Sunday, September 15, 2019

Reading for September 23rd

Read Joshua 2.1-14
In 2.1-14: Rahab outsmarts the spies.
In verse 1; Rahab is a legally independent woman with her own house, where the presence of strangers would not be questioned.
The spies think this is a good place to gather information.
In verse 3: Come to you (also see v. 4) has a double meaning.
Understood as "come into you" it  can imply sexual intercourse.
In verses 6-7: Although she saves them from the king, they find themselves trapped on her roof with the city gate shut.
Their situation gives her leverage to negotiate an agreement.
The pursuers block their rout back, deepening their predicament.
In verse 8: Rahab takes the initiative in the negotiations.
In verses 9-11: She provides the content of the spies' eventual report (v. 24) and confesses that the Lord is the universal God.
Sihon and Og were utterly destroyed (v. 10), that is, devoted to destruction in holy war.
This is the fate Rahab seeks to avoid.
In verses 12-14: She suggests a pact of reciprocal protection, and the spies agree.
She has dealt kindly (v. 12) by showing faithfulness tot he relationship between host and guest.
In return they are to deal kindly by honoring an agreement to protect her extended family.
Comments or Questions..

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