Paragraph 2:15-21

Rahab helped the spies escape. Before they left, they explained what she must do so that they can save her and her family.

2:15a

Then: The Hebrew connector that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then indicates the next event in the story. Choose a connecting word that is appropriate in your language.

Rahab let them down by a rope through the window: The sentence Rahab let them down by a rope through the window indicates that Rahab tied a rope to the outer window of her house. The two men climbed down the rope to the ground.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

She lowered the two men by a rope through her window
-or-
Then she put a rope through the window and they climbed down the rope

2:15b

since: The Hebrew conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as since introduces an explanation of why Rahab was able to help the spies escape. She could help them because her house was built into the town wall. Her window opened onto the area outside the town.

the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city: The Hebrew clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city is more literally “her house was in the wall of the town wall.” It indicates that one of the walls of Rahab’s house formed a part of the wall that surrounded the town.

the house…was built into the wall of the city: Archaeological research shows that at one time Jericho had two town walls. There was a space between the walls and people could build their houses using the two walls. The sentence the house …was built into the wall of the city indicates that Rahab’s house was built between the inner and outer town wall.

A literal translation of the house where she lived was built into the wall of the city may not make any sense in many languages. It may be necessary to combine the two clauses in this part of the verse.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

she lived in a house that was a part of the town wall
-or-
the house where she lived was built using the town wall

General Comment on 2:15

In some languages it may be clearer to describe Rahab’s house first, and then say that she lowered the spies down. For example,

Her house was built as part of the town wall, so she let them down by a rope through the window.

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