Joshua 5:15

_AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST SAID UNTO JOSHUA, LOOSE THY SHOE FROM OFF THY FOOT; FOR THE PLACE WHEREON THOU STANDEST IS HOLY. AND JOSHUA DID SO._ For the place whereon thou standest is holy, х_ QODESH_ (H6944) _ HUW'_ (H1931)] - it is holiness (Exodus 3:5). FOR THE PLACE WHEREON THOU STANDEST IS HOLY, х_ QODESH_ (H6944) _ HUW'_ (H1931)] - it is holiness (Exodus 3:5)....

15._Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, _etc To give additional sanctity to the vision, the great Angel requires as a sign of reverence and fear that Joshua put off his shoes. Moses relates, (Exodus 3:5) that the same command was given to him on Mount Sinai, and for no other reason than that the Lord there manifested his glory. For one place cannot have a greater sanctity than another, except God deigns specially to make it so. Thus Jacob exclaims, (Genesis 28:17 (60)) that the place where he had known God more nearly is the house of God, a dreadful place, and the gate of heaven. Here, therefore, when God orders his holy servant to take off his shoes, he by this ceremony attests the reality of his presence, and adds more weight to the vision; not that nakedness of feet is of itself of any valu

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 5:15. _LOOSE THY SHOE FROM OFF THY FOOT, C._] These were the same words which the angel, on Mount Sinai, spoke to Moses (see Exodus 3:5-2); and from this it seems likely that it was the same person that appeared in both places: in the _first_, to encourage Moses to deliver the oppressed Israelites, and bring them to the promised land; in the _second_, to encourage Joshua in his arduous labour in expelling the ancient inhabitants, and establishing the people in the inheritance promised to their fathers. THERE is scarcely a more unfortunate division of chapters in the whole Bible than that here. Through this very circumstance many persons have been puzzled to know what was intended by this extraordinary appearance, because they supposed that the whole business ends with

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 THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST SAID UNTO JOSHUA,.... As a trial and proof of his obedience to him: LOOSE THY SHOE FROM OFF THY FOOT; which is to be understood literally, as when the like was commanded Moses at Horeb, Exodus 3:5; though some interpret it figuratively; as Abarbinel, "remove from thee such thoughts that thou shall take this city by strength:'' FOR THE PLACE WHEREON THOU STANDEST [IS] HOLY; because of the presence of this Person, and as long as he was there, though afterwards was as another place; the Jewish commentator, last mentioned, thinks this intimates that the city, and all in it (and all round about it), should be "cherem", devoted, and so be holy to the Lord: AND JOSHUA DID SO; loosed his shoe from his foot, in obedience to the Captain of the Lord's host, thereby giving proof of his readiness, willing

HOLY translated, "consecrated," (Joshua 6:19) in R.V. "holy....

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)_

Joshua 6:1-5. Appearance of the Prince of the Host of Jehovah 13. _when Joshua was by Jericho_ having as yet received no special instructions as to the mode in which he was to attack Jericho, though the people, whom he led, were altogether untrained for such a work, _he lift up his eyes and looked_ Compare the expression used in Genesis 18:2 of Abraham as "he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day" under the terebinth of Mamre, and "he _lift up his eyes_and looked and lo." _a man_ Some have supposed He was a created being, others, with far greater reason, that He was none other than HE, Who had already "manifested Himself" to Abraham (Genesis 12:7;...