Women who begat Jesus: Rahab
The genealogy of Jesus, according to the gospel of Matthew, continues:
and that man the father of a man,
and that man the father of a man,
and that man the father of a man,
and that man the father of a man,
and that man the father of a man,
and that man the father of a man by Rahab, a woman.
Unlike Tamar who pretended to be a prostitute and did so only once, I
never pretend and do so time and time again.
My name is Rahab, and my story is recounted in Joshua 2 and 6:22-25 (New
Revised Standard Version). I am a real harlot, a woman who plays any role a man
wants—for a price. Perhaps that is why two spies for the Israelites were sent
to my house in Jericho, for they too were operating under false identities, and
as the saying goes, It takes one to know one. Or in this case, two.
When the king of Jericho was told that some Israelites were in my
place, he ordered me to bring them out, saying they were spies checking out our
land. But instead I took the two men up to the roof and hid them amid the
stalks of flax up there.
Then I told the king, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know
where they came from. And when it was time to close the city gate at dark, the
men went out. Where they went I do not know. Hurry and you can overtake them.” So
the king’s officers left in pursuit of the spies, and the city gate shut behind
them.
Before going to sleep that night, I went up to the roof and told the
spies, “I know that God has given you the land, and that dread of you has
fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before you.
For we have heard how God dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when
you came out of Egypt, and how you utterly destroyed two kings since then. There
is no courage left in any of us because of you. Your God is indeed God in
heaven above and on earth below. Now then, since I have dealt kindly with you,
swear to me in the name of God that you in turn will deal kindly with my
family. Give me a sign of good faith that you will spare my family and deliver
our lives from death.”
The Israelite spies responded, “Our life for
yours! If you do not reveal our secret plans, then we will deal kindly and
faithfully with you when God gives us the land.”
Well, keeping secrets is at the heart of my
business!
My house is situated on the outer side of the city wall—I live within
the wall itself—so I was able to let the spies escape through my window and
down by a rope. I told them where to run, away from their pursuers, hide there
three days until the king’s officers returned, and then be on their way.
The spies made me promise—in order for my family to survive—to tie a
crimson red cord in my window and for all of us to gather safely in my house
and not breathe a word to anyone about their planned invasion.
The rest of the story is suitable for singing in Sunday School: “Joshua
fit the battle of Jericho, and the walls come a-tumblin’ down.”
I and my family lived to tell the whole tale.
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