Rahab
Pronounced RAY-hab
- Meaning
- "Broad; Wide"
- Origin
- Hebrew
Rahab means "broad" or "wide" in Hebrew. She was a Canaanite woman in Jericho who hid the Israelite spies and helped them escape. In return, she and her family were spared when Jericho fell — identified by a scarlet cord hung from her window. Rahab's faith is remarkable considering her background. She declared to the spies, "I know that the LORD hath given you the land" and "the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath" — a confession of faith that surpassed many Israelites'. Rahab married an Israelite named Salmon and became the mother of Boaz (who married Ruth), the great-great-grandmother of King David, and an ancestor of Jesus Christ. She is listed in both the Hebrews 11 hall of faith and James 2 as an example of faith demonstrated through works.
Spiritual meaning
Rahab's transformation from outcast to ancestor of the Messiah is one of Scripture's greatest redemption stories. Her faith shows that no past is too broken for God's grace, and that courage in a critical moment can alter an eternal lineage.
Related verses (KJV)
"For the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath."
Joshua 2:11 (KJV) →"By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace."
Hebrews 11:31 (KJV) →