Rahab is a profound character found within the Bible, making prominent appearances in particular verses narrating tales of faith and courage. Despite being a Canaanite woman and a prostitute, Rahab holds a significant role within biblical narratives for her distinctive act of courage – risking her life to protect Israelite spies. Through the Bible, Rahab’s story unfolds as one of redemption and transformation that challenges conventional expectations.
Who Was Rahab in the Bible?
Rahab lived in Jericho, a city famously known for its fortified walls. Rahab operated an inn located within the city walls and also worked as a prostitute. Despite her profession, Rahab was not devoid of faith. When Joshua sent two spies to gather important intel about Jericho before the Israeli invasion, Rahab not only provided them shelter but also hid them from the king’s men seeking their lives. Rahab’s act of courage underpinned by faith brings her into the focus of biblical narratives.
Rahab’s Act of Faith
Rahab risked her life and turned against her own people because she had faith in God. She had heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea when the Israelites were fleeing Egypt, and how they defeated two powerful Amorite kings. Based on these tales, she believed in the might and power of the Israelites’ God, firmly stating that He was the God in heaven above and on earth below. Her unwavering faith played a significant part in her protection of the Israelites.
Where Rahab’s Story Takes a Turn
By hiding the Israelite spies, Rahab struck a deal. She asked for her family’s safety when the Israelites attacked Jericho. The spies, in turn, promised her protection based on her act of faith and her goodwill towards them. To identify her house, she was told to hang a scarlet cord in her window. The Israelites kept their word, sparing Rahab and her family when they took over Jericho. In this context, the scarlet cord can be seen as a symbol of salvation and faith.
Why Rahab’s Story Matters?
Rahab’s story in the Bible remains relevant for a variety of reasons. Rahab was not an Israelite, and she was a prostitute. However, her faith in God led her to risk her life and protect the Israeli spies. Rahab’s profession did not hinder God’s plan or her faith. It shows us that God’s mercy and love are not confined by our status, profession, ethnicity, or past sins. It is our faith and our heart that matters. The Bible, through Rahab, gives us a profound message of faith, redemption, and transformation.
When Rahab’s Legacy Continues
Rahab’s story doesn’t end with the fall of Jericho or her survival. The Bible traces her legacy further, positioning her as one of the ancestors of Jesus. Rahab gets married to Salmon, an Israelite from Judah’s tribe, and gives birth to Boaz, who was King David’s great-grandfather. Rahab’s name is thus listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, a non-Israelite woman who plays an extraordinary role in the Israelites’ history and later the Christian faith.
Below is our full list of bible verses on rahab (King James Version – KJV) provided in ranked order.
Most Popular Bible Verses About Rahab
Hebrews 11:31
“31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.”
James 2:25
“25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?”
Joshua 6:23
“23 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.”
Joshua 2:1
“1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.”
Matthew 1:5
“5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;”
Joshua 2:8
“8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;”
Joshua 6:17
“17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.”
Joshua 2:12
“12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:”
Related Themes: Kindness
Joshua 6:25
“25 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 2:4
“4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:”
Related Themes: Lying
Joshua 2:14
“14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.”
Related Themes: Business
Joshua 6:22
“22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.”
Joshua 2:11
“11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.”
Joshua 2:21
“21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.”
