Joshua 5:14

_AND HE SAID, NAY; BUT AS CAPTAIN OF THE HOST OF THE LORD AM I NOW COME. AND JOSHUA FELL ON HIS FACE TO THE EARTH, AND DID WORSHIP, AND SAID UNTO HIM, WHAT SAITH MY LORD UNTO HIS SERVANT?_ And he said, Nay, х_ LO'_ (H3808)] - No, used absolutely in answer to a question, 'I am not; i:e., a man either of your party or of the enemy's. CAPTAIN (EXODUS 15:8 ) OF THE HOST OF THE LORD - either the Israelite people (Exodus 7:4; Exodus 12:41; Isaiah 55:4), or the angels (Psalms 148:2), or both inc

14._And he said, Nay; but as captain, _etc Although the denial applies equally to both parts of the question, namely, that he was neither an Israelite nor a Canaanite, and was thus equivalent to a denial of his being a mortal man, yet it seems to be more properly applicable to the second, or to that part of the question in which Joshua asked if he were one of the enemy. This, however, is a matter of little moment; the essential thing is to understand that he had come to preside over the chosen people whom he honorably styles the Lord’s host. In his representing himself as different from God, a personal distinction is denoted, but unity of essence is not destroyed. We have said that in the books of Moses the name of Jehovah (58) is often attributed to the presiding Angel, who was undoubtedly the only-begotten Son of God. He is indeed very God, and yet in the person of Mediator by dispensa...

13-15 We read not of any appearance of God's glory to Joshua till now. There appeared to him one as a man to be noticed. This Man was the Son of God, the eternal Word. Joshua gave him Divine honours: he received them, which a created angel would not have done, and he is called Jehovah, chap. Joshua 6:2. To Abraham he appeared as a traveller; to Joshua as a man of war. Christ will be to his people what their faith needs. Christ had his sword drawn, which encouraged Joshua to carry on the war with vigour. Christ's sword drawn in his hand, denotes how ready he is for the defence and salvation of his people. His sword turns every way. Joshua will know whether he is a friend or a foe. The cause between the Israelites and Canaanites, between Christ and Beelzebub, will not admit of any man's refusing to take one part or the other, as he may do in worldly contests. Joshua's inquiry shows an ear...

Verse Joshua 5:14. _BUT AS CAPTAIN OF THE HOST OF THE LORD AM I NOW COME._] By this saying Joshua was both encouraged and instructed. As if he had said, "Fear not; Jehovah hath sent from heaven to save thee and thy people from the reproach of them that would swallow thee up. Israel is the Lord's host; and the Lord of hosts is Israel's Captain. Thou thyself shalt only be captain under me, and I am now about to instruct thee relative to thy conduct in this war." _AND JOSHUA - DID WORSHIP_] Nor was he reprehended for offering Divine worship to this person, which he would not have received had he been a _created angel_. See Revelation 22:8....

CAPTAIN OF THE HOST OF THE LORD - i. e. of the angelic host, the host of heaven (compare 1 Kings 22:19; 1 Samuel 1:3, etc.). The armed people of Israel are never called “the host of the Lord,” though once spoken of in Exodus 12:41 as “all the hosts of the Lord.” The Divine Person intimates that He, the Prince (see the marginal references) of the Angels had come to lead Israel in the coming strife, and to overthrow by heavenly might the armies and the strongholds of God’s and Israel’s enemies. Accordingly, the capture of Jericho and the destruction of the Canaanites generally form a fit type of a grander and more complete conquest and excision of the powers of evil which yet waits accomplishment.

EXPOSITION JOSHUA 5:13 WHEN JOSHUA WAS BY JERICHO. The preposition בְּ, the principal meaning of which is _"in" _signifies here "in the immediate neighbourhood of," as in 1 Samuel 29:1 (where, however, the LXX. read _"in Endor"_)_, _Ezekiel 10:15. Perhaps Joshua had ascended some hill in the close vicinity of the city to reconnoitre it alone, and here he received the directions which resulted in the miraculous capture of the city (see also Genesis 13:18, where בְּאֵלנֵי cannot mean in the oaks," nor בְּחֶבְדוֹן "in Hebron"). The LXX

AND HE SAID, NAY,.... Not for or on the side of their adversaries was he come, as Joshua suspected at the first sight of him; the Septuagint version is, "he said unto him", taking לא for לו, as it sometimes is: BUT [AS] CAPTAIN OF THE HOST OF THE LORD AM I NOW COME; of the host of the Lord both in heaven and in earth, angels and men, and particularly of the people of Israel, called the armies and host of the Lord, Exodus 7:4; so that though Joshua was general, Christ was Generalissimo; and so Joshua understood him, and therefore showed a readiness to do whatsoever he should command him; the spiritual Israel of God, the church, is in a militant state, and has many enemies to combat with, sin, Satan, the world, and false teachers; Christ is their Leader and Commander, the Captain of their salvation, and has all necessary qualifications or wisdom, courage, and might, for such an of

5. AT GILGAL CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The terrified enemies (Joshua 5:1)_ 2. Circumcision commanded and executed (Joshua 5:2) 3. The Passover kept (Joshua 5:10) 4. The old corn of the land (Joshua 5:11) 5. The captain of Jehovah's host (Joshua 5:13) The events at Gilgal are of much interest. Jehovah had brought His people over Jordan. All His promises were kept. He had promised to deliver them out of Egypt and to bring them into the land of Canaan. All is now accomplished. The wilderness is behind them and they face the marvellous

JOSHUA 5:13 TO JOSHUA 6:27. THE CAPTURE OF JERICHO. The narrative begins at Joshua 5:13; Joshua 6:1 is an insertion (observe that RV places it in brackets), so that Joshua 6:2 should immediately follow Joshua 5:15. The captain of Yahweh's host is therefore Yahweh Himself. In the rest of the chapter we have a composite narrative, so skilfully compiled that at first sight there is not much fault to find. Closer inspection, however, shows that there are two signals for the fall of the walls (_a)_

CAPTAIN, or Prince. HOST. Israel as Jehovah's host. Compare Exodus 12:41. WORSHIP. Therefore Divine. Compare Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:9. MY LORD. A _donai._ App-4....