Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And she said, according to your words, so be it,.... She agreed, that if the conditions required were not performed, they would be quit of their oath, but if they were, she expected it would be fulfilled:

and she sent them away, and they departed; took their leave of each other:

and she bound the scarlet line in the window; immediately, as Abarbinel thinks, and in the sight of the spies, that they might see that she conformed to their direction, and that they might take notice where she fastened it; and that she herself might, at the sight of it, be put in mind of the design of it, and be an encouragement to her faith as to the safety of her and her father's house; and it being a thing so trifling and insignificant in itself, would not be taken notice of by the inhabitants, or be thought to be done with any design; though, according to the instruction of the spies, it seems as if it was to be done when they came into the land, and into the city, and which seems most likely that it was then done.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

she bound the scarlet line in the window — probably soon after the departure of the spies. It was not formed, as some suppose, into network, as a lattice, but simply to hang down the wall. Its red color made it conspicuous, and it was thus a sign and pledge of safety to Rahab‘s house, as the bloody mark on the lintels of the houses of the Israelites in Egypt to that people.

Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

When Rahab had accepted all these conditions, she let the men go, and bound the red cord in the window. It is not to be supposed that she did this at once, but merely as soon as it was necessary. It is mentioned here for the purpose of bringing the subject to a close.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.

In the window — Forthwith, partly that the spies might see it hung out before their departure, and so the better know it at some distance; partly lest some accident might occasion a neglect about it.

Scofield's Reference Notes

scarlet line

The scarlet line of Rahab speaks, by its color, of safety through sacrifice. Hebrews 9:19; Hebrews 9:22.

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 21. And she bound the scarlet line in the window— It is pretty generally supposed, that Rahab bound it there immediately, and there left it till Joshua made himself master of Jericho. But, as this affectation might have made her suspected by the people of the city, it has seemed most reasonable to others to suppose, that Rahab did not place this token at the window till the army of Israel had approached the city.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Forthwith, partly, that the spies might see it hung out before their departure, and so the better know it at some distance; partly, lest some accident might occasion a mistake or neglect about it; and partly, for her own comfort, it being pleasant and encouraging to her to have in her eye the pledge of her deliverance.

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

‘And she said, “Let it be as you have said.” And she sent them away, and they departed, and she bound the scarlet line in the window.’

She sent the spies away to safety and ensured her own safety by fastening the scarlet cord in the window. Not necessarily immediately, but in good time for it to do its work. (It does not say when she did it. It is we, not they, who are slaves to chronology).

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

21.And she bound the scarlet line in the window — This statement is here made to complete the account, not to indicate that she bound the line in the window as soon as the spies were gone. She did this on the approach of the Hebrew host, in season to secure the deliverance of which this was the token. To have displayed it immediately would have been unnecessary, and would have incurred the suspicions of her watchful countrymen.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 2:21. In the window — Forthwith, partly that the spies might see it hung out before their departure, and so the better know it at some distance; partly lest some accident might occasion a neglect about it.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.

She bound the scarlet line in the window - probably soon after the departure of the spies. It was not formed, as Harmer supposes, rate network, as a lattice, but simply to hang down the wall. Its red colour made it conspicuous; and it was thus a sign and pledge of safety to Rahab's house, as the bloody mark on the lintels of the houses of the Israelites in Egypt to that people.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And she bound

18; Matthew 7:24; John 2:5