estimating the value of something, as seen in 1 Kings 10.
Definition: 1) to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to arrange or set or lay in order, arrange, state in order, set forth (a legal case), set in place 1a2) to compare, be comparable
Usage: Occurs in 72 OT verses. KJV: put (set) (the battle, self) in array, compare, direct, equal, esteem, estimate, expert (in war), furnish, handle, join (battle), ordain, (lay, put, reckon up, set) (in) order, prepare, tax, value. See also: Genesis 14:8; 1 Chronicles 12:39; Psalms 5:4.
לָ֖/הּ
""
Prep | Suff
עַל
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
הַ/גָּֽג
gâg
H1406
"roof"
Art | N-ms
The Hebrew word for roof, or the top of an altar, like the one in the temple in Jerusalem.
Definition: 1) roof, top, housetop 1a) roof (of house) 1b) top (of altar of incense)
Usage: Occurs in 27 OT verses. KJV: roof (of the house), (house) top (of the house). See also: Exodus 30:3; 2 Kings 23:12; Psalms 102:8.
Study Notes — Joshua 2:6
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Joshua 2:6 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Joshua 2:6
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 2:6
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 2:6
- Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 2:6
- Ellicott's Commentary on Joshua 2:6
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Joshua 2:6
- Cambridge Bible on Joshua 2:6
- Barnes' Notes on Joshua 2:6
- Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 2:6
- Sermons on Joshua 2:6
Context — Rahab Welcomes the Spies
4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from.
5At dusk, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I do not know which way they went. Pursue them quickly, and you may catch them!”
6(But Rahab had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had laid out there.)
7So the king’s men set out in pursuit of the spies along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they had gone out, the gate was shut. 8Before the spies lay down for the night, Rahab went up on the roofCross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hebrews 11:23 | By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the king’s edict. |
| 2 | 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? |
| 3 | Colossians 3:3 | For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. |
| 4 | 2 Samuel 17:19 | Then the man’s wife took a covering and spread it over the mouth of the well, scattering grain over it so nobody would know a thing. |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 22:8 | If you build a new house, you are to construct a railing around your roof, so that you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if someone falls from it. |
| 6 | 1 Kings 18:4 | for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.) |
| 7 | 2 Samuel 11:2 | One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. |
| 8 | Exodus 1:15–21 | Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.” The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.” So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own. |
| 9 | Matthew 24:17 | Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. |
| 10 | Jeremiah 36:26 | Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, as well as Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the LORD had hidden them. |
Joshua 2:6 Summary
Rahab, a woman living in Jericho, hid two Israeli spies on her roof to protect them from the king's men, as seen in Joshua 2:6. She used stalks of flax to conceal them, showing her quick thinking and resourcefulness. This act of bravery and deception was motivated by her faith in the God of the Israelites, as seen in Joshua 2:9-11, and is an example of how God can use anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, to accomplish His plans (Romans 8:28). By hiding the spies, Rahab was able to save their lives and ultimately play a role in the conquest of Jericho, as described in Joshua 6:1-27.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Rahab hide the spies on her roof?
Rahab hid the spies on her roof to protect them from the king's men, as seen in Joshua 2:6, demonstrating her faith and trust in the God of the Israelites, similar to the actions of those who hid Jews during times of persecution, as referenced in Matthew 25:40.
What were the stalks of flax that Rahab used to hide the spies?
The stalks of flax that Rahab used to hide the spies, as mentioned in Joshua 2:6, were likely drying flax plants, which were commonly used to produce linen, as described in Exodus 35:35 and other passages.
Was Rahab's action of hiding the spies a sinful act of deception?
While Rahab did deceive the king's men, her actions were motivated by her faith in the God of the Israelites, as seen in Joshua 2:9-11, and can be compared to the actions of midwives in Exodus 1:17, who also deceived authorities to protect the Israelites.
How does Rahab's story relate to the concept of faith in the Bible?
Rahab's story, including her actions in Joshua 2:6, illustrates the concept of faith as seen in Hebrews 11:31, where she is listed as an example of someone who demonstrated faith by her actions, similar to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-5.
Reflection Questions
- What would motivate someone to risk their own life to protect others, and how can I apply that kind of courage to my own life?
- How does Rahab's faith, as demonstrated in Joshua 2:6, challenge my own understanding of what it means to trust in God?
- In what ways can I, like Rahab, use my everyday circumstances to serve and honor God, even if it means going against the expectations of those around me?
- What does Rahab's story teach me about the importance of hospitality and welcoming strangers, as seen in Matthew 25:35 and other passages?
Gill's Exposition on Joshua 2:6
But she had brought them up to the roof of the house,.... Before the messengers came; though Abarbinel thinks it was after they were gone, when she took them from the place of their concealment, and
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 2:6
But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. She had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 2:6
Up to the roof, which was plain, after the manner. See . Laid in order upon the roof, that they may be dried by the heat of the sun.
Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 2:6
Joshua 2:6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.Ver. 6. But she had brought them up to the roof of the house.] Which was built flat in those parts, as they are also at this day in Italy. Which she had laid in order upon the roof.] That it might be fully dried, as the wicked are, that they may burn the better: like grapes, they ripen in the sunshine, for the winepress of God’ s wrath. Septuag., äùìá: ut et 1 Samuel 9:25.
Ellicott's Commentary on Joshua 2:6
(6) The stalks of flax.—It is remarked that flax and barley are both early crops (Exodus 9:31), and that the first month (see Joshua 4:19) was the time of barley harvest. (Comp. 2 Samuel 21:9.)
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Joshua 2:6
Verse 6. Hid then with the stalks of flax] It is a matter of little consequence whether we translate פסתי העיץ pistey haets stalks of flax, or stalks of hemp: the word עץ ets, which signifies wood, serves to show that whether it was hemp or flax, it was in its rough, unmanufactured state; and as this was about the season, viz., the end of March or the beginning of April, in which the flax is ripe in that country, consequently Rahab's flax might have been recently pulled, and was now drying on the roof of her house. The reader may find some useful remarks upon this subject in Harmer's Observations, vol. iv., p. 97, c. Upon the roof.] We have already seen that all the houses in the east were made flat-roofed for which a law is given Deuteronomy 22:8. On these flat roofs the Asiatics to this day walk, converse, and oftentimes even sleep and pass the night. It is probable that this hiding was after that referred to in the fourth verse.
Cambridge Bible on Joshua 2:6
6. the roof of the house] The roofs of Eastern houses were flat (St Mark 2:4), and were made useful for various purposes, as drying corn, hanging up linen, and preparing figs and raisins. They were also used as (a) places of recreation in the evening; (b) sleeping-places at night, when the interior apartments were too hot or sultry for refreshing repose; (c) places for devotion and even idolatrous worship. Comp. 1 Samuel 9:25-26; 2 Samuel 11:2; 2 Samuel 16:22; 2 Kings 23:12; Daniel 4:29; Acts 2:1; Acts 10:9. The Jewish Law required that they should have a battlement, in order that guilt of blood might not come upon the house through any one falling from it (Deuteronomy 22:8). “Parts of Roman houses were also furnished with such roofs called solaria, because they lay exposed on all sides to the sun, and also mœniana, as the Italians now also call them altana.” Lange’s Commentary. the stalks of flax] “stubble of flaxe,” Wyclif. Unbroken flax is here meant, the stalks of which, about Jericho and in Egypt, reached a height of more than three feet and the thickness of a reed. It was anciently one of the most important crops in Palestine (Hosea 2:5; Hosea 2:9).
Barnes' Notes on Joshua 2:6
Stalks of flax - literally, “the carded fibres of the tree.” The flax in Palestine grew to more than three feet in height, with a stalk as thick as a cane.
Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 2:6
6. She had brought them up to the roof of the house — This verse more fully explains Joshua 2:4, by detailing the place and manner of her concealing the spies.
Sermons on Joshua 2:6
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Choosing Rather to Suffer by Leonard Ravenhill | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of dedication and sacrifice in our pursuit of righteousness. He uses examples of athletes who train for hours every day to ach |
|
(Exodus) Exodus 2 Introduction by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the book of Exodus and its significance as a continuation of the story that began in Genesis. The sermon focuses on the theme of redemption an |
|
A Reluctant God by G.W. North | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the transformation that God brought about in a man over the course of 40 years. The man went from being quick-tempered and impatient to beco |
|
(Om Orientation) Our Situation - Warfare - Part 2 by George Verwer | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the urgent and desperate nature of the world situation, comparing it to a crisis and a war. He refers to verses in the Bible that support thi |
|
The Gift of Hunger by Dennis Kinlaw | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of being in the presence of God. He acknowledges the value of building friendships and connections with others, but states tha |
|
Hebrews 11:22-29 by Don McClure | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of making choices in life. Drawing from the biblical story of Joshua, he highlights how Joshua urged the children of Israel t |
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Desert Survival Series Pt 2- Moses the Man of Go by Don Courville | In this sermon, the speaker lays the foundation for a series on the birth and training of Moses. The birth of Moses reveals key principles that can be applied to different situatio |