Joshua 5:15

15 cecidit Iosue pronus in terram et adorans ait quid dominus meus loquitur ad servum suum

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 cum autem esset Iosue in agro urbis Hiericho levavit oculos et vidit virum stantem contra se et evaginatum tenentem gladium perrexitque ad eum et ait noster es an adversariorum

14 qui respondit nequaquam sed sum princeps exercitus Domini et nunc venio

15 cecidit Iosue pronus in terram et adorans ait quid dominus meus loquitur ad servum suum

16 solve inquit calciamentum de pedibus tuis locus enim in quo stas sanctus est fecitque Iosue ut sibi fuerat imperatum