Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Joshua 6:25
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, etc.] From perishing by the sword, as the rest of the inhabitants did. Kimchi says, some interpret it of his giving her food, and an inheritance by which she might live; and Josephus f91 intimates the same: he says, he gave her fields, and had her in great honour and esteem; and it is the notion of some Jewish writers, that he took her to wife, and that this is meant by saving her alive; which sense Kimchi disapproves of, as being foreign; besides, it was not Joshua, but Salmon, a prince in Israel, that married her, (<400105>Matthew 1:5); and her father’s household, and all she had; that is, he saved alive all her relations, and it may be her cattle, if she had any; and those of her kindred also, as their sheep, oxen, and asses, when those of others were killed, (<060621>Joshua 6:21). Some also understand this of intermarriages of principal persons in Israel with some of her father’s fairly; but it only signifies that their lives were spared, when the whole city was destroyed with the edge of the sword: and she dwelleth in Israel [even] unto this day; which may be meant either personally of Rahab, who was living and dwelt in the land of Canaan, when this history was written; and serves to strengthen the opinion that Joshua was the writer of it, and to explain the meaning of the phrase “unto this day”, elsewhere used in this book; and to remove any objection from it against his being the author of it; or else of her dwelling there in her posterity, and so she might dwell in it unto the times of the Messiah, who sprang from her, (<400105>Matthew 1:5); because she hid the messengers which Joshua, sent to spy out Jericho; this was the reason of her and her father’s family being saved alive; (see Gill on “<060617>Joshua 6:17”).
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