Rahab was also a Canaanite, who were the hated enemies of Israel. By the merit of three things pardon me: the rope, the window, and the wall [pardon me for engaging in harlotry because I endangered myself when I lowered the rope for the spies from the window in the wall]." You can read about Rahab in Joshua 2 and Joshua 6 .. It is possible that he was the son of Nahshon and that he married "Rachab" of Matthew 1:5 (perhaps Rahab of . He has used many different people of different back grounds . In many midrashim Rahab comes to symbolize the positive influence Israel exerts on the surrounding Gentile nations, as well as successful conversion. You will lack what you wasted. Woow wonderful ?? TheA type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules).midrash includes Rahab among the four most beautiful women the world has ever known:Sarah, Rahab, Abigail,andEsther. [6], In the Christian New Testament, the Epistle of James and the Epistle to the Hebrews follow the tradition set by the translators of the Septuagint in using the Greek word "" (prn, which is usually translated to English as "harlot" or "prostitute") to describe Rahab. Who Was Moses? King James Bible, Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. The spies stayed in Rahab's house, which was built into the city wall. This truly blessed and made me pick my Bible to read the story of Rahab again We thank God for we are justified. Rahab - The Harlot in the Genealogy of Christ | HopeFaithPrayer But the meaning of the Hebrew word zanah is to commit fornication to be or play the harlot but the NT writer of Hebrews describes her as porne which means a woman who sells her body for sex. That pretty much seals it. Consider Dinah, her brothers essentially saved her purity by whacking the kid that raped her. But if we get to decide which rules we like, that makes us the rule-makers, or in other words, puts us in the place of God. The Rabbis deduced from the story of Rahab the superiority of repentance over prayer, for Moses prayed exceedingly, but God did not accept his entreaty to enterThe Land of IsraelErez Israel, while the repentance of Rahab the harlot was accepted, and seven kings and eight prophets issued forth from her (Lit. Wood-engraver: Antoine Piaud (1837-1866). Rahab is mentioned alongside Jethro and Naaman as positive examples of the converts who joined Israel. At the conquest of Jericho by the Israelites, Joshua ordered the two spies to rescue Rahab and her family, whose descendants thenceforward dwelt in Israel (vi. After the danger had passed, Rahab advised the spies(Josh. "Rahab: Midrash and Aggadah." Whoever wishes, come and buy! They came to Rahabs house, and when she learned that the king of Jericho sought them, she wanted to hide the spies. 1:5): And those who bow down on the roofs to the host of heaven (Pesikta de-Rav Kahanaloc. But the spies were safe, for she had hid them on the roof under wet and smelly piles of rotting flax. xliii.). Would I be able to purchase a copy of this article ? 20:17). Learn how your comment data is processed. Other then Mary, Rahab is the only one mentioned again in the New Testament. But everyone in the area knew they were there and what they were about to do. That proved to be the end of him and his whole family (Joshua 7:24, 25). Only God can do that. So He knew what it was like to be married, in a sense. Being part of the . This prostitute happened to be a godly person inside, or at least, a godly person in the making. A few examples: Study the terms gained approval, obtained the testimony, and obtained the witness found in Hebrews 11:2, 4, 5. In Psalm 87:4 Rahab is the name of a city; also in Psalm 89:10 and in Isaiah 51:9. Rahab, the prostitute of the Canaanite city of Jericho, ultimately is noteworthy for her great faith and for her place in the lineage of Jesus Christ. It has been long since I last came here But I am glad I did. the first-century C.E. In this case the consonants that are claimed znh are english letters that are probably not even in the original Hebrew making this claim even more dubious (the Zhn being from the Hebrew translation). That kind of faith is inoperative and dead. When informed of the Israelite spies The King of Jericho Sent to Rahab or Little Egypt so to speak. Yes, it is interesting that the God who knows everything still wants to be shown our faith by our actions. Later Jewish commentators, Rashi among them, interpret , the Hebrew term for "harlot," as "one who sells food," basing their view on Targum Jonathan (to Josh. The Woman at the well I believe you kind of have it backwards or I am reading it wrong you are not justified by your works but by your faith Rahab was not justified by her action but by the faith that led her to her actions. Indeed, GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD!!!!! Rahab - Her Life & Story in the Bible - Crosswalk.com Mary has a family and Joseph did. News of their earlier victories spread quickly, and people from all around would have sought protection within Jerichos mighty walls. 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: and that you will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. 15a). It would be obvious that a family , if its well grown, wouldnt have a harlot among its members. Pauls comments are primarily aimed at hypocrisy among believers, of which family members could be a part. Its like the sayingwaste not, want not What we cant question, though, is that the Rahab in the book of Joshua is definitely the same mentioned in the gallery of faith in Hebrews 11, therefore, I think this article adds positively to the understanding of Gods love and how He operates. Something went wrong while submitting the form. and some day we would find out that the dates were the ones that were wrong. Rahab - Chabad.org especially in family relations. And Richard, Faith WITHOUT works is dead. just read the bible the way it is and stop watering it down. Having arrived at Jericho, the two spies remained at Rahab's house, situated in the wall of the city and having a window on the outside (Josh. Faith In Action - Life Lessons From The Life Of Rahab Rahab is mentioned in both the Old Testament and New Testament, and her story is an example of God's grace and redemption. Taking consonants from a word to change the meaning of a word is not recommended. Rahab was not yet saved. When the king learned that he was about to die, he turned his face to the wall and prayed, as portrayed inIsa. Great reminder. In Rabbinical Literature: Rahab was one of the most beautiful women in the world, the mere mention of her name exciting inordinate desire (Meg. It says in the Bible that The lord is my shepherd I shall not want. 22). Rabbah16:1). II Peter 2:9 Gods Word Translation. She then married Joshua and became the ancestress of eight priests who were prophets as well, Jeremiah among them, and of the prophetess Huldah (Meg. God hates sin, but he loves people. Boaz ObedJesse Rahab/Descendants How is Rahab related to Boaz? Rahab was given a golden pass because every guy who smashed her was slaughtered in the same day. Have an update or correction? ** marksqere-ketivdifferences where one form is singular and the other is plural (the context of Ezek16:51supports bothqereandketivreadings). a prostitute; whore. Stay there in hiding three days. The midrash adds that the Divine Presence rested upon her until the Israelites entered Jericho, for she knew that they would return after three days(Ruth Rabbah2:1). The word Want, from the Hebrew concordance means: I shall not lack, be in need or be without.. It was the time of the barley harvest, and flax and barley are ripe at the same time in the Jordan valley, so that "the bundles of flax stalks might have been expected to be drying just then". It does make sense that Rahab wasnt a harlot,, but a inn-keeper. l5a; Ta'an . You might think from her profession that she was destined to die an early death, to fade away into shame, the disgraced woman . Rahab (noise, tumult, arrogance), is a mythical sea monster, a dragon of the deep waters. Rahab was also one of the proselyte women styled "the pious" ("asidot"; Midr. They said to Joshua, Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us. Joshua 2:22 24. Instead[Josh. Rahab, a pagan prostitute; Ruth, a gentile woman;Perez , son of Judah born from his own daughter in law; Solomon, born from Bathsheba who was another man s ,Uriah, whom David killed by planing that he be put in the battle front. Why is it that every woman in the Bible had to be a wife or mother or harlot? historian Josephus. However, if we continue reading her story in Joshua 2 we find that Rahab . She converted and was married to Joshua, and her descendants included renowned kohanim (members of the priestly class) and prophets. In the Talmudic literature, however, it is accepted that Rahab was a harlot. The Scroll of Esther is read on Purim from a parchment scroll. 11:31, shows that her fame had risen at the time when St. Matthew wrote. And you do not know how far each of them has already come, or how far they are able to go in God. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I know I need prayer wisdom, courage and strengthen,. I tweeted it out. 38:2: Thereupon Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. The Rabbis understand the wall, not as the place where Hezekiah prayed, but as the subject of his prayer. In fact, sisters are mentioned only eight times in MT, and five of these occurrences haveqere-ketivissues with this word: Josh2:13**; Ezek16:51(qere)**; Ezek16:55; Ezek 16:61; Hos 2:3; Job 1:4*; Job 42:11*; 1 Chron2:16*. Some may discount this interpretation, but the fact that you had such a question points to the reality of my answerGod made women to be wives and mothers. "Crimson Cord" (2017), This page was last edited on 20 April 2023, at 13:35. A Canaanite woman living in Jericho, Rahab is a prostitute who is also a biblical heroine. [9] This etiological meaning of Rahabs story, that is, its referencing the origin of individuals considered to go back to Rahab in Israelite society, was noticed already by Abravanel (his commentary of Joshua 6:23). The Woman caught in the act of adultery and I note: when she was brought to Jesusshe was naked! A Harlot, a Canaanite and a liar. "order." ' John 8:31-32. Wow great article. God had plans for Rahab from before the beginning of time. 2:6): Now she had taken them up to the roof, and of Israel(Zeph. Rex. It also goes to show that we can not go on condemning people for their evil acts but to pray for them. Yael Wife of Heber The Kenite: Midrash and Aggadah, Biblical Women in World and Hebrew Literature, Hebrew Women in Egypt: Midrash and Aggadah, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. i. Wife of Salmon . For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. [11] Thomas Dozeman also suggests that the singularketivmay simply be a textual corruption. Mandelbaum] 13:5). [6] In rabbinic texts, however, she is explained as being an "innkeeper," based on the Aramaic Targum: . Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Rahab's reward was alluded to by Hezekiah in his prayer for recovery from his sickness (comp. The Spies Agree to Save Rahab's Family In preparation for the conquest of Jericho, the first city to be taken after the Israelites cross the Jordan River, Joshua sends two spies, who arrive at the house of Rahab, a harlot, in Jericho. "The Choice to Serve God and Assist His People: Rahab and Yael". The only other woman mentioned on the list is Sarah, Abrahams wife and mother of Isaac. This negative attitude toward converts was apparently prevalent among the people, too, a prejudice that was opposed by the following midrash. Who were the descendants of Rahab? Another midrash has Rahab acting as advocate for all the nations of the world. Quora - A place to share knowledge and better understand the world Rex. An angel can be visible to people, or unseen by them, as he wishes, therefore I do not need you to conceal me. Ultimately, Rahab married Salmon, an Israelite from the tribe of Judah. Jesus ate with sinners, and the religious of the day did not like it. If you study the cases of Bathsheba, Abigail, Ruth, etc.they were all widows by one way or another, no female is in the line of Christ who is not physically CLEAN, and Christ himself said that a divorced woman whos husband still exists commits adultery and the man who marries her. Read more: Salmon and Rahab were the father and mother of Boaz. Matthew calls her Rahab, mother of Boaz. Hope my God works on me to not judge anyone. 10). You shall not lack. My grandmother would say go clean your own porch before you try and come clean mine I always loved that saying or busy so busy in fixing yourself you have no time to worry about anyone else. I read the Bible for the stories. Her most exemplary deed was telling a lie. A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). It is claimed that there was not a single idolatry in all the world that Jethro did not worship, and therefore when he converted, he spoke from experience when he said(Ex. 3 Lessons from Rahab in the Lineage of Jesus - Lisa Appelo http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200003623 This is a thing you want to think about . This cord seems reminiscent of the Passover blood that was spread over the doorways of the Israelite homes back in Egypt when the death angel passed over them. R. v. 2). Jennings, Jenifer. Even Jesus, who claimed to be equal with God, recognized the authority of His Father over himself, only doing what His Father wanted Him to do. Let us know. Who are the descendants of Rahab? The ancient rabbis regarded Rahab as one of the most beautiful women in Jewish history. Rahab, who begins as triply marginalized (Canaanite, woman, and prostitute), moves to the center as bearer of a divine message and herald of Israel in its new land. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Maybe faith is the evidence that is mentioned in Hebrews 11:1. ; Deut. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. I believe that God wants all if us to change and learn and do the right thing and its never to late each day I strive to be better I no right from wrong I have things to over comet that I know are not of what God would approve of. This article is amazing. Possibly we do not know. The Rabbis maintain that Rahab was mentioned in the prayer of Hezekiah. Most probably it is a term (possibly Coptic) for some large sea or river monster symbolic of Egypt. That is quite a large part of an adults life. nah always has to do with an illicit relationship, either sexual or as a figure of spiritual unfaithfulness, and in each instance where it denotes a prostitute, it is so translated. The Bible, after all, is a book of truth. stop trying to soft peddle sin, this event needs to represent how depraved man is and how righteous God is! There is no turning back now. Rahab symbolizes proper behavior, in contrast to the sinning Israelites. Who was Rahab in the Bible? 1:1] [ed. I have found through each and every reaction that God remained faithful to me in showing me who he was. Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, Go, view the land, especially Jericho. So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there. Systems of Transliteration Citation of Proper Names. Executive Committee of the Editorial Board. At the conquest of that city by the Israelites, Rahab became a sincere proselyte to the cult of Yhwh. This acknowledgment of Rahab called forth the admiration of God Himself, who said: "On earth thou couldest see with thine eyes that there is no other God besides Me; but to acknowledge also that I am the only God in heaven needs special faith. So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it so long as it stands alone. "scroll." cit.). Lit. How can He understand the human experience if he never married or knew a woman? 2:12): Now, since I have shown loyalty to you, swear to me by the Lord, and of Israel(Jer. She must have achieved a level of prominence in the city. Rahab is said to have converted at the age of 50, after practising prostitution for 40 years, and repented according to three sins, saying: Master of the Universe!