Joshua 2:4

Joshua 2:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, "True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

Context of Joshua 2:4

2Now the king of Jericho was told, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to spy and search out the land.” 3So the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, because they have come [as spies] to search out all the land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them; so she said, “Yes, two men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5When it was time to close the [city] gate at dark, the men left; I do not know where they went. Pursue them quickly, for [if you do] you will overtake them.” 6But [in fact] she had brought the scouts up to the roof and had hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof [to dry].

Joshua 2:4 word by word

וַתִּקַּ֧ח הָֽאִשָּׁ֛ה אֶת־שְׁנֵ֥י הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַֽתִּצְפְּנ֑וֹ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר׀ כֵּ֗ן בָּ֤אוּ אֵלַי֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְלֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְתִּי מֵאַ֥יִן הֵֽמָּה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• the twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• and hidצָפַןtsâphan · to treasureH6845
• them, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• thus, There cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto me, but I wistיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• not whenceאַ֫יִן'ayin · where?H370

Cross-references for Joshua 2:4

• Exodus 1:19The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth quickly and their babies are born before the midwife can get to them.”
• 2 Samuel 16:18Hushai said to Absalom, “No! For whomever the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen [as king], I will be his, and I will remain with him.
• 2 Samuel 17:19And the woman [of the house] took a covering and spread it over the mouth of the well and scattered grain on it; so nothing was discovered.
• 2 Kings 6:19Then Elisha said to the Arameans, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me and I will lead you to the man whom you are seeking.” And he led them to Samaria.

Commentaries on Joshua 2:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4And hid them - Probably she secreted them for the time being in some private corner, till she had the opportunity of concealing them on the house-top in the manner mentioned Joshua 2:6.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4I wist not whence they were - Rahab acted as she did from the belief in God‘s declared word, and conviction that resistance to His will would be both vain and wicked Joshua 2:9-11. Thus, she manifested a faith both sound and practical, and is praised accordingly Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25. The falsehood to which she had recourse may be excused by the pressure of circumstances and by her own antecedents, but cannot be defended.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5It is not necessary to either approve or condemn Rahab’s lie to the king’s messengers. She may not have known the ethical standards that God later gave to Israel. Another possibility is that saving a human life was a higher moral value than telling the truth in that situation.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-64-6. the woman took the two men, and hid them--literally, "him," that is, each of them in separate places, of course previous to the appearance of the royal messengers and in anticipation of a speedy search after her guests. According to Eastern manners, which pay an almost superstitious respect to a woman's apartment, the royal messengers did not demand admittance to search but asked her to bring the foreigners out.Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 2:4

• Armies
• Falsehood
• Harlot (Prostitute)
• Hospitality
• Reconnoissance

In the dictionaries

• Blameless
• Cord
• Hide
• Land
• Let
• Melt
• Rahab
• Town
• Hospitality; Host
• Joshua, Book of

Commentaries on Joshua 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings