Who was Rahab in the Bible?
Rahab was a woman of Jericho who hid Israel’s spies and was spared when the city fell, later named in the New Testament’s roll of faith — and in the very line of Jesus.
When two Israelite spies entered Jericho, Rahab hid them on her roof and confessed that she had heard of the LORD’s mighty acts and believed.
She asked that her family be spared, and the spies told her to hang a scarlet cord from her window. When the walls fell, she and her household alone were saved.
Rahab married into Israel and appears in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5) and in the great chapter of faith (Hebrews 11:31) — a striking picture of grace reaching far beyond Israel.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.