Rahab and the Spies: Bible Story for Kids

The Red Rope of Rescue

Promises
Faith
Grace

Bible reference:: Joshua 2:1-21; 6:22-25
Ages:: 3-10
Reading time:: 6 minutes
Pages:: 32

Rahab and the spies, told from a house built inside the doomed wall of Jericho. Rahab belongs to nobody - not the city, not the people outside. She hides two strangers, sends the guards into the dark, and is handed one bright red rope and a promise to trust.

Good for: Facing Fears, Feeling Lonely, Waiting Patiently

Read the full illustrated story in the app

The story arc

Four moments that carry the story. Tap any Bible reference to read the passage.

1
THE SPIES HIDDEN
Rahab chooses to hide the Israelite spies from the king's guards.
Joshua 2:1-7Read the Bible passage
¹Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there. ²The king of Jericho was told, “Behold, men of the children of Israel came in here tonight to spy out the land.” ³Jericho’s king sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to spy out all the land.” ⁴The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they came from. ⁵About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with them.” ⁶But she had brought them up to the roof, and hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. ⁷The men pursued them along the way to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.
Joshua 2:1-7 (World English Bible, British Edition)
2
THE CONFESSION
She declares her faith: “The Lord your God is God in heaven and on earth.”
Joshua 2:8-14Read the Bible passage
⁸Before they had lain down, she came up to them on the roof. ⁹She said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. ¹⁰For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed. ¹¹As 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. ¹²Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true sign; ¹³and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.” ¹⁴The men said to her, “Our life for yours, if you don’t talk about this business of ours; and it shall be, when the LORD gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”
Joshua 2:8-14 (World English Bible, British Edition)
3
THE RED ROPE
The spies promise her family will be saved if she ties the scarlet cord in her window.
Joshua 2:15-21Read the Bible passage
¹⁵Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall. ¹⁶She said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way.” ¹⁷The men said to her, “We will be guiltless of this your oath which you’ve made us to swear. ¹⁸Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. ¹⁹It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him. ²⁰But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear.” ²¹She said, “Let it be as you have said.” She sent them away, and they departed. Then she tied the scarlet line in the window.
Joshua 2:15-21 (World English Bible, British Edition)
4
THE RESCUE
The walls of Jericho fall, but God's promise holds strong, saving Rahab and her family.
Joshua 6:22-25Read the Bible passage
²²Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman and all that she has out from there, as you swore to her.” ²³The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all of her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Israel. ²⁴They burnt the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only they put the silver, the gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house. ²⁵But Rahab the prostitute, her father’s household, and all that she had, Joshua saved alive. She lives in the middle of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Joshua 6:22-25 (World English Bible, British Edition)

Core truths

GRACE

God's family is open to outsiders. You don't have to be perfect for God to save you.

PROMISES

The red rope was a sign of God's promise. God always keeps His word to those who trust Him.

FAITH

True faith means trusting God's promises even when you are surrounded by fear.

Why it matters

Shows that God's grace is for everyone,
no matter their past or where they come from.
Teaches children that trusting God's promises is what keeps us safe when our “walls” fall down.
Points to Jesus: Just as the scarlet cord saved Rahab from judgment, Jesus' sacrifice saves us.

Let's talk and pray

Talk

When the big, scary walls of Jericho fell down, Rahab’s house stayed perfectly safe because of the red rope in her window. The rope showed that she trusted God's promise. How do you think Rahab felt when she saw her house was the only one left standing?

Pray

Dear God, Thank You that You are the God of heaven and earth. Thank You that Your family is for everyone, no matter who they are. Help me to have brave faith like Rahab, and to always trust in Your promises. Amen.