In a land called Canaan, there was a city called Jericho. This city had big, strong walls. The people there knew that the people of Israel were on their way to their city, and they were afraid.
A man named Joshua led the people of Israel. He wanted to take the city of Jericho, but first he had to find out something: How to get into the city? So he sent two spies to secretly scout out the city.
The spies crept into Jericho and found a house where a woman named Rahab lived. Rahab was very kind to them. She knew about God and had heard that he had done great miracles for the people of Israel. Rahab believed in God and wanted to help the spies.
But suddenly someone knocked on her door! They were the men of the king of Jericho. They said, “Bring out the men who have come to you! They are spies!”
Rahab was very brave. She hid the spies on her roof under large bundles of flax. Then she said to the men: “Yes, the men were here, but they have already moved on. If you’re quick, you can still catch up with them!” The men immediately rushed off to find the spies.
When all was quiet again, Rahab went to the hidden spies and said, “I have helped you. Please help me and my family when you take the city.”
The spies swore to help Rahab. They said, “Tie down a red rope from your window. If we take the city, we will protect you and your family.”
Rahab had the spies climb down the window on a rope so that they could escape. The spies returned to Joshua and told all that they had seen and heard. They said, “The Lord has given us the whole land!”
Message of history
Rahab trusted in God and helped his people. If we trust God, He can help us everywhere. He sees the good we do and rewards our faith.
Bible passage
The story of Rahab and the spies is found in Joshua 2:1-24:
“And Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men from Sittim as spies, saying, ‘Go, see the land and Jericho.’ So they went and came to the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and stopped there. 2 Then it was said to the king of Jericho, “Behold, this night men of the children of Israel have come here to explore the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent for Rahab, saying, “Give up the men who have come to you and come into your house.” Because they have come to explore the whole country. 4 But the woman took the two men and hid them. And she said, “Yes, the men have come to me, but I did not know where they were from; 5 And when they were about to close the gates in the dark, the men went out. I don’t know where the men went; Pursue them quickly, for you will reach them. 6 But she had made the men climb up to the roof and hid them under the flax stalks that she had spread on the roof. 7 The men also pursued them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords; and the gates were locked as soon as the pursuers were out. 8 Before the men went to sleep, she went up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have become discouraged before you. 10 For 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 with the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, with Sihon and Og, whom you banished. 11 When we heard this, our hearts were disheartened, and there was no courage left in any man before you; for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Swear to me, therefore, by the Lord, that because I have shown mercy to you, you will also show mercy to my father’s house, and give me a sure sign, 13 that you will leave my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all their relatives, alive, and deliver us from death. 14 Then the men answered her, “Our life for your life, if you do not betray this cause of ours; so it will come to pass, when the Lord gives us the land, that we will show mercy and faithfulness to you. 15 So she let them down by a rope through the window; for her house was on the city wall, and she lived on the wall. 16 And she said to them, “Go into the mountains, so that the persecutors do not meet you; and hide yourselves there for three days, until the persecutors have returned; then go your way. 17 And the men said to her, “We will be free of the oath that you made us swear if you do not do this: 18 Behold, when we come into the land, tie this crimson cord to the window through which you let us down, and gather your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s house into your house; 19 And it shall come to pass, whoever goes out of the door of your house, let his blood be on his head, but we are without guilt; but whoever remains with you in the house, let his blood be on our head when hands are laid on him. 20 And if you betray these things of ours, we will be free from the oath that you made us swear. 21 And she said, “It is as you say.” And she dismissed her, and they went, and she tied the crimson cord to the window. 22 So they went and came to the mountains, and stayed there three days, until the persecutors returned; for the pursuers had searched the whole way and found no one. 23 So the two men returned, came down from the mountain, went over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “The Lord has given all the land into our hands, and all the inhabitants of the land have become discouraged before us.”
