Question 1

Why did Rahab let the spies down through the window on the city wall?

Accepted Answer

Rahab let the spies down through the window because her house was built on the city wall, so a window there opened to the outside. If the spies tried to leave through the city gate, they would run straight into the men who were hunting them. By using the window and a cord, Rahab could get them out quietly and quickly. She also told them to head to the nearby mountain and hide for three days until the pursuers gave up and came back. This shows her courage, quick thinking, and real trust that God was with these men.

Question 2

What is the significance of the scarlet cord Rahab tied in her window?

Accepted Answer

The scarlet cord was a sign agreed on between Rahab and the spies. It marked her house as the place that must be spared when Israel attacked Jericho. Everyone inside that house, under that sign, would be protected. The color and the way it worked picture how God saves people from judgment by giving a clear sign of mercy. The cord was not magic, but it showed Rahab’s faith and obedience. She believed the promise, tied the cord right away, and gathered her family into that marked house for safety.

Question 3

Why did the spies put conditions on saving Rahab and her family?

Accepted Answer

The spies promised to save Rahab and her family, but they also made the conditions very clear. Rahab had to tie the scarlet cord in the same window she used to let them down. Her father, mother, brothers, and all her father’s household had to be gathered into her house and stay there. Anyone who left the house would be responsible for their own death. She also had to keep their mission secret. These conditions protected the spies, limited confusion during the battle, and showed that Rahab’s family had to respond in faith and obedience if they wanted to share in the promised rescue.

Question 4

What does this passage teach about faith and action in Rahab’s life?

Accepted Answer

Rahab’s faith does not stay in her words; it shows in what she does. Earlier she had said she believed the Lord is God over heaven and earth. In this passage, that belief turns into action. She risks her life to hide the spies, lets them down the wall, advises them where to hide, agrees to the conditions, and immediately ties the scarlet cord in her window. She then must gather her whole family into her house and keep the agreement secret. Her example shows that real faith trusts God’s promise and then acts on it, even when it is risky and costly.

Question 5

Why does the passage stress that anyone outside Rahab’s house would be responsible for their own blood?

Accepted Answer

The spies say that anyone who goes out of the doors of Rahab’s house into the street will have their blood on their own head. This means that if they leave the place of safety that God provided through the promise, they are responsible for what happens to them. The men from Israel would not be guilty for their death. But if anyone was harmed inside the house marked by the scarlet cord, the spies would bear that guilt. This clear condition shows both God’s kindness in offering protection and His fairness. Safety is offered, but people must stay where God has said protection can be found.

Question 6

Why did Rahab send the spies to hide in the mountain for three days?

Accepted Answer

Rahab knew how the men of Jericho would search. She told the spies not to go straight back across the river, because the pursuers were already headed that way. Instead she told them to flee to the nearby mountain and hide there for three days, the likely length of the search. After that the pursuers would give up and return, and the way would be clear. Her advice shows she understood her city and used that knowledge to protect the spies. It also lines up exactly with what happened, since the pursuers searched the roads but never found them.

Question 7

What did the spies report to Joshua when they returned, and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

When the two spies came back, they told Joshua everything that had happened, including Rahab’s help and what people in Jericho were feeling. They said that the Lord had truly given them the land, because all the inhabitants were faint-hearted with fear. Their report mattered because it confirmed God’s promise in a very concrete way. Instead of bringing back fear and doubt, they brought back courage and faith. It showed that God was already working ahead of Israel, melting the courage of the nations, and that His word about giving them the land could be trusted.

Question 8

What does this passage reveal about God’s justice and mercy?

Accepted Answer

This part of the story shows that God brings judgment on a sinful city and at the same time shows mercy to those who turn to Him. Rahab is not part of Israel, yet God works through her faith to spare her and her family from the coming destruction. The sign of the scarlet cord and the promise tied to it show that God provides a clear way of escape. At the same time, the fear and weakness in Jericho show that He is keeping His word to give the land to Israel. He is fair in judgment and kind in saving those who seek His help.

Joshua 2:15

Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

The Promise to Rahab

The Promise to Rahab

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Joshua 2:15

Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

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The Promise to Rahab

The Promise to Rahab

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