According to Exodus, the second book of Moses’ Law, Jacob’s sons settled in Egypt and remained there for a long time.

They were finally allowed to leave after Moses had inflicted ten plagues of judgment on Egypt. Moses lured them into leaving by undertaking to lead them to a Promised Land. Instead, he led them around in the wilderness for forty years.

When Joshua took over the leadership of the people of Israel, they had been nomad wilderness wanderers and were about to settle down as farmers in the land of Canaan. They had to attack a city called Jericho.

A couple of spies were despatched to the city but their presence was discovered.

A prostitute named Rahab offered to hide them in exchange for safe passage out of the city when it was attacked.

They told her to hang a scarlet cord from the wall of her house and she and its occupants would be spared. (Are you seeing the allusion to the scarlet tie that binds those who have been redeemed?)

One of the spies, who just happened to be a descendant and heir of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and Perez, married the prostitute.

Together they fathered a son who became the great-grand father of King David. You can read all about it in the book of Ruth.