May 15 2006
Joshua 6:22-27
וְלִשְׁנַ֨יִם הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים הַֽמְרַגְּלִ֤ים אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ בֹּ֖אוּ בֵּית־הָאִשָּׁ֣ה הַזּוֹנָ֑ה וְהוֹצִ֨יאוּ מִשָּׁ֤ם אֶת־הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָ֔הּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּעְתֶּ֖ם לָֽהּ׃ 23 וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ הַנְּעָרִ֣ים הַֽמְרַגְּלִ֗ים וַיֹּצִ֡יאוּ אֶת־רָ֠חָב וְאֶת־אָבִ֨יהָ וְאֶת־אִמָּ֤הּ וְאֶת־אַחֶ֙יהָ֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָ֔הּ וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־מִשְׁפְּחוֹתֶ֖יהָ הוֹצִ֑יאוּ וַיַּ֨נִּיח֔וּם מִח֖וּץ לְמַחֲנֵ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ 24 וְהָעִ֛יר שָׂרְפ֥וּ בָאֵ֖שׁ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֑הּ רַ֣ק ׀ הַכֶּ֣סֶף וְהַזָּהָ֗ב וּכְלֵ֤י הַנְּחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ וְהַבַּרְזֶ֔ל נָתְנ֖וּ אוֹצַ֥ר בֵּית־יְהוָֽה׃ 25 וְֽאֶת־רָחָ֣ב הַ֠זּוֹנָה וְאֶת־בֵּ֨ית אָבִ֤יהָ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָהּ֙ הֶחֱיָ֣ה יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ וַתֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בְּקֶ֣רֶב יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י הֶחְבִּ֙יאָה֙ אֶת־הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ לְרַגֵּ֥ל אֶת־יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ פ
26 וַיַּשְׁבַּ֣ע יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖יא לֵאמֹ֑ר אָר֨וּר הָאִ֜ישׁ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָקוּם֙ וּבָנָ֞ה אֶת־הָעִ֤יר הַזֹּאת֙ אֶת־יְרִיח֔וֹ בִּבְכֹר֣וֹ יְיַסְּדֶ֔נָּה וּבִצְעִיר֖וֹ יַצִּ֥יב דְּלָתֶֽיהָ׃ 27 וַיְהִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ וַיְהִ֥י שָׁמְע֖וֹ בְּכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Vocabulary
Verse 22
רגל verb (Piel participle mpl): “spy” (BDB,920)
זונה “harlot” (BDB, 275)
Syntax & Miscellaneous
- Concerning the lack of the definite article with שׁנים GKC states: “In apposition with any determinate substantive the cardinal number is used without the article, not only when it precedes the substantive…but also when it follows the substantive” (134k).
- The participle, הַֽמְרַגְּלִ֤ים, is functioning as an attributive adjective agreeing in gender, number and definiteness (see GKC, 35b for a note on the lack of dagesh in mem).
- The object clause (לִשְׁנַ֨יִם הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים הַֽמְרַגְּלִ֤ים אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙) for the verb אמר is fronted.
- The combination of the preposition מִן and שָׁם is מִשָּׁ֤ם (the dagesh in the shin is the assimilated final nun of the preposition).
- The Niphal verb, נִשְׁבַּעְתֶּ֖ם, is passive.
Vocabulary
Verse 23
רגל verb: “spy” (BDB,920)
אֵם “mother”
משׁפח “family, clan”
נוח verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive imperfect 3mpl w/ 3mpl suffix): “rest”
Verse 24
שׁרף verb: “burn”
נחשׁת “copper”
ברזל “iron”
אוצר “treasury”
Verse 25
זונה “harlot” (BDB, 275)
חיה verb (Hiphil perfect 3ms): “give life”
חבא verb (Hiphil perfect 3fs): “hide” (BDB, 285)
רגל verb: “spy” (BDB, 920)
יריחו name: “Jericho”
Verse 26
עֵת “time”
ארר verb (Qal passive participle ms): “cursed”
בכור “firstborn”
יסד verb: “establish, found” (BDB, 413)
צעיר “young” (BDB, 859)
נצב verb: “set up”
דלת “gates (of a city)”
Verse 27
שׁמע noun: “report” (BDB, 1035)
Syntax & Misc.
Verse 23
- The word, אִמָּ֤הּ, consists of the noun, אֵם, with the 3fs pronominal suffix.
- The designation of אַחֶ֨יהָ֙ probably refers to all Rahab’s siblings regardless of gender.
- The final asyndetic clause, הוֹצִ֑יאוּ וַיַּ֨נִּיח֔וּם מִח֖וּץ לְמַחֲנֵ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵֽל, explicates the locality to where the family was brought.
Verse 24
- The second part of this verse beginning with the adverb רַק consists of a positive explanation as to what was saved from destruction.
- The compound object clause of נתן is fronted,הַכֶּ֣סֶף וְהַזָּהָ֗ב וּכְלֵ֤י הַנְּחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ וְהַבַּרְזֶ֔ל.
Verse 25
- Many commentators have noted that Rahab’s name is consistently appositional to a description of her occupation, רָחָ֣ב הַ֠זּוֹנָה.
Verse 26
- The final parallel clauses are בִּבְכֹר֣וֹ and וּבִצְעִיר֖וֹ meaning “with [the death of] his firstborn (or youngest).”
- The 3fs suffix is used to refer to Jericho, the city. In Hebrew, cities have feminine gender.