יהושע, פרק ב׳, פסוק י״ח

The spies finalize a life-saving pact with Rahab, laying out the practical steps she must take to ensure her family's survival when the city falls. Looking ahead to the imminent invasion, they establish clear conditions for the day they return to conquer the land [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. To protect her home during the attack, Rahab is instructed to mark it with a distinct sign. The primary approach among commentators is that she must tie a spun rope or cord in her window [רש״י, מצודת ציון, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This cord is a bright, deep red, dyed using color extracted from a crimson worm [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. An alternative perspective suggests that rather than a standard rope, the sign is actually the edge or hem of a red garment [רד״ק]. The spies are not speaking theoretically; they point to a specific red cord they already see inside the house before they even make their escape [רד״ק].

She must tie this red marker in the window so the invading army can easily spot it and spare the home [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Specifically, it must be the very same window through which she lowers the spies to safety [מצודת דוד]. Beyond serving as a physical marker, the red cord carries deep symbolic weight. Its color recalls the crimson thread tied to the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement, a ritual meant to gain forgiveness for grave sins like slander and bloodshed. For Rahab, the red cord acts as a constant reminder to guard her words, keep the spies' secret, and honor their agreement. Tying it in the exact window she uses to help them escape reinforces the idea that she must remain entirely faithful to her original plan, without changing her mind or her actions [אהבת יהונתן].

Finally, her rescue requires active participation. She is commanded to bring her father, mother, brothers, and entire extended family inside the house [מצודת ציון]. The promised protection is strictly limited by physical boundaries; only those who are gathered within the walls of her home will be shielded from the destruction and saved through her merit [ביאור שטיינזלץ].