Righteous Deception, Part 2

The Case of Rahab and the Two Spies

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In my article from May 19, 2025, I considered the deceptive words from the Hebrew midwives in Exodus 1. While I shared my leaning toward the view that the midwives were not sinning when they mislead the pharaoh, I recognize that the notion of “righteous deception” is debated among theologians and ethicists not only in our modern era but in church history. I could be wrong in my conclusion. But I want to follow what I think are the most persuasive arguments about the issue.

Let’s consider another case of deception and reflect on it. We need to talk about Rahab.