Joshua 6:22-25

Joshua 6:22-25

[22] But Joshua  had said  unto the two  men  that had spied out  the country,  Go  into the harlot's  house,  and bring out  thence the woman,  and all that she hath, as ye sware  unto her. [23] And the young men  that were spies  went in,  and brought out  Rahab,  and her father,  and her mother,  and her brethren,  and all that she had; and they brought out  all her kindred,  and left  them without  the camp  of Israel.  [24] And they burnt  the city  with fire,  and all that was therein: only the silver,  and the gold,  and the vessels  of brass  and of iron,  they put  into the treasury  of the house  of the LORD.  [25] And Joshua  Rahab  the harlot  alive,  and her father's  household,  and all that she had; and she dwelleth  in  Israel  even unto this day;  because she hid  the messengers,  which Joshua  sent  to spy out  Jericho. 

What does Joshua 6:22-25 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

God commanded the Israelites to consecrate all the spoils of this battle to Him since He had given Jericho into their hands as the firstfruits of the land. Rahab and her possessions were exceptions because she had aided the spies. The Israelites were to burn cities under the "ban" (Heb. herem, Joshua 6:17; cf. Deuteronomy 20:16-18) and to kill their inhabitants, including the cattle ( Leviticus 27:29). The only objects they were to spare were metal, gold, silver, and vessels of brass and iron. These they were to place in the treasury of the tabernacle ( Joshua 6:19; Numbers 31:54). The Israelites completely destroyed only three Canaanite cities west of the Jordan along with their populations: Jericho, Ai, and Hazor (lit. enclosure). They captured many others and slew some of their inhabitants. [1] Earlier they had devoted Hormah ( Numbers 21:3), Heshbon ( Deuteronomy 3:1-2), and Og"s towns ( Deuteronomy 3:3) to complete destruction.
"Joshua is perhaps best known as a book of war. Israel was at war with the Canaanites, but behind these human soldiers God was waging war against sin. Earlier in Israel"s history God was compared to a warrior ( Exodus 14:14; Exodus 15:3; Deuteronomy 1:30; Deuteronomy 3:22; Deuteronomy 20:4). But now Israel experienced His leadership in war as never before. God is constantly at war with sin because it is an affront to His holiness and because it destroys people whom He loves and desires to bless (cf. Romans 6:23)." [2]