it to whomever He chooses. And He has chosen those people across the river in Shittim! ”
They sat in stunned silence. Her father looked up at her. She could see he was trembling. “This is the news we came to hear, Daughter?”
“We should gather our families and have a feast together,” Jobab said dismally. “We’ll lace the wine with hemlock and be spared the agony of being hacked to pieces by the swords of Israel.”
“Bravely spoken,” Mizraim said in disgust.
“We will live,” Rahab said.
Mizraim picked up his cup of wine again. “How? The Israelites leave no survivors.”
“I helped the spies escape, and they’ve promised to spare our lives when they take the city!”
“And you believed them?” Mizraim said. “Everyone knows they annihilate every living thing.”
“They swore an oath to me.”
“An oath is no better than the man who swears it!”
Rahab tipped her chin. “I know that better than you, my brother. I’ve had dealings with men since I was a girl.”
“And brought shame upon us for it.”
Her father slammed his fist on the table. “You’ll listen to your sister! She is older than you and wiser in the world than all of us.”
Mizraim winced and lowered his head.
“They were strangers,” her father said. “Why should you trust them?”
“I asked the men to promise by the Lord, and they did so. Would any man dare swear a vain oath before this God? If they fail to keep their word, they’ll answer to Him for it.”
“Not that it’ll matter much to us,” Jobab said, still gloomy. “We’ll be dead.”
Rahab reached out and put her hand over her brother’s. “You must decide where to place your faith, Jobab. You can have faith in the king of Jericho, who is but a man. Or you can put your faith in the King of Kings, the God of Israel. It’s true, I don’t know these men who came as spies, and I’ve only heard the stories about the Lord. But I believe what I’ve heard. Each time I heard of Him, I’ve experienced a quickening inside me, an assurance. I can’t explain it any more than that, but I know this is God, the only God, and I’ve chosen to put my faith and hope in Him.” She leaned back, looking at them. “You must decide for yourselves whether you choose life or death.”
“We choose life,” her father answered for them.
“We have one chance,” Rahab said, “and that chance rests in the Lord God of Israel.” Her heart beat strongly with excitement and thanksgiving. “We must make provisions for the days ahead. When the Israelites rescue us, we don’t want to go to them empty-handed. Sell sparingly in the marketplace, Father, and bring most of the grain, raisins, and dates here. I’ll store them so that we have food when the siege begins and gifts for later.” She nodded toward the far corner. “I’ve purchased a large storage jar for water, and I’ve gone to the spring each day in order to fill it. Have my sisters fill skins so there will be water enough for everyone.”
She rose and went to the window, looking out toward the desert. “We’ll make ourselves ready now. Have your possessions packed and ready to move. Stay girded and keep your weapon beside you at all times. When the Israelites cross the river, gather your wives and children and come here to my house.” She turned. “Waste no time. We must separate ourselves from everyone in this city, for they are all marked for destruction. The two men from God promised me that everyone who’s inside my house will live. Anyone outside it will perish.”
Her father leaned forward, clasping his hands on the table. “There are a dozen windows in the wall, Rahab. How will the Israelites know this house from all the rest?”
Smiling, she lifted the crimson rope she’d tied in her window. “They will know us by this sign, and death will pass us by.”
“There are twenty of us, Rahab. How’re you going to make room for all of us and the provisions we’ll
They sat in stunned silence. Her father looked up at her. She could see he was trembling. “This is the news we came to hear, Daughter?”
“We should gather our families and have a feast together,” Jobab said dismally. “We’ll lace the wine with hemlock and be spared the agony of being hacked to pieces by the swords of Israel.”
“Bravely spoken,” Mizraim said in disgust.
“We will live,” Rahab said.
Mizraim picked up his cup of wine again. “How? The Israelites leave no survivors.”
“I helped the spies escape, and they’ve promised to spare our lives when they take the city!”
“And you believed them?” Mizraim said. “Everyone knows they annihilate every living thing.”
“They swore an oath to me.”
“An oath is no better than the man who swears it!”
Rahab tipped her chin. “I know that better than you, my brother. I’ve had dealings with men since I was a girl.”
“And brought shame upon us for it.”
Her father slammed his fist on the table. “You’ll listen to your sister! She is older than you and wiser in the world than all of us.”
Mizraim winced and lowered his head.
“They were strangers,” her father said. “Why should you trust them?”
“I asked the men to promise by the Lord, and they did so. Would any man dare swear a vain oath before this God? If they fail to keep their word, they’ll answer to Him for it.”
“Not that it’ll matter much to us,” Jobab said, still gloomy. “We’ll be dead.”
Rahab reached out and put her hand over her brother’s. “You must decide where to place your faith, Jobab. You can have faith in the king of Jericho, who is but a man. Or you can put your faith in the King of Kings, the God of Israel. It’s true, I don’t know these men who came as spies, and I’ve only heard the stories about the Lord. But I believe what I’ve heard. Each time I heard of Him, I’ve experienced a quickening inside me, an assurance. I can’t explain it any more than that, but I know this is God, the only God, and I’ve chosen to put my faith and hope in Him.” She leaned back, looking at them. “You must decide for yourselves whether you choose life or death.”
“We choose life,” her father answered for them.
“We have one chance,” Rahab said, “and that chance rests in the Lord God of Israel.” Her heart beat strongly with excitement and thanksgiving. “We must make provisions for the days ahead. When the Israelites rescue us, we don’t want to go to them empty-handed. Sell sparingly in the marketplace, Father, and bring most of the grain, raisins, and dates here. I’ll store them so that we have food when the siege begins and gifts for later.” She nodded toward the far corner. “I’ve purchased a large storage jar for water, and I’ve gone to the spring each day in order to fill it. Have my sisters fill skins so there will be water enough for everyone.”
She rose and went to the window, looking out toward the desert. “We’ll make ourselves ready now. Have your possessions packed and ready to move. Stay girded and keep your weapon beside you at all times. When the Israelites cross the river, gather your wives and children and come here to my house.” She turned. “Waste no time. We must separate ourselves from everyone in this city, for they are all marked for destruction. The two men from God promised me that everyone who’s inside my house will live. Anyone outside it will perish.”
Her father leaned forward, clasping his hands on the table. “There are a dozen windows in the wall, Rahab. How will the Israelites know this house from all the rest?”
Smiling, she lifted the crimson rope she’d tied in her window. “They will know us by this sign, and death will pass us by.”
“There are twenty of us, Rahab. How’re you going to make room for all of us and the provisions we’ll
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