- harlot's house:
- Though the word zonah generally denotes a prostitute, yet many very learned men are of opinion that it should be here rendered an innkeeper or hostess, from zoon, to furnish or provide food. In this sense it was understood by the Targumist, who renders it, ittetha pundekeetha, "a woman, a tavern-keeper," and so St. Chrysostome, in his second sermon on Repentance, calls her πανδοκευτρια. The Greek πορνη, by which the LXX render it, and which is adopted by the Apostles, is derived from περναω, to sell, and is also supposed to denote a tavern keeper. Among the ancients, women generally kept houses of entertainment. Herodotus says, "Among the Egyptians, the women carry on all commercial concerns, and keep taverns, while the men continue at home and weave." The same custom prevailed among the Greeks. "And the cityª shall be¹ accursed,ª [even] it,¹ and all¹ that¹ [are] therein, to the LORD:ª only¹ Rahabª the harlotª° shall live,ª° she¹ and all¹ that¹ [are] with¹ her in the house,ª because¹ she hidª°¹ the messengersª that¹ we sent.ª°" {Jsh 6:17} + "And Joshuaª savedª° Rahabª the harlotª° alive,²° and her father'sª household,ª and all¹ that¹ she had; and she dwellethª° inª Israelª [even] unto¹ this¹ day;ª because¹ she hidª°¹ the messengers,ª which¹ Joshuaª sentª° to spy outª°¹ Jericho.ª" {Jsh 6:25} + "Andª Salmonª begatª° Boozª ofª Rachab;ª andª Boozª begatª° Obedª ofª Ruth;ª andª Obedª begatª° Jesse;ª" {Mtt 1:5}, Rachab, "¹ Helkathª with¹ her suburbs,ª and Rehobª with¹ her suburbs;ª fourª cities.ª" {Jsh 21:31} + "By faithª the¹ harlotª Rahabª perishedª° notª with them that believed not,ª° when she had receivedª° the¹ spiesª withª peace.ª" {Hbr 11:31} + "Likewiseª² alsoª was²° notª Rahabª the¹ harlotª justifiedª° byª works,ª when she had receivedª° the¹ messengers,ª andª had sent [them] outª° anotherª way?ª" {Jms 2:25}
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