Joshua 5:13−15 reports how Joshua saw a man with a drawn sword in his hand. This man informs Joshua that he is the Commander of the LORD’s army and instructs Joshua to remove his sandals because he stands on holy ground.
In Joshua 5:13Joshua 5:13 commentary−15, Joshua encounters a heavenly figure—the Commander of the LORD’s army.
After the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River, Joshua circumcised all the male Israelites because they remained uncircumcised during their forty years in the wilderness. When the people rested well and recovered from their soreness in their camp at Gilgal, they observed the Passover, a sacred Jewish feast commemorating Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The next day after the celebration, the Israelites began eating some of the land’s produce, and the bread from heaven (“manna”), which had sustained them through their wilderness wandering, ceased (Joshua 5:1Joshua 5:1 commentary−12).
Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted up his eyes and looked. The city of Jericho was in the lower Jordan Valley, west of the Jordan River and about ten miles northwest of the Dead Sea. The Bible calls it the “city of palms” because it had abundant palm trees (Deuteronomy 34:3Deuteronomy 34:3 commentary, commentaryJudges 1:16Judges 1:16 commentary, commentary2 Chronicles 28:152 Chronicles 28:15 commentary). It was a secure fortress with formidable walls and was the first major obstacle to Israel’s conquest of Canaan.
While Joshua was surveying the fortress of Jericho, he looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand. A sword is one of the most recognizable weapons in pre-modern human warfare, used by soldiers to defend themselves and attack the enemy. Interestingly, the first appearance of a sword in the Bible is a supernatural flaming sword which, alongside an angel, guards the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24Genesis 3:24 commentary).
Here in Joshua, the appearance of that man with this sword in his hand interrupted Joshua’s thoughts and aroused his curiosity. Now that Joshua saw the man standing opposite him, he went to him and said to him: ‘Are you for us or for our adversaries?’ Since Joshua was the Commander of Israel’s army, he was to be watchful, so he asked the man to declare himself a foe or friend. The man replied, ‘No; rather, I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.’
The man did not answer Joshua’s question directly. Instead, he declared that he was the captainof the host of the LORD. The term translated as host is “Sabaoth” in the Hebrew language. It means “armies” and often refers to the angelic armies of heaven (1 Samuel 1:31 Samuel 1:3 commentary). The Hebrew term translated as LORD is Yahweh, the self-existent and eternal God who revealed Himself to Moses from the burning bush (Exodus 3:14Exodus 3:14 commentary). Yahweh is His covenant name.
In addition to the angelic hosts, it is possible that the armies of Israel were also included as part of this host. In which case the man’s response to Joshua could mean that though Joshua now held the highest leadership position among the Israelites, this man outranks even Joshua. The New Testament teaches that believers are engaged in constant spiritual battles against the forces of wickedness (Ephesians 6:10-12Ephesians 6:10-12 commentary). God’s army includes both spiritual and physical combatants.
Jewish tradition holds that this man was the Angel Michael who is described as God’s prince in Daniel 10:21Daniel 10:21 commentary (Rashi on Joshua 5Joshua 5 commentary). Some believe this “man” was the pre-incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ. But the Bible does not reveal the identity of this mysterious person either way.
The man told Joshua he was the captain of the LORD’s army, meaning he was ready to fight on Israel’s behalf to give them victory over their foes. In other words, Israel’s victory would not depend on her military power and skills. Instead, her success would come from the LORD, the great and invincible warrior.
A repeating theme in the Bible is how God want His people to put their trust in Him and not in the number of physical combatants in their army. Later in the Book of Judges, God would send most of Israel’s army (around 30,000 men) back home to go on and defeat the armies of Midian with a mere 300 soldiers.
Having heard the man’s answer, Joshua quickly realized he was dealing with a divine messenger. So, Joshua fell on his face to the earth and bowed down. The verb bowed down means to bend low as an act of worship or a mark of respect. Joshua recognized that he was speaking with an extraordinary superior being, so he threw himself facedown in reverence to him. This seems to be an acknowledgement that this captain of the host of the LORD held a greater position that he did. Now bowing, Joshua asked the man: ‘What has my lord to say to his servant?’
The term lord is the Hebrew word “Adon,” which means “master” or “ruler.” It is a title of respect for somebody in a position of authority. The Bible often uses it to refer to a human master (Genesis 18:12Genesis 18:12 commentary, 24:1224:12 commentary, 31:3531:35 commentary). Joshua used the term to address the divine messenger. He also told the captain that he was his servant, meaning he was ready to follow his instructions and serve him. Thus, the captain of the LORD’s host said to Joshua, ‘Remove your sandals from your feet.’
In the ancient Near Eastern customs and practices, taking off one’s shoes signified humility and respect. It symbolized the removal of all unclean things of the world. The statement recalled Yahweh’s words to His servant Moses at the burning bush,
“Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5Exodus 3:5 commentary)
The captain asked Joshua to remove his sandals and gave him the reason for doing so: For the place where you are standing is holy.
The term holy means “set apart.” The land where Joshua stood was special because the LORD was there. The divine messenger told Joshua to remove his shoes and be clean because he was in the presence of God. And Joshua did so. Some see this man as an Angel of God but this extraordinary man could also have been a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. He appeared before Joshua to reaffirm that He would fight for Israel to give them victory in the Promised Land.
Joshua 5:13−15 meaning
In Joshua 5:13Joshua 5:13 commentary−15, Joshua encounters a heavenly figure—the Commander of the LORD’s army.
After the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River, Joshua circumcised all the male Israelites because they remained uncircumcised during their forty years in the wilderness. When the people rested well and recovered from their soreness in their camp at Gilgal, they observed the Passover, a sacred Jewish feast commemorating Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The next day after the celebration, the Israelites began eating some of the land’s produce, and the bread from heaven (“manna”), which had sustained them through their wilderness wandering, ceased (Joshua 5:1Joshua 5:1 commentary−12).
Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted up his eyes and looked. The city of Jericho was in the lower Jordan Valley, west of the Jordan River and about ten miles northwest of the Dead Sea. The Bible calls it the “city of palms” because it had abundant palm trees (Deuteronomy 34:3Deuteronomy 34:3 commentary, commentary Judges 1:16Judges 1:16 commentary, commentary 2 Chronicles 28:152 Chronicles 28:15 commentary). It was a secure fortress with formidable walls and was the first major obstacle to Israel’s conquest of Canaan.
While Joshua was surveying the fortress of Jericho, he looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand. A sword is one of the most recognizable weapons in pre-modern human warfare, used by soldiers to defend themselves and attack the enemy. Interestingly, the first appearance of a sword in the Bible is a supernatural flaming sword which, alongside an angel, guards the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24Genesis 3:24 commentary).
Here in Joshua, the appearance of that man with this sword in his hand interrupted Joshua’s thoughts and aroused his curiosity. Now that Joshua saw the man standing opposite him, he went to him and said to him: ‘Are you for us or for our adversaries?’ Since Joshua was the Commander of Israel’s army, he was to be watchful, so he asked the man to declare himself a foe or friend. The man replied, ‘No; rather, I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.’
The man did not answer Joshua’s question directly. Instead, he declared that he was the captain of the host of the LORD. The term translated as host is “Sabaoth” in the Hebrew language. It means “armies” and often refers to the angelic armies of heaven (1 Samuel 1:31 Samuel 1:3 commentary). The Hebrew term translated as LORD is Yahweh, the self-existent and eternal God who revealed Himself to Moses from the burning bush (Exodus 3:14Exodus 3:14 commentary). Yahweh is His covenant name.
In addition to the angelic hosts, it is possible that the armies of Israel were also included as part of this host. In which case the man’s response to Joshua could mean that though Joshua now held the highest leadership position among the Israelites, this man outranks even Joshua. The New Testament teaches that believers are engaged in constant spiritual battles against the forces of wickedness (Ephesians 6:10-12Ephesians 6:10-12 commentary). God’s army includes both spiritual and physical combatants.
Jewish tradition holds that this man was the Angel Michael who is described as God’s prince in Daniel 10:21Daniel 10:21 commentary (Rashi on Joshua 5Joshua 5 commentary). Some believe this “man” was the pre-incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ. But the Bible does not reveal the identity of this mysterious person either way.
The man told Joshua he was the captain of the LORD’s army, meaning he was ready to fight on Israel’s behalf to give them victory over their foes. In other words, Israel’s victory would not depend on her military power and skills. Instead, her success would come from the LORD, the great and invincible warrior.
A repeating theme in the Bible is how God want His people to put their trust in Him and not in the number of physical combatants in their army. Later in the Book of Judges, God would send most of Israel’s army (around 30,000 men) back home to go on and defeat the armies of Midian with a mere 300 soldiers.
Having heard the man’s answer, Joshua quickly realized he was dealing with a divine messenger. So, Joshua fell on his face to the earth and bowed down. The verb bowed down means to bend low as an act of worship or a mark of respect. Joshua recognized that he was speaking with an extraordinary superior being, so he threw himself facedown in reverence to him. This seems to be an acknowledgement that this captain of the host of the LORD held a greater position that he did. Now bowing, Joshua asked the man: ‘What has my lord to say to his servant?’
The term lord is the Hebrew word “Adon,” which means “master” or “ruler.” It is a title of respect for somebody in a position of authority. The Bible often uses it to refer to a human master (Genesis 18:12Genesis 18:12 commentary, 24:1224:12 commentary, 31:3531:35 commentary). Joshua used the term to address the divine messenger. He also told the captain that he was his servant, meaning he was ready to follow his instructions and serve him. Thus, the captain of the LORD’s host said to Joshua, ‘Remove your sandals from your feet.’
In the ancient Near Eastern customs and practices, taking off one’s shoes signified humility and respect. It symbolized the removal of all unclean things of the world. The statement recalled Yahweh’s words to His servant Moses at the burning bush,
“Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
(Exodus 3:5Exodus 3:5 commentary)
The captain asked Joshua to remove his sandals and gave him the reason for doing so: For the place where you are standing is holy.
The term holy means “set apart.” The land where Joshua stood was special because the LORD was there. The divine messenger told Joshua to remove his shoes and be clean because he was in the presence of God. And Joshua did so. Some see this man as an Angel of God but this extraordinary man could also have been a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. He appeared before Joshua to reaffirm that He would fight for Israel to give them victory in the Promised Land.