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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 5:13-15

We have hitherto found God often speaking to Joshua, but we read not till now of any appearance of God's glory to him; now that his difficulties increased his encouragements were increased in proportion. Observe, I. The time when he was favoured with this vision. It was immediately after he had performed the great solemnities of circumcision and the passover; then God made himself known to him. Note, We may then expect the discoveries of the divine grace when we are found in the way of our... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 5:14

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 ... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 5:14

Verse 14 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 5:13-15

The captain of the host. As Moses, on entering on his mission, was favoured with a marvellous Divine manifestation ( Exodus 3:1-6 ), so with Joshua, now that he is about to make his first onslaught on the strongholds of the Canaanites. The angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire. God spoke to him from the midst of the bush that burned but was not consumed. The supernatural radiance was the vehicle of the Divine Presence. God clothed Himself with light as with a garment.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 5:13-15

A soldier's interview with his captain. It adds much to the general power of the Bible as an ethical handbook, that great part of its instruction is conveyed in the pleasing form of history, political and individual. I. JOSHUA 'S ANXIETY . Gilgal, where the ceremonies related in preceding verses were celebrated, was not far from Jericho, the great stronghold which protected the eastern district of Palestine and which it was necessary for the Israelites to capture before they could... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 5:13-15

The Captain of the Church. At the very time when the battle of Israel against the idolators of the land of Canaan was about to commence, Joshua saw a mysterious warrior stand before him sword in hand. "Art thou for us or for our enemies?" he cried. "I am come," is the answer, as Captain of the Lord's host. I. THIS DIVINE CAPTAIN HAS NEVER LEFT THE ARMY OF THE HOLY , though He may NOT AT ALL TIMES have made Himself VISIBLE . He was with the Church when it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 5:14

And he said, Nay. Many MSS . which are followed by the LXX . and Syriac versions, have לוֹ for לאֹ here. The Chaldee and Vulgate read לאֹ , and the Masorites do not reckon this among the 15 passages in which לוֹ is read for לאֹ (Keil). But when Keil adds that a comparison of this passage with Joshua 24:21 decides the point, he is going too far, since כִּי often stands, like the Greek ὅτι , before a quotation, in the place of our inverted commas (see, for instance,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joshua 5:14

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.... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Joshua 5:14

Joshua 5:14. As captain of the Lord’s host Captain of this people, and I will conduct and assist thee and them in this great undertaking. Now this person was evidently not a created angel, but the Son of God, who went along with the Israelites in this expedition, as their chief and captain. And this appears, 1st, By his acceptance of adoration here, which a created angel would not have dared to admit of, Revelation 22:8; Rev 9:2 d, Because the place was made holy by his presence, (Joshua... read more

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