Charles Ellicott Commentary Joshua 2:1

"And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men as spies secretly, saying, Go, view the land, and Jericho. And they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lay there." — Joshua 2:1 (ASV)

There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were. —A falsehood which evidently left no stain on Rahab’s conscience, although all falsehood is sin. The same may be said of Jael’s slaying Sisera. The Divine standard of sin and holiness never varies; but the standard of man’s conscience, even when faith is a dominant principle in the character, may vary to a very considerable degree. In Jesus Christ all that believe are justified from all things; but by the deeds of the law no one. Here, as elsewhere, the application of the law only brings the discovery of sin.