Did God commend or approve Rahab's lie?

[Bible Highlighter]

Did God commend or approve Rahab's lie?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

At this point in time: There are two positions I hold to as a possibility involving Rahab's speech involving the guards.

#1. Rahab lied, but it was not done for entirely selfish motives (but to protect others), and God was able to look past this as a minor transgression, and look to her faith. God approved of the good actions of her faith (Despite her imperfections of being a pagan in coming to the faith for the first time). For Rahab was not a full fledged believer who followed the Israelites whole heartedly yet. She still needed to learn about God's ways. But the faith she had led to good actions amongst her imperfect character at the early stages of her faith.

God's Word only approves her faithful good actions like sending out the spies another way. Sending the spies out another way is not the same as her telling the guards a lie. They are two separate actions or things.

#2. Rahab did not lie but she used clever word play. There is a difference between declaring a person's current location that you last remembered, vs. declaring where a person is going or headed (of which you may not know). In other words, in Joshua 2:5, Rahab was telling the guards that she did not know the destination of where the two spies were going in regards to either their destination within the city, or their return destination, or some other headed destination, etc.; She basically said this as a form of distraction away from from the bit of information of her hiding them on top of her roof. The KJV is a little less clear on this fact in Joshua 2:5 unless you closely examine the word "whither" as meaning, "To what place, absolutely" and to understand that the definition of "went" is simply "the past tense of go." (Which can be interpreted as: "were going"). So Rahab's words to the guards would read like this:

"whither [i.e. To what place, absolutely] the men went [were going]
I wot [know] not:" (Joshua 2:5) (KJV).
​

(Note: To see my sources for these dictionary definitions,
see my post #98).

Anyways, even Modern Translations confirm this. In the Christian Standard Bible, Rahab says,

"I don’t know where they were going." (Joshua 2:5) (CSB).
​

In the New English Translation, Rahab says,

"I don’t know where they were heading." (NET).
​

This is not a lie to say that she did not know where they were headed to (i.e. Their ultimate destination). For it was true that Rahab had no clue where the two spies were headed. The next part of her words may seem also like a lie, but they are not. For she said, "pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them." (Joshua 2:5).​

Again, taking these words a generic way can be interpreted as merely words of encouragement and not words of certainty that she was confident that her directions were going to truly help them. How so? Well, she is basically being like a cheerleader at this point. "You can do it, guys!" But she did not know if victory would be in their hands or not because she cannot predict the future. She is saying, "if you pursue or hunt for them quickly, you find them." "You can do it. Go guys." Just like a cheerleader cheers her team on to succeed (and yet she does not know the certainty of their success or not).

Anyways, thank you for reading, and may God bless you all.


Side Note:

Oh, and I would like to thank the Lord Jesus Christ, and a certain poster named "1213" for my recent discovery on this matter. I am still praying, and seeking the Scriptures on this, but I feel like this new position seems to make the whole of Scripture and God's good ways flow together in perfect harmony.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I would like to talk a little more about the second half of Rehab's words in Joshua 2:5 that were said to the guards in relation to the two spies.

In Joshua 2:5 (KJV), Rehab says to the guards,

"...pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them."​

Here the word "for" read from our perspective on this word sounds like Rehab was 100% confident that if they were to pursue after the two spies quickly, they will most certainly overtake them (Which would be a lie).

But when we look at the KJV Dictionary for the word "for," we can see a good number of definitions.
One such definition that could fit really well here to protect the innocence of Rehab is definition 7.
It says, "In advantage of."

Source:
FOR - Definition from the KJV Dictionary

Lets read these words from her with this in mind.

"...pursue after them quickly; for [to the advantage of] ye [you-all] shall overtake them."
(Joshua 2:5).​

In other words, she said,

"...pursue after them quickly and you shall take advantage in overtaking them."​

Which again is a true statement. For if they were truly quick or fast enough to pursue after the two spies, they could very well technically take advantage in overtaking them. But she is not saying they are fast or quick to pursue. She is merely saying that it is possible to overtake them if they are quick to pursue them. If they had men on their team who were expert super trackers, they would be quick to find them. Some folks are not really good trackers (i.e. quick to pursue those that they are looking for). She most likely realizes this fact. But she merely makes a statement that if they were super trackers, they would find them regardless of what she said.

So from a certain point view, these words by her are true, and not a lie.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Here are a couple of translations that back this line of thinking in the KJV.

" I don’t know where they were going, but if you hurry, maybe you can catch them.” (Joshua 2:5) (CEV).

"Go after them quickly, and you might overtake them.”
(Joshua 2:5) (ISV).

 

[solid_core]

In a war, its allowed to lie to your enemy. Deception is always the part of any war.

Its like lying to Nazi's that you do not have any Jews hidden in your house.

 

[GospelS]

Nice thread. To share my thoughts it just came to my mind that God was looking at her motives/intentions of the heart and mind.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

In a war, its allowed to lie to your enemy. Deception is always the part of any war.

Its like lying to Nazi's that you do not have any Jews hidden in your house.

I used to hold to this idea for a long while. I used to think that she was using a tactic that was akin to the "art of war." I had abandoned this theory, though. I was misreading the text and thinking Hebrews was commending her lie, when this was not the case. Apologetics Press has a good article on this. I provided the link in this thread. Check it out and let me know what you think.

 

[GospelS]

Also, i remember Jael, a non-Israelite, whom God used to kill an enemy of Israel by deception. She was called the most blessed.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

In a war, its allowed to lie to your enemy. Deception is always the part of any war.

Its like lying to Nazi's that you do not have any Jews hidden in your house.

But I believe there is a way to protect Jews in your home from Nazi's without having to lie. One can be clever with their words and speak truthfully and simply say,

"Do you see any Jews around here?"
"I don't see any Jews here."
"Feel free to look around if you like."
​

Some feel lying is the only option when this is not the case.

 

[solid_core]

I used to hold to this idea for a long while. I used to think that she was using a tactic that was akin to the "art of war." I had abandoned this theory, though. I was misreading the text and thinking Hebrews was commending her lie, when this was not the case. Apologetics Press has a good article on this. I provided the link in this thread. Check it out and let me know what you think.

I think that lying in a war is allowed, like killing in a war is allowed. Thats my opinion.

God does not have OCD to find some details against us, He is looking at our intentions and goals.

 

[solid_core]

But I believe there is a way to protect Jews in your home from Nazi's without having to lie. One can be clever with their words and speak truthfully and simply say,

"Do you see any Jews around here?"
"I don't see any Jews here."
"Feel free to look around if you like."
​

Some feel lying is the only option when this is not the case.

I would like to see you invent such literary devices in a real life or death situation where you must save others quickly ;-)

 

[GospelS]

It's good to think what Jesus meant when He asked us to be wise/shrewd like snakes/serpents.

 

[Allen of the Cross]

Hello there Highlighter! Good to see you today. I hope all is well. I have a question for you regarding Romans 5:13. You see, it says that before the Law, sin was not imputed. Now before Moses, this clearly says they were not held accountable for breaking God's Law. But Rehab was after Moses. But she likely did not understand the 10 commandments anyway. Does Romans 5:13 apply to her?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Also, i remember Jael, a non-Israelite, whom God used to kill an enemy of Israel by deception. She was called the most blessed.

This does make me want to lean back to my older position of how the OT saints used the "art of war" tactics of deception to win battles, and that this was not consider the normative means of lying as God intended when He says not to lie. Just as murder is not the same as killing during war time. But I am not entirely convinced just yet of that when it comes to lying.

There can be another explanation besides the "art of war" explanation on this one.

In Judges 4:18, Jael tells Sisera to "fear not" and yet he should have feared because she was an enemy seeking to kill him. Perhaps "fear not" is in view of context to how Jesus says we are not fear the one who destroy the body, but we are only fear the One (Jesus) who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna (Matthew 10:28).

"“And you shall not be afraid of those who kill the body
that are not able to kill the soul;
rather be afraid of him who can
destroy soul and body in Gehenna.”
(Matthew 10:28) (Aramaic Bible in Plain English).

 

[RDKirk]

God never hesitated to deceive the enemy in combat.

Rahab deceived the soldiers in Jericho.
The Hebrew midwives deceived the Pharaoh about the survival of Hebrew babies.
David deceived the Philistines about his sanity.
Moses deceived Pharaoh over his intentions for the Hebrew people. God even explicitly gave Moses the lie to tell.
Jesus entered Jerusalem for the feast of tabernacles in disguise.

 

[GospelS]

This does make me want to lean back to my older position of how the OT saints used the "art of war" tactics of deception to win battles, and that this was not consider the normative means of lying as God intended when He says not to lie. Just as murder is not the same as killing during war time. But I am not entirely convinced just yet of that when it comes to lying.

There can be another explanation besides the "art of war" explanation on this one.

In Judges 4:18, Jael tells Sisera to "fear not" and yet he should have feared because she was an enemy seeking to kill him. Perhaps "fear not" is in view of context to how Jesus says we are not fear the one who destroy the body, but we are only fear the One (Jesus) who can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna (Matthew 10:28).

"“And you shall not be afraid of those who kill the body
that are not able to kill the soul;
rather be afraid of him who can
destroy soul and body in Gehenna.”
(Matthew 10:28) (Aramaic Bible in Plain English).

Thank you. I was just sharing my thoughts. Anyway Sisera never knew or thought of Jael as an enemy.

Judges 4:17 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

God never hesitated to deceive the enemy in combat.

Rahab deceived the soldiers in Jericho.
The Hebrew midwives deceived the Pharaoh about the survival of Hebrew babies.
David deceived the Philistines about his sanity.
Jesus entered Jerusalem for the feast of tabernacles in disguise.

Yes, I held to this view before and it was my initial means to resolve the situation involving Rahab. My old position was that the OT saint used a tactic called the "art of war" and they were not lying in the tradition sense of breaking God's commands that says, "Ye shall... neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another." (Leviticus 19:11). I am now charting out into new territory and seeking out an alternative explanation on these things (based on what Scripture says as a whole). Maybe I will revert back to my old view on this point. But I would like to look at these portions of Scripture with a fresh pair of eyes or from a new angle (But yet holding to the truth of what God's Word says).

 

[GospelS]

There can be another explanation besides the "art of war" explanation on this one.

For me the answer can be found in God's promises to Abraham, that carried through Issac, and Jacob.

"I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Thank you. I was just sharing the thoughts that came to my mind. Anyway Sisera never knew or thought of Jael as an enemy.

Judges 4:17 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

We are also reading the story hindsight and so a lot of assumptions go into the story that may not actually have happened. We assume that she was aware of the future plot of killing him in her mind when she said "fear not." It is possible that seeing he was a warrior, and she was a woman, she really did not think that he had anything to fear of her in that moment in time. She did not know that he was going to sleep whereby she would be given an opportunity to kill him.

 

[GospelS]

We are also reading the story hindsight and so a lot of assumptions go into the story that may not actually have happened. We assume that she was aware of the future plot of killing him in her mind when she said "fear not." It is possible that seeing he was a warrior, and she was a woman, she really did not think that he had anything to fear of her in that moment in time. She did not know that he was going to sleep whereby she would be given an opportunity to kill him.

While he only asked for some water, she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. I do not want to derail your thread but she gave him something to drink that she knew would slowly put him to sleep so she could then kill him.