H7343 H7343
Rahab, the harlot of Jericho who sheltered Israel's spies
A Canaanite woman of Jericho who hid Israel's two spies and was spared when the city fell. Her story in Joshua 2 and 6 moves from concealment (Josh 2:1, 3) to the oath of protection (Josh 6:17) and rescue (Josh 6:23, 25). She became a celebrated example of faith in the New Testament (Heb 11:31; Jas 2:25) and appears in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus (Matt 1:5). Her name, meaning 'broad' or 'wide,' contrasts with the narrow walls of Jericho she helped breach.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The proper name of the Jericho woman who aided the Israelite spies. English, Spanish ('Rajab'), French, and German all transliterate the name with minor phonetic variation, reflecting its status as a personal name rather than a translatable word. All five references belong to the Joshua narrative (Josh 2:1, 3; 6:17, 23, 25), tracking her role from initial encounter through deliverance. Her inclusion in later biblical genealogy and faith catalogs elevated her from local figure to paradigm of Gentile faith. 5×
AR["راحابَ", "راحابُ"]·ben["রাহাব", "রাহাবকে"]·DE["Rachav", "Rahab"]·EN["Rachav", "Rahab"]·FR["Rachav", "Rahab"]·heb["רחב"]·HI["राहाब", "राहाब-के"]·ID["Rahab"]·IT["Raab", "Rachav"]·jav["Rahab", "punika"]·KO["라합", "라합을"]·PT["Rachav"]·RU["Рахав"]·ES["Rajab"]·SW["Rahabu"]·TR["Rahav", "Rahav'a", "Rahav'ı"]·urd["راحب"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. רָחָב n.pr.f. harlot in Jericho;—Jos 2:1, 3; 6:17, 23, 25 (all JE); Ρααβ (so Heb 3:11; Jas 2:25, but Mt 1:5 Ραχαβ).