Rahab and Di Red Rope

Knock for door. Soldiers of di king, dey demand to enter. For top di flat roof, under one heap of plants wey dem spread make e dry, two men lie down, dem no move at all, dem no even dey breathe hard. Now everything depend on di woman wey go open di door.

Moses don die, and now na Joshua dey lead Israel. Di people dey camp for one place wey dem dey call Shittim, for east of River Jordan. For di other side of di river, Jericho stand, city wey get wall, wey palm trees surround, wey dey guard di road wey enter di land wey God don promise. Before Israel cross, Joshua quietly send two men. Go look di land well, e tell dem, especially Jericho. Di spies cross di river and enter di city quietly. Dem go di house of one woman wey dem dey call Rahab. Dem build her house inside di city wall itself. Di Bible no hide am about Rahab: she be prostitute, and people for Jericho look down on her and on di way she dey take make her living. But she wan become one of di bravest people for dis whole story.

Somebody don see di strangers. Di news reach di king of Jericho. Israelites don come here tonight to spy di land! Di king send soldiers go Rahab door. Bring out di men wey come your house. Dem come here to search di whole country. But Rahab don already carry di spies go her roof come hide dem under flax stalks wey she spread there. She face di soldiers calm. Yes, some men come meet me, but I no know where dem come from. For evening, when time reach to shut di city gate, dem comot. I no know where dem go. Hurry follow dem, you fit catch dem! Di soldiers rush go down di road towards di place wey people dey cross di river. For dia back, di city gate shut with bang.

Before di spies lie down for di night, Rahab climb go di roof. And she tell dem something wey surprise. I know say Di Lord don give una dis land. Fear of una don catch everybody for here. We hear how Di Lord dry di water of di Red Sea for una when una comot from Egypt. We hear wetin una do to di two Amorite kings for di other side of Jordan. When we hear am, our heart melt. Courage no remain for anybody again. Because Di Lord una God, na im be God for heaven above and for earth below. You hear wetin she dey talk? Dis woman from Jericho, wey never go Sinai, wey never chop manna, wey never hear Moses teach, don listen to di stories of wetin Israel God don do, and she believe. Then she ask for one thing. Swear to me by Di Lord say, because I don show una kindness, una go show my family kindness. Save my papa and mama, my brothers and sisters, and everybody wey belong to dem. Our life for your life, di men promise, if you no tell anybody about dis matter.

Because her house na part of di wall, Rahab use rope let dem down from her window, straight down for outside di city. Go up enter di hills, she tell dem, so di men wey dey pursue una no go find una. Hide there for three days, until dem come back. Then una fit continue una journey. Di spies give her dia sign. When we enter di land, tie dis red rope for di window wey you take let us down. Bring your whole family enter your house. Anybody wey dey inside go dey safe. I agree, Rahab talk. Dem disappear enter di dark. And she tie di red rope for her window.

Di spies hide for di hills for three days while di people wey dey find dem search all di roads. Then dem cross back over Jordan come tell Joshua everything. True true, Di Lord don give di whole land enter our hand. Fear of us don make all di people there melt. And Rahab story no end there. When Jericho fall, dem save her and her family, and from dat time she live among di people of Israel. Matthew Gospel call her name for di family line of King David, and of Jesus imself.

Why flax dey Rahab roof? For ancient Israel, flat roof na place wey people dey work, wey dem dey use dry crops for sun. Dem dey plant flax for im fibres, wey dem dey spin make linen, and dem dey pull di stalks comot from ground come spread dem make dem dry. For di warm Jordan Valley, dis one dey happen for spring, and e fit di story: Israel cross Jordan for di first month of di year, for harvest time. One writing wey dem dey call di Gezer Calendar, one list of farming seasons wey dem carve for stone, even name one month for harvesting flax.

Rahab story dey di book of Joshua, chapter two. One outsider wey get past hear about God, believe, and do brave thing with wetin she believe. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Wetin you don hear about God, and which one brave thing believing am fit make you do?