יהושע, פרק ב׳, פסוק ט״ז

Before parting ways with the spies, Rahab offers crucial tactical advice to ensure their safe escape. The terrain leading directly to the Jordan River is completely exposed and lacks any natural cover. Taking this obvious route would almost certainly result in their immediate discovery [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. To prevent this, she instructs them to head in the exact opposite direction toward the mountains. Her primary concern is that they might collide with the Jericho search party returning from their hunt [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. Therefore, she urges the men to find a secure location in the mountains where they can remain entirely concealed [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון].

She specifically directs them to remain hidden for three days. There are several ways to understand how she arrived at this exact timeframe. On a practical level, it is a highly logical estimate. The distance from Jericho to the Jordan River is roughly a day's journey. Traveling there, conducting a thorough search along the route, and making the return trip to the city would take the pursuers about three days [רד"ק]. By the end of this period, the search party would naturally lose hope and head back home [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, her precise knowledge may have come from the Holy Spirit resting upon her, allowing her to foresee exactly when the search would end [רש"י, רד"ק].

Another unique perspective ties this three-day period to local practices of divination. The spies departed on the fourth day of the month of Nisan. The Canaanites relied on tracking the moon to magically determine the location of their enemies. Three days later, on the seventh of Nisan, the moon completes a quarter of its cycle and noticeably changes its phase. This celestial shift would confuse the Canaanite diviners, effectively blinding their ability to track the men [אהבת יהונתן].

Finally, Rahab assures the spies that once this waiting period is over and the immediate danger has passed, their journey will become much easier. They will no longer need to take evasive detours or hide in the mountains, but will instead be able to walk securely along the direct road back to their camp [מלבי"ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].