Meaning: (Wide, Spacious, 1.
A prostitute of
Jericho
who became a worshiper of Jehovah. In the spring of 1473 B.C.E., two
Israelite spies came into
Jericho
and took up lodging at Rahab’s home. (Jos 2:1) The duration of their stay there
is not stated, but
Jericho
was not so big that it would take a long time to spy it out.
That Rahab really was a harlot, or prostitute, in the
common sense of the word has been denied in some circles, especially among
Jewish traditionalists, but this does not seem to have support in fact. The
Hebrew word zoh·nah′ always has to do with an illicit relationship,
either sexual or as a figure of spiritual unfaithfulness, and in each instance
where it denotes a prostitute, it is so translated. It is not rendered
“hostess,” “innkeeper,” or the like. Besides, among the Canaanites harlotry was
not a business of ill repute.
Rahab’s two guests were recognized as Israelites by
others, who reported the matter to the king. However, Rahab quickly hid the men
among flax stalks that were drying on the roof so that when the authorities got
there to pick the men up she was able to direct them elsewhere without arousing
their suspicions. In all of this, Rahab demonstrated greater devotion to the
God of Israel than to her own condemned community.—Jos 2:2-7.
At what point Rahab had become aware of the spies’ purpose
there and Israel’s
intentions concerning Jericho
is uncertain. But she now confessed to them the great fear and dread existing
in the city because of reports about Jehovah’s saving acts for Israel over the
past 40 years or more. She asked the spies to swear to her for the preservation
of herself and her whole family—father, mother, and all the rest. To this they
agreed, provided she gather all the family into her house, hang a scarlet cord
from the window, and remain silent concerning their visit, all of which she
promised to do. Further protecting the spies, she enabled them to escape
through a window (the house being on the city wall) and told them how they
could avoid the search party that had headed for the Jordan at the fords.—Jos 2:8-22.
The spies reported back to Joshua all that had happened.
(Jos 2:23, 24) Then when Jericho’s
wall fell down, Rahab’s house, “on a side of the wall,” was not destroyed. (Jos
2:15; 6:22) On Joshua’s orders that Rahab’s household be spared, the same two
spies brought her out to safety. After a period of separation from Israel’s camp,
Rahab and her family were permitted to dwell among the Israelites. (Jos 6:17,
23, 25) This former prostitute then became the wife of Salmon and the
mother of Boaz in the royal ancestry of the Davidic kings; she is one of the
four women named in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus. (Ru 4:20-22; Mt 1:5, 6)
She is also an outstanding example of one who, though not an Israelite, by
works proved her complete faith in Jehovah. “By faith,” Paul tells us, “Rahab
the harlot did not perish with those who acted disobediently, because she
received the spies in a peaceable way.” “Was not also Rahab the harlot declared
righteous by works, after she had received the messengers hospitably and sent
them out by another way?” asks James.—Heb 11:30, 31; Jas 2:25.
2. [Heb., Ra′hav, from a root meaning “storm
with importunities”]. A symbolic expression first used in Job (9:13; 26:12),
where it is translated “stormer.” (NW) In the second of these passages,
the context and parallel construction connect it with a great sea monster.
Similarly, Isaiah 51:9 links Rahab with a sea monster: “Are you not the one
that broke Rahab to pieces, that pierced the sea monster?”
Rahab, a “sea monster,” came to symbolize Egypt and her Pharaoh who opposed Moses and Israel. Isaiah
51:9, 10 alludes to Jehovah’s delivering Israel
from Egypt:
“Are you not the one that dried up the sea, the waters of the vast deep? The
one that made the depths of the sea a way for the repurchased ones to go
across?” At Isaiah 30:7 “Rahab” is again connected with Egypt. Psalm
87:4 mentions “Rahab” where Egypt
appropriately fits, as the first in a list of Israel’s
enemies, along with Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush.
The Targums use “the Egyptians” in this verse, and at Psalm 89:10 they
paraphrase “Rahab” in such a way as to link the term with Egypt’s
arrogant Pharaoh whom Jehovah humiliated. *Taken from
Insight book Volume 2. 1988 Published by Jehovah’s Witnesses*)
Origin: (Hebrew, Biblical)
Pronunciation: (ray-hab, ray-abb)
Gender: Female
This is one of my favorite biblical
female names. A few years ago this family’s young son at the time told me I
looked like Rahab, they had been looking over some material that had pictures
and apparently I bore a striking resemblance to her. I found it really funny.
His mom explained why he said it and about the picture. Some others with us
that day laughed and said well to be in the business that she was in she must
have been pretty so I guess it is a complement. I laughed about it but when I
looked at picture I did look a bit like her, lol.
Anyway the name and the story of
Rahab in the bible is a wonderful one. Her courage and strength and love and
healthy fear of Jehovah led her to make a wise decision that saved her whole
family and had her become the wife of Salmon and the mother of
Boaz in the royal ancestry of the Davidic kings; she is one of the four women
named in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus. So I think this is a pretty cool name.
Most might hear this name and think prostitute but I hear it and think of a
woman who risked her life and was rewarded for it by Jehovah God.
