Joshua 6:23

Verse

So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.

American Standard Version (1901)

And the young men the spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; all her kindred also they brought out; and they set them without the camp of Israel.

Bible in Basic English

So the searchers went in and got out Rahab and her father and mother and her brothers and all she had, and they got out all her family; and they took them outside the tents of Israel.

Free Bible Version

So the spies went and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, and all who were with her. They brought out the whole family and took them to a place near the Israelite camp.

Geneva Bible 1599

So the yong men that were spies, went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that shee had: also they brought out all her familie, and put them without the host of Israel.

King James (Authorized) Version

And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.

Translation for Translators

So those two spies/men went into Rahab’s house and brought her out. They also brought out her father and mother and her brothers, and all the rest of her family. Joshua’s men spared Rahab the prostitute. They also did not kill all her relatives, because she had hidden and protected the spies/men whom Joshua had sent to Jericho. The two men brought them all out and put them in a place outside the camp of the Israelis. Rahab still lives among us Israeli people. Then the soldiers gathered the articles made from silver, gold, bronze, and iron that they found and they put them all into Yahweh’s treasury. But they burned everything else that was in the city.

Unlocked Literal Bible

So the young men who had been spies went in and brought Rahab out. They brought out her father, mother, brothers, and all the relatives that were with her. They brought them to a place outside the camp of Israel.

Noah Webster Bible

World English Bible

The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all of her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Israel.

Young's Literal Translation

And the young man, the spies, go in and bring out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all whom she hath; yea, all her families they have brought out, and place them at the outside of the camp of Israel.

Context

The Walls of Jericho

²²Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her.”²³So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.

Summary

This verse recounts the fulfillment of Joshua's command to spare Rahab the prostitute and her family during the conquest of Jericho. It highlights God's faithfulness in protecting those who showed kindness and faith, even in the midst of judgment upon the city. Rahab's scarlet cord symbolizes her salvation and redemption, pointing to the grace and mercy of God extended to all who repent and believe. The inclusion of Rahab in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:5 further emphasizes God's redemptive plan and the significance of her faith. This verse serves as a reminder that God's mercy transcends social status and past sins, offering hope and salvation to all who turn to Him.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Brought out Rahab, and her father, etc. - Rahab having been faithful to her vow of secrecy, the Israelites were bound by the oath of the spies, who acted as their representatives in this business, to preserve her and her family alive. And left them without the camp - They were considered as persons unclean, and consequently left without the camp; (see Lev 13:46; Num 12:14). When they had abjured heathenism, were purified, and the males had received circumcision, they were doubtless admitted into the camp, and became incorporated with Israel.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab,.... Not only went into the city, but into Rahab's house, which they knew again by the scarlet thread hung out at the window of it. But here a difficulty occurs, how they could be said to go into her house, when it was built on the town wall, Jos 2:15; and that was now fallen down flat. Abarbinel thinks that when the spies went round the city, they saw the scarlet thread in the window of her house, and set their eyes on the house, or wistly observed it; and marked it in such manner, that after the fall of the wall they went to the place of her house, and brought her out, though her house was broken down, and no wall standing: but then they could not be said properly to go into her house, and bring her out. Kimchi is of opinion that not all the wall of the city fell, but what was over against the camp of Israel; and that the house of Rahab was on the wall on the other side: but it seems by the account of it as if the whole wall fell; and the apostle says, "the walls of Jericho fell down", Heb 11:30; all of them; and so the Septuagint version of Jos 6:20."and the whole wall, or all the wall fell round about:''and I see not why it may not be thought that the whole wall fell, excepting that small part alone which Rahab's house stood; and that standing alone would make the miracle the greater, and show the divine approbation of saving Rahab and her family: besides, if the wall sunk down in its place all around into the earth, as the Jews understand the phrase; See Gill on Jos 6:5; the house might continue on it firm and unmoved, going down with it to the surface of the earth, where it may be supposed the top of the wall was; and so they might go in and take her out, and preserve her from being destroyed with the rest of the inhabitants; and not only her: but her father and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; all other relations that were with her, particularly her sisters, which are in her request, Jos 2:13; with all that appertained to her brethren and sisters, which is there expressed also: and they brought out all her kindred; before mentioned, or if there were any other of her relations she had taken into her house for safety; or "all her families" (e), for her father's household might be branched out into various families, and become numerous, and so be an emblem of the number of Gentile sinners saved by Christ the antitype of Joshua: and left them without the camp of Israel; until they, became proselytes, and embraced the religion of Israel, as Kimchi remarks. However, being Gentiles, some external rites and ceremonies were to be performed upon them, as well as a declaration at least of their renouncing idolatry was required of them, before they could be admitted into the camp of Israel; and which was required even of a proselyte of the gate, or of one that was only a sojourner among them. (e) "omnes familias ejus", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version.