Albert Barnes Commentary Joshua 2

A harlot’s house - In the face of the parallel passages (for example, Leviticus 21:7; Jeremiah 5:7) the rendering advocated for obvious reasons, namely, “the house of a woman, an innkeeper,” cannot be maintained. Rahab must remain an example under the Law similar to that under the Gospel (Luke 7:37), of a woman that was a sinner, yet, because of her faith, not only pardoned, but exalted to the highest honor.

Rahab was admitted among the people of God; she intermarried into a chief family of a chief tribe, and found a place among the best remembered ancestors of King David and of Christ, thus receiving the temporal blessings of the covenant in largest measure. The spies would of course go to such a house in Jericho as they could visit without exciting suspicion; and the location of Rahab’s, on the wall (Joshua 2:15), made it especially suitable. It appears from Joshua 2:4 that Rahab hid them before the King’s messengers reached her house, and probably as soon as the spies came to her house.

It is therefore most likely that they met with Rahab outside of Jericho , and ascertained where she lived in the city, and that they could entrust themselves to her care. Rahab (that is, “spacious,” “wide”; compare the name “Japheth” and Genesis 9:27, note) is regarded by the fathers as a type of the Christian Church, which was gathered from converts from the whole vast circle of pagan nations.

I 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.

Stalks of flax - literally, “the carded fibres of the tree.” The flax in Palestine grew to more than three feet in height, with a stalk as thick as a cane. It was probably with the flax stalks, recently cut (compare Exodus 9:31, note) and laid out on the house roof to dry, that Rahab hid the spies.

The sense is, that “they pursued along the way which leads to Jordan and across the fords”; probably those described in (Judges 3:28).

The Lord your God, he is God - From the report of God’s miraculous interventions Rahab believed, and makes the very same confession to which Moses endeavors to bring Israel by recounting similar arguments (Deuteronomy 4:39).

Rahab had only heard of what Israel had experienced. Her faith then was ready. It is noteworthy, too, that the same reports which work faith and conversion in the harlot, cause only terror and astonishment among her countrymen. (Compare to Luke 8:37-39.)