Who
The woman of Jericho who hid Joshua’s spies and confessed the God of Israel, “he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11). For her faith she and her household were spared when the city fell, under the sign of the scarlet cord she hung from her window. Hebrews counts her among the heroes of faith (11:31) and James among those justified by works (2:25); Matthew names her as the mother of Boaz (1:5), a Gentile in the line of David. Clement of Rome saw in the scarlet cord a sign that redemption would come through the blood of the Lord to all who believe and hope in God, and the Fathers took her house, the only refuge in a doomed city, as a figure of the Church.
Key verses
- Joshua 2:11
As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.
- Matthew 1:5
Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse.
- Hebrews 11:31
By faith Rahab the prostitute didn’t perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.
- James 2:25
In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
Where the Bible names her
Family
- Children
Discussed by
Comments on the verses that name her (8 of 32).
- Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 1:3–6Catena Aurea on Matthew
Passing over the other sons of Jacob, the Evangelist follows the family of Judah, saying, “But Judah begat Phares and Zara of Thamar.”
- Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 1:3–6Catena Aurea on Matthew
Neither was Judah himself first-born, nor of these two sons was either his first-born; he had already had three before them. So that he keeps in that line of descent, by which he shall arrive at David, and from him…
- Jerome on Matthew 1:3–6Catena Aurea on Matthew
It should be noted, that none of the holy women are taken into the Saviour’s genealogy, but rather such as Scripture has condemned, that He who came for sinners being born of sinners might so put away the sins of…
- Ambrose of Milan on Matthew 1:3–6Catena Aurea on Matthew
But Luke has avoided the mention of these, that he might set forth the series of the priestly race immaculate. But the plan of St. Matthew did not exclude the righteousness of natural reason; for when he wrote in his…
- John Chrysostom on Matthew 1:3–6Catena Aurea on Matthew
Besides this, it shews that all are equally liable to sin; for here is Thamar accusing Judah of incest, and David begat Solomon with a woman with whom he had committed adultery. But if the Law was not fulfilled by…
- Ambrose of Milan on Matthew 1:3–6 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
Observe that Matthew does not name both without a meaning; for though the object of his writing only required the mention of Phares, yet in the twins a mystery is signified; namely, the double life of the nations,…
- Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 1:3–6Catena Aurea on Matthew
By Zarah is denoted the people of the Jews, which first appeared in the light of faith, coming out of the dark womb of the world, and was therefore marked with the scarlet thread of the circumciser, for all supposed…
- Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 1:3–6 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
Judah begat Phares and Zarah before he went into Egypt, whither they both accompanied their father. In Egypt, “Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; Aram begat Aminadab; Aminadab begat Naasson;” and then Moses…