And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.

JOSHUA 2:3KJV
Know the Bible

Joshua 2:3 (KJV)

What does Joshua 2:3 mean?

Joshua 2:3 describes how the king of Jericho sent a message to Rahab, demanding that she bring out the men who had come to her house, because he believed they were spies sent to scout out the land. The verse shows the king’s awareness of the spies’ presence and his attempt to stop their mission.

In this scene, the king of Jericho (the ruler of the city) is responding to a report that foreign men have entered Rahab’s house. Rahab, a resident of Jericho, is being directly confronted by the authorities. The king’s message makes it clear that he suspects these men are not ordinary travelers, but are in Jericho to gather information about the land for a possible attack.

The Hebrew behind Joshua 2:3

  • מֶלֶךְ (melekh, H4428): This word means "king." The use of "king" here emphasizes the official and urgent nature of the command, showing that this is not just a local concern but a matter of national security for Jericho.
  • שָׁלַח (shalach, H7971): This verb means "sent." The king does not go himself but sends messengers, which was a common way for rulers to act through intermediaries.
  • יָצָא (yatsa, H3318): This word means "bring forth" or "bring out." The king is not just asking for information, but is demanding that Rahab physically produce the men, showing the seriousness of the situation.
  • לָקוּם (laqum, H2658): This word is translated as "search out" in this context. It carries the idea of spying or seeking out information, confirming the king’s suspicion that the men are there as spies.

Why Joshua 2:3 matters

  • Joshua 2:3 clarifies that the king of Jericho was aware of the threat posed by outsiders, which sets the stage for Rahab’s critical decision to hide the spies.
  • The verse highlights Rahab’s risky position—she is caught between obeying her king and protecting the men in her house, which becomes a turning point in the story.
  • This moment connects to the larger narrative of Israel’s entry into Canaan, showing the tension and fear among the inhabitants of Jericho as Israel approaches.

Where else these words appear

“Rahab” Hebrew H7343 · used in 5 verses

  • Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
  • Joshua 6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
  • Joshua 6:23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.

“out” Hebrew H2658 · used in 21 verses

  • Genesis 21:30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
  • Genesis 26:32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.
  • Job 11:18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

“Jericho” Hebrew H3405 · used in 53 verses

  • Numbers 22:1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
  • Joshua 5:10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
  • Joshua 18:21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the valley of Keziz,