Purpose of the Spies in Yehoshua 2/2

Purpose of the Spies in Yehoshua 2

Exegetical Approaches

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Morale Boosting Mission

The spies were sent to gauge the morale of the Canaanites, and thereby boost the confidence of the novice Israelite fighting force.

Sources:RalbagYehoshua 2:1Yehoshua 2:14About R. Levi b. Gershom #2 ,¹

"וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהוֹשֻׁעַ... מְרַגְּלִים חֶרֶשׁ" – Ralbag explains that the word "חֶרֶשׁ" relates to thought,² rather than secrecy³ and suggests that the phrase reveals the purpose of the mission: Yehoshua sent the men to evaluate the thoughts of the people.

Biblical parallels – Ralbag compares the mission to Gidon's visit to the Midianite camp in Shofetim 7, whose sole purpose was also to instill confidence and not to gather information for battle.

The spies' report – As proof that the mission was to appraise morale, Ralbag points to the fact that the spies' report focused exclusively on the fear of the Canaanites and did not include any military data.

Report to Yehoshua alone – If the mission's purpose was to encourage the nation, it is surprising that the spies reported back to Yehoshua alone and not to the whole nation. Ralbag might respond that Yehoshua had learned from the debacle of Moshe's spies not to chance a negative report, and that despite the text's silence, after the secret debriefing the findings were made public.

Why visit Rachav? The choice might have been a practical one as a brothel allowed visitors to maintain their anonymity.⁴   Moreover, it had significant occupant turnover which would make Rachav a good source of information regarding the nation's feelings towards the Israelites.

Why sleep over? It is not clear why the spies would think it worthwhile to risk their lives by spending the night in Yericho just to appraise the morale of the people.  It is possible that Rachav did not open her home to visitors until after dark, but surely they could have gathered information from a different source earlier in the day when there was no chance of being trapped in the city! 

Purpose of red cord – Ralbag maintains that the cord was a response to Rachav's request for an "אוֹת אֱמֶת" (a true sign).  It served as an indicator of Rachav's abode so that the Israelites would be able to spare her during the Israelite invasion.  He likely assumes that the spies were not yet aware that the city was to be conquered miraculously and thus had no reason to think that the house and cord might no longer be around when they invaded. Nonetheless, it is still difficult to understand why they thought that such a cord would have been visible to soldiers inside the city, if it were hung out the window in the city's exterior walls.⁵

Conditions of oath – Ralbag explains that the spies made Rachav swear not to reveal the pact to ensure that no other residents of Yericho sought refuge in Rachav's home, passing themselves off as relatives.  Since Hashem had commanded to totally destroy the Canaanites, they did not want to be tricked into saving any non-family members.

Military Mission

The spies' mission was military in nature, meant to determine how to best conquer Yericho.

Sources:JosephusJosephus Antiquities of the Jews 5:1:1, RalbagRalbag Yehoshua 2:1 

"וַיִּשְׁלַח יְהוֹשֻׁעַ... מְרַגְּלִים חֶרֶשׁ"

Biblical parallels – Yehoshua is not unique in sending

¹ Ralbag raises two different readings of the verses.  See below for his understanding that the spies mission was military in nature.

² As evidence for this meaning, he points to Mishlei 3:29 and 6:18.

³ Since the mission was not espionage-related, there was less need for secrecy.

⁴ See Ibn Kaspi who speaks of the spies' desire to remain inconspicuous.

⁵ This might be what prompts the Vilna Gaon to suggest that Rachav in fact had two homes, one built into the wall, and one located only near the wall. Though the latter fell during the miraculous conquest, the outer home remained intact.  According to this theory, Rachav hung the rope out of a window in the house near the wall, while the spies exited through the window of the home in the wall. This, however, directly contradicts 2:18 which states that the windows were one and the same.