Joshua 5:15

15 The prince of the LORD's host said to Yehoshua, Put off your shoe from off your foot; for the place whereon you stand is holy. Yehoshua did so.

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 It happened, when Yehoshua was by Yericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Yehoshua went to him, and said to him, Are you for us, or for our adversaries?

14 He said, No; but [as] prince of the host of the LORD am I now come. Yehoshua fell on his face to the eretz, and did worship, and said to him, What says my lord to his servant?

15 The prince of the LORD's host said to Yehoshua, Put off your shoe from off your foot; for the place whereon you stand is holy. Yehoshua did so.