Joshua 5:15

15 And Joshua fell on his face upon the earth, and said to him, Lord, what commandest thou thy servant?

Joshua 5:15 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 5:15

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, willingness, and alacrity to serve under him.

Joshua 5:15 In-Context

13 And it came to pass when Joshua was in Jericho, that he looked up with his eyes and saw a man standing before him, and a drawn sword in his hand; and Joshua drew near and said to him, Art thou for us or on the side of our enemies?

14 And he said to him, I am now come, the chief captain of the host of the Lord.

15 And Joshua fell on his face upon the earth, and said to him, Lord, what commandest thou thy servant?

16 And the captain of the Lord's host said to Joshua, Loose thy shoe off thy feet, for the place whereon thou now standest is holy.