The Real Reason Rahab Risked Her Life In The Bible

One of the most infamous women in the Bible is Rahab. Her story is filled with enough drama and suspense to make any soap opera jealous, and yet is still a tale of ultimate redemption. She is a bit of a complicated character because while she acted as the head of her substantial household, she was also a prostitute. Based on that alone, you wouldn't necessarily think she would become the hero of her own story, but that is exactly what happened.

Her story begins when the leader of the Israelites, named Joshua, sends two spies into the city of Jericho, according to Jewish Women's Archive. She interacts with these two spies after they came to her house, presumably for lodging, information, or possibly sex, considering her occupation. Being the perceptive woman she was, she knew something was not quite right about these two men, and the truth of who they were eventually came out. Rahab then had a decision to make because not only was her life now on the line, the lives of her entire family were now at stake. Does she turn them in or help them escape? Her choice would heavily influence the next steps taken by Joshua when it came to his plans for Jericho.

Rahab does eventually decide to help these spies and get them out of the city. All she asked for in return was that she and her loved ones be spared when the Israelites took Jericho. Unfortunately, word of these men's presence reached the king and he sent soldiers to Rahab's house to look for them, per the Osprey Observer. Rahab stayed true to her word and hid the spies on the roof of her home, and even lied to get the soldiers to go away.

After the soldiers leave, Rahab lowers the Israelite spies out of her window and outside the city. As she did, the spies left her a crimson cord to place in that same window so that she and her family that are inside are to be spared, according to Jewish Women's Archive. When the Israelite army did invade, Rahab and all of her family that were in her home were all spared according to their agreement. Rahab went on to marry an Israelite man, with whom she had a son named Boaz. Her son then married a woman named Ruth, and their union resulted in the family line that led to Joseph, the adopted father of Jesus, according to Christian tradition. Rahab's decision to save her family by betraying her city, and to place her faith in the unknown, ultimately resulted in a better life for her and her family.