Joshua 2:8
Joshua 2:8 in Multiple Translations
Before the spies lay down for the night, Rahab went up on the roof
¶ And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
And before the men went to rest, she came up to them on the roof,
Before the spies went to sleep, Rahab came up to the roof to talk to them.
And before they were a sleepe, she came vp vnto them vpon the roofe,
And — before they lie down — she hath gone up unto them on the roof,
Before they had lain down, she came up to them on the roof.
And before they had lain down, she came up to them upon the roof;
The men that were hidden were not yet asleep, when behold the woman went up to them, and said:
Before the two men lay down to sleep that night, Rahab went up to the roof
Berean Amplified Bible — Joshua 2:8
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 2:8 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/הֵ֖מָּה
טֶ֣רֶם
יִשְׁכָּב֑וּ/ן
וְ/הִ֛יא
עָלְתָ֥ה
עֲלֵי/הֶ֖ם
עַל
הַ/גָּֽג
וְ/הֵ֖מָּה
hêm
H1992
they(masc.)
Conj | Pron
טֶ֣רֶם
ṭerem
H2962
before
Adv
יִשְׁכָּב֑וּ/ן
shâkab
H7901
to lie down
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp | Suff
וְ/הִ֛יא
hûwʼ
H1931
he/she/it
Conj | Pron
עָלְתָ֥ה
ʻâlâh
H5927
to ascend
V-Qal-Perf-3fs
עֲלֵי/הֶ֖ם
ʻal
H5921
upon
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 2:8
וְ/הֵ֖מָּה
hêm
H1992
"they(masc.)"
Conj | Pron
This Hebrew word is used to refer to a group of men, emphasizing that it is specifically them. It is often translated as 'they' or 'them' in the Bible, and appears in books like Exodus and Isaiah.
Definition: they, these, the same, who
Usage: Occurs in 524 OT verses. KJV: it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye. See also: Genesis 3:7; Deuteronomy 19:17; 2 Kings 1:18.
טֶ֣רֶם
ṭerem
H2962
"before"
Adv
This word indicates something has not happened yet, or it happened before something else. It is used to show timing or sequence of events, translated as before, ere, or not yet in the KJV.
Definition: before, not yet, before that
Usage: Occurs in 50 OT verses. KJV: before, ere, not yet. See also: Genesis 2:5; 2 Kings 6:32; Psalms 5:6.
יִשְׁכָּב֑וּ/ן
shâkab
H7901
"to lie down"
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp | Suff
To lie down can mean to rest, sleep, or have sexual relations, and is used in various contexts throughout the Bible. It can also mean to relax or be at rest.
Definition: : lay_down/lie_with 1) to lie down 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on 1a2) to lodge 1a3) to lie (of sexual relations) 1a4) to lie down (in death) 1a5) to rest, relax (fig) 1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually) 1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually) 1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down 1e) (Hophal) to be laid
Usage: Occurs in 194 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, cast down, (lover-)lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay. See also: Genesis 19:4; 1 Kings 11:43; Psalms 3:6.
וְ/הִ֛יא
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.
עָלְתָ֥ה
ʻâlâh
H5927
"to ascend"
V-Qal-Perf-3fs
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.
עֲלֵי/הֶ֖ם
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep | Suff
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.
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 2:8
Show Verse Quote Highlights
Context — The Promise to Rahab
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 roof
9and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction.Joshua 2:8 Summary
This verse tells us that before the spies went to sleep, Rahab went up on the roof to talk to them. She wanted to help them and keep them safe from the king's men who were looking for them, as seen in Joshua 2:7. This shows that Rahab was brave and trusted in the God of the Israelites, even though she was not one of them, similar to the faith of the centurion in Matthew 8:10. By going up on the roof, Rahab was able to have a private conversation with the spies and help them in their mission, demonstrating the kind of faith and obedience that pleases God, as described in Romans 4:20-25.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Rahab go up on the roof before the spies lay down for the night?
Rahab went up on the roof to speak with the spies, as seen in Joshua 2:9, and to hide them from the king's men who were searching for them, as mentioned in Joshua 2:7, fulfilling her role in protecting them as described in Joshua 2:4-6.
What was the significance of the roof in this context?
The roof was a place where Rahab could speak privately with the spies, away from prying eyes and ears, similar to how Jesus often withdrew to solitary places to pray, as seen in Luke 5:16, and it also served as a hiding place for the spies from their pursuers.
How does this verse relate to the broader story of the Israelites' conquest of Canaan?
This verse is part of the larger narrative of the Israelites' conquest of Canaan, as prophesied in Genesis 12:7 and Deuteronomy 1:8, and it highlights the role of Rahab and her family in the conquest, as they were spared due to her faith and actions, as seen in Joshua 6:25.
What can we learn from Rahab's actions in this verse?
We can learn about the importance of faith, courage, and hospitality from Rahab's actions, as she risked her own life to protect the spies, demonstrating her trust in the God of the Israelites, as seen in Hebrews 11:31, and her actions are an example of the kind of faith that pleases God, as described in Romans 4:20-25.
Reflection Questions
- What would it take for me to demonstrate the same kind of faith and courage as Rahab, and what are the risks and rewards of such actions?
- How can I, like Rahab, create opportunities for private conversations and spiritual discussions with others, and what are the potential benefits of such interactions?
- In what ways can I apply the principle of hospitality, as seen in Rahab's actions, to my own life and relationships, and how can I use my home and resources to serve others and advance the kingdom of God?
- What are some ways that I can, like Rahab, use my unique position and circumstances to serve God and further His plans, and what are the potential consequences of failing to do so?
Gill's Exposition on Joshua 2:8
And before they were laid down,.... Under the stalks of the flax; or rather, since they are said to be hid in them, before they were fallen asleep, so Kimchi and Abarbinel: she came up unto them upon
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 2:8
And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; Before they were laid down - literally, they had not yet lain down (see the note at Genesis 2:5). She came up unto them upon the roof; and ... said.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 2:8
Before they were laid down to rest or sleep, as they intended, being now, after the departure of their searchers, come from their hiding place to their resting-place.
Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 2:8
Joshua 2:8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;Ver. 8. And before they were laid down,] so., To take their rest, which in this fright they had little list to. "Sleep on now, take your rest," saith our Saviour by an irony to his drowsy disciples; q.d., Do so, if you can at least, now, with so many swords and halberds about your ears.
Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 2:8
8. Before they were laid down — That is, to sleep. They had been hidden where it was uncomfortable to sleep; but now that their pursuers are put upon the wrong track, they come forth from their hiding places.