Rahab

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: Hebrew Rāḥāḇ (“broad,” “wide”; a personal name of uncertain nuance)
• Period/Era: Conquest period (entry into Canaan; within the Patriarchal Period classification)
• Main References: Joshua 2; Joshua 6:22–25
• Key Connections: Israelite spies; Joshua; Rahab’s household; later association with Salmon and Boaz (Ruth 4:21; 1 Chronicles 2:11; Matthew 1:5)

Who was Rahab?

Rahab was a Canaanite woman living in Jericho whose house was built into the city wall.
She sheltered two Israelite spies and helped them escape capture.
She acknowledged the LORD’s supremacy based on reports of Israel’s deliverance and victories.
Rahab and her family were spared during Jericho’s fall and she lived among Israel.

Key Events & Achievements

• Hid the spies: Protected Israel’s scouts from Jericho’s authorities and misdirected pursuers (Joshua 2:1–7).
• Secured protection for her household: Negotiated a pledge of rescue marked by a scarlet cord and gathered her family inside (Joshua 2:12–21).
• Delivered at Jericho’s fall: Was brought out alive with her relatives after the city’s destruction (Joshua 6:22–25).

Life Lesson & Legacy

Rahab’s account shows how a foreigner could align with Israel’s God and be incorporated into Israel’s community through covenantal loyalty.

Key Verse

“For the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” — Joshua 2:11, ESV