Was Rahab a prostitute or an innkeeper?

tonychanyt said:

Joshua 2:


Strong's Hebrew: 2181. זָנָה (zanah) — 93 Occurrences

Some argued that zanah meant "innkeeper".

However, BDB:

1. be or act as a harlot
2. figurative of improper intercourse with foreign nations
3. of intercourse with other deities, considered as harlotry, sometimes involving actual prostitution

LXX used H4204-porne for prostitute.

On Biblehub, all 36 versions used either "prostitute" or "harlot".

In the NT, He 11:


Strong's Greek: 4204. πόρνη (porné) — 12 Occurrences

BDAG:
① one engaged in sexual relations for hire, prostitute, harlot
② a political entity hostile to God, prostitute, harlot, fig. ext. of 1

Similarly, Ja 2:


The evidence is strong that H4304 meant "prostitute". There is a chance that Rahab was an innkeeper also.

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• although the LXX Greek translation (3rd century BCE) also uses the 'prostitute' interpretation, others do exist. E.g. the Targum Jonathan (2nd century CE) uses the 'innkeeper' interpretation of the word 'zonah'.
• the famous Jewish medieval commentator Rashi acknowledged both interpretations
• in ancient Semetic languages (o.a. Ugaritic) the 'zn' root can mean to 'provide food/lodging'

tonychanyt said:

Joshua 2:

Strong's Hebrew: 2181. זָנָה (zanah) — 93 Occurrences

Some argued that zanah meant "innkeeper".

However, BDB:

1. be or act as a harlot
2. figurative of improper intercourse with foreign nations
3. of intercourse with other deities, considered as harlotry, sometimes involving actual prostitution

LXX used H4204-porne for prostitute.

On Biblehub, all 36 versions used either "prostitute" or "harlot".

In the NT, He 11:

Strong's Greek: 4204. πόρνη (porné) — 12 Occurrences

BDAG:
① one engaged in sexual relations for hire, prostitute, harlot
② a political entity hostile to God, prostitute, harlot, fig. ext. of 1

Similarly, Ja 2:

The evidence is strong that H4304 meant "prostitute". There is a chance that Rahab was an innkeeper also.

Click to expand...

armchairscholar said:

I agree -- although some have attempted to downplay the nature of her profession, the evidence from Scripture and historical records is clear: Rahab was, in fact, a prostitute.

It is possible that Rahab also functioned as an innkeeper, providing hospitality to travelers and traders. In the ancient world, these two professions were not mutually exclusive, and many women found themselves caught in a web of economic and social circumstances that led them to engage in both.

What fascinates me about Rahab's story is not the debate over her profession, but the depth of her faith and her willingness to take risks. She welcomed the Israelite spies into her home, hid them from their pursuers, and ultimately helped them escape. This act of bravery and cunning was motivated by her trust in the God of Israel, a God who was known for his mercy and justice.

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