Girl · Hebrew · Old Testament

Rahab

RAY-hab · from Rachav · means “Spacious, wide”

Rahab is a Hebrew name meaning "spacious" or "wide." As a resident of Jericho, she hid the Hebrew spies by faith and secured protection for her entire family before the city walls fell. Her story stands as a brilliant monument to faith, courage, and complete redemption.

“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”

The story behind the name

Rahab lived in the pagan city of Jericho, operating an inn on the city wall. When Israelite spies came to investigate the city, she hid them under stalks of flax on her roof, risking her life to protect them from the king's search. She confessed her faith in the God of Israel, declaring that the Lord was God in heaven above and on the earth below.

She made a covenant with the spies, securing a promise that her family would be spared when Jericho was destroyed. She hung a scarlet cord from her window as a sign, and when the walls of Jericho fell, her household was preserved. She later married Salmon and became a mother in Israel, establishing a new life of faith.

Hebrews 11 honors Rahab among the heroes of faith, and James 2 praises her active obedience. Through her son Boaz, she became the great-grandmother of King David and a key ancestor in the lineage of Jesus Christ. A daughter named Rahab carries a legacy of boldness, faith, and the truth that God completely redeems our past.

Middle names that sing with Rahab

Chosen for rhythm and meanings that speak to each other.

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