The Fall of Jericho
Two spies sent ahead lodge with Rahab, an innkeeper in the wall of Jericho. She hides them under flax on the roof, misdirects the king's men, and bargains for her family's life; the scarlet cord in her window will mark the house.
The assault is unlike any other in the book. For six days the army circles the city once in silence behind seven priests with rams' horns and the ark. On the seventh they circle seven times, the horns sound, the people shout, and the wall falls.
The city is devoted to destruction and Rahab's household alone is spared. She appears later in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus, and in Hebrews' roll of faith — a Canaanite woman of dubious profession, twice named among the faithful.
Where in scripture
[1] Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there. [2] The king of Jericho was told, “Behold, men of the children of Israel came in here tonight to spy out the land.” [3] Jericho’s king sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to spy out all the land.” [4] The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they came from. [5] About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with them.” …
Joshua 2:1–24 — opening verses
[1] Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel. No one went out, and no one came in. [2] Yahweh said to Joshua, “Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valor. [3] All of your men of war shall march around the city, going around the city once. You shall do this six days. [4] Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day, you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. [5] It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the city wall shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up, every man straight in front of him.” …
Joshua 6:1–27 — opening verses
[30] By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days. [31] By faith, Rahab the prostitute, didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.
Hebrews 11:30–31
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
