Who Was The Prostitute In The Bible?
There were many prostitutes in the bible but one noteworthy prostitute was Rahab who hid the Israeli spies who were sent by Joshua to spie out the land of Jericho (Joshua 2:11-15, Joshua 6:25).
Here's a table showing the timeline of Rahab's militaristic involvment in Israel's history that ultimated awarded her spot in the genealogy of The Lord Jesus.
| Event / Reference | Approx. Time / Duration | Description / Scholarly View |
|---|---|---|
| Moses commissions the spies | Early in Israel’s wilderness journey, 2nd month, 2nd year after Exodus | God commands Moses to send 12 spies, one from each tribe, to survey Canaan (Numbers 13:1–2). |
| Selection of spies | Same day or shortly after commission | Leaders chosen: Caleb (Judah), Joshua (Ephraim), others from remaining tribes (Numbers 13:3). |
| Journey into Canaan | ~40 days | Spies secretly explore Canaan; observe cities, crops, inhabitants (Numbers 13:17–25). |
| Arrival at Jericho | During 40-day mission | Two spies sent to Jericho stay at Rahab’s house, a prostitute who hides them from authorities (Joshua 2:1–6). |
| Rahab’s pledge | Same day as hiding | Rahab makes a covenant with the spies, requesting protection for her family when Israel attacks (Joshua 2:8–14). |
| Return to Israel | After 40 days | Spies report: “land flows with milk and honey”; bring grape cluster, pomegranates, figs (Numbers 13:25–27). |
| Spies’ report to assembly | Immediately after return | 10 spies give negative report; Caleb and Joshua encourage faith and trust in God (Numbers 13:28–33). |
| Israelites’ reaction | Same day / night | People rebel, refuse to enter Canaan, and consider returning to Egypt (Numbers 14:1–4). |
| Divine judgment on the generation | Soon after | God decrees 40 years wandering; all adults 20+ die before entering Canaan, except Caleb and Joshua (Numbers 14:26–38). |
| Rahab rewarded | During conquest of Jericho | Rahab and her family are spared in the fall of Jericho for her faith and protection of the spies; becomes part of Israel (Joshua 6:22–25; Matthew 1:5). |
| Caleb and Joshua rewarded | End of wandering / entry into Canaan | Caleb given Hebron; Joshua succeeds Moses as leader (Joshua 14:6–14; Joshua 1:1–9). |
Here's a table showing her connection to the Messiah Himself.
Rahab in the Genealogy of The Lord Jesus
| Reference | Description / Significance |
|---|---|
| Matthew 1:5 | Rahab is listed as the mother of Boaz (by Salmon), placing her in the lineage of David and ultimately The Lord Jesus. |
| Significance | - This shows God’s inclusion of Gentiles and non-Israelites in His redemptive plan. - Highlights faith and obedience over ethnic or social status; Rahab is commended for her faith in Hebrews 11:31. - Links The Lord Jesus’ lineage to a woman outside Israel, emphasizing grace and divine providence. |
| Biblical Context | Rahab’s protection of the spies in Jericho (Joshua 2) and her subsequent integration into Israel is directly connected to her inclusion in The Lord Jesus’ ancestry. |
Rahab lived in Jericho, one of the oldest fortified cities in the ancient Near East, strategically located near the Jordan River. Archaeological evidence shows walls, gates, and towers, consistent with biblical descriptions (Joshua 2, 6). Many scholars note that while exact dates of the conquest are debated, Jericho’s depiction as a walled Canaanite city is historically plausible (Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae, 1658; Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, 1866).
In addition ancient city life included social hierarchies and commerce near city gates, explaining Rahab’s occupation. Her actions in hiding the Israelite spies take place within a credible historical and geographical context, demonstrating courage and faith.
Rahab Hides The Spies in Joshua 2
3 So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.”
4 Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.” 6 (But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.) 7 Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.
8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house, and give me [c]a true token, 13 and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”
14 So the men answered her, “Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. 16 And she said to them, “Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward you may go your way.”
References:
Lightfoot, John. Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae. Cambridge, 1658.
Keil, C.F., and Delitzsch, F. Commentary on the Old Testament. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1866.
Joshua 2; 6, Holy Bible (KJV).
