Joshua 6 25

Joshua 6:25 kjv

And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Joshua 6:25 nkjv

And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father's household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Joshua 6:25 niv

But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho?and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

Joshua 6:25 esv

But Rahab the prostitute and her father's household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Joshua 6:25 nlt

So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day.

Joshua 6 verses

Joshua 6 25 Meaning

Joshua 6:25 states that Joshua preserved the life of Rahab, a prostitute, and her entire household because she protected the Israelite spies. It also emphasizes her continued existence within Israelite society "to this day," highlighting God's mercy and the inclusion of those outside the covenant who demonstrate faith.

Joshua 6 25 Context

Joshua 6 describes the miraculous conquest of Jericho, the first major city in Canaan to fall to the Israelites. The city was under a herem (devoted to destruction) by divine command due to its inhabitants' persistent wickedness. This specific verse acts as an important exception to that decree, explaining why Rahab and her family were saved from the general destruction. Her salvation is directly linked to her prior act of faith and assistance in hiding the Israelite spies (Joshua chapter 2). Her inclusion demonstrates God's selective judgment, distinguishing between the inhabitants of Jericho based on their response to His revealed power and purpose. It prefigures God's wider plan for the inclusion of Gentiles through faith, proving God's grace transcends ethnic and social barriers.

Joshua 6 25 Word analysis

• But Joshua spared (וַיַּחַי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, vayachai Y'hoshuʻa): "Spared" implies an act of preservation, to let live. Joshua, as God's representative, enacted God's mercy based on divine instruction (Josh 2:14, 18). This action is an exception to the herem (total destruction) declared for Jericho, highlighting God's grace at work.
• Rahab the prostitute (רָחָב הַזּוֹנָה, Rachav hazzonah):
  • Rahab (רָחָב, Rachav): Meaning "wide" or "broad." She is not just a woman but one specifically identified by her profession, which usually brought social ostracization in ancient societies. This emphasizes the remarkable nature of God's grace in choosing an unexpected instrument for His plan and saving someone considered an outcast. Her identity underscores the scandalous grace of God, which saves individuals regardless of their past.
  • Prostitute (הַזּוֹנָה, hazzonah): While some Jewish traditions and modern scholarship have explored the possibility of her being an "innkeeper" to soften her profession, the plain meaning of the Hebrew term (zonah) and its consistent use elsewhere in Scripture, combined with New Testament references (e.g., Matt 21:31-32; Jas 2:25; Heb 11:31, all using the equivalent Greek word πορνή, porne), strongly confirms "prostitute." This amplifies the theological point that God's salvation is available even to the lowest and most marginalized, and that He uses unexpected people for His purposes, demonstrating grace over human merit or social status.
• and her father's household and all who belonged to her: This extends the blessing of salvation beyond Rahab herself to her entire familial unit. It highlights the principle of corporate salvation sometimes seen in Scripture (e.g., Noah's family, the Philippian jailer's household in Acts 16:31-34), underscoring the breadth of the covenant's blessing and Rahab's faithful commitment to securing the safety of her relatives.
• because she hid the messengers (אֲשֶׁר הֶחְבִּיאָה אֶת־הַמַּלְאָכִים, asher hechbi'ah et-hammala'kim): "Hid" (hechbi'ah) indicates a decisive and risky action on Rahab's part. This was an act of faith and defiance against her own people and rulers, placing her trust in the God of Israel whom she acknowledged as supreme (Josh 2:9-11). It shows that her salvation was not arbitrary but a direct consequence of her active, courageous faith, illustrating "faith without works is dead" (Jas 2:26).
• whom Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho: These were God's appointed agents, making Rahab's action directly aligned with God's mission. By protecting them and helping their mission, she implicitly became an ally of God's purpose, turning from loyalty to Jericho to allegiance to Yahweh.
• and she lives in Israel to this day (וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, vatēshev b'yiśra'el ʻad hayyōm hazzêh): This phrase is a common literary marker in historical narratives. It indicates that Rahab became fully integrated into Israelite society and was still alive at the time the Book of Joshua was written or compiled, or at least that her family line continued successfully. It signifies her complete assimilation, acceptance, and a lasting witness to God's saving power. Its presence suggests Rahab's continued significance as a living testament to divine mercy and her integration beyond just physical survival. Tradition and Matthew's genealogy confirm this, showing her lineage leading to David and eventually Jesus.

Joshua 6 25 Bonus section

• Genealogical Significance: Rahab's lineage is incredibly significant. Matt 1:5 states that Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab. This makes Rahab an ancestress of King David and, remarkably, of Jesus Christ Himself. Her inclusion in the Messianic line underscores God's willingness to use and honor unexpected, even seemingly scandalous, individuals as part of His grand redemptive narrative, breaking conventional social and religious barriers. This inclusion prefigures the multi-ethnic nature of Christ's kingdom and salvation offered to all peoples.
• Precedent for Gentile Inclusion: Rahab serves as one of the earliest, clearest biblical precedents for the inclusion of Gentiles into the covenant community through faith. This theme resonates strongly throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Ruth, Jonah) and culminates dramatically in the New Testament with the evangelization of the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, dismantling the ethnic barrier between Jew and Gentile (Eph 2:14-18).
• God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: While God is sovereign in judgment, Rahab's story illustrates that human choice and faith play a crucial role. Her decision to trust and act led to her salvation, demonstrating a synergistic aspect where divine mercy meets human responsiveness.

Joshua 6 25 Commentary

Joshua 6:25 is a powerful testament to God's radical grace and His sovereignty in selecting whom to save. Amidst the complete devastation of Jericho, Rahab, a Gentile and a prostitute, stands as a beacon of divine mercy. Her salvation, encompassing her entire family, was not due to her ethnicity, social standing, or past conduct, but solely to her faith-expressed-through-action: acknowledging Yahweh as the true God and protecting His messengers. This act aligns her with God's redemptive plan, providing a pivotal exception to the general command of destruction in Canaan. The inclusion of "to this day" highlights her full assimilation into Israel, foreshadowing God's broader plan for the inclusion of all nations through faith. Rahab's story powerfully illustrates that God judges not only the wickedness of nations, but also responds to the faithful turning of individuals, regardless of their past, thus affirming salvation by grace through active faith.