Joshua 2:1 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

And Joshua sent Or, had sent, before the directions mentioned in the preceding chapter (Joshua 2:10-11,) were given to the officers. This best agrees with Jos 2:22 of this chapter, and the rest of the narrative. Two men Not twelve, as Moses did, because those were to view the whole land, these but a small parcel of it. To spy That is, to learn the state of the land and people. It is evident Joshua did not this out of distrust; it is probable he had God's command and direction in it, for the encouragement of himself and his army. Secretly With reference not to his enemies, that being the practice of all spies, but to the Israelites; a good caution to prevent the inconvenience which possibly might have arisen if their report had been discouraging. Jericho That is, the land about Jericho, together with the city. Hebrew, the land and Jericho; that is, especially Jericho. A harlot's house Although the Hebrew word זונה, zonah, here rendered harlot, does also sometimes signify an innkeeper, or one who sells provisions; yet, as the former is certainly the common meaning of the term, and the sense in which it must frequently be necessarily taken, (see Genesis 34:31; Judges 11:1; Hosea 1:2,) and as Rahab is called a harlot by two apostles, (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25,) who use an expression of no such equivocal meaning, it seems evident she had once been a harlot, though undoubtedly was now reformed. They lodged there Or, lay down, as the same word is rendered Joshua 2:8, composed themselves to rest, but they were hindered from that intention.