Joshua 5:14

WEB

He said, "No; but I have come now as captain of the Lord's host." Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshipped, and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?"

KJV

And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?

Commentary

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 for 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 eart h, angels and men, and particularly of the people of Israel, called the armies and host of the Lord, Exo 7:4 ; so that though Joshua was general, Christ was Generalissimo; and so Joshua understood him, and therefore showed a readiness to do whatsoever he should command him; the spiritual Israel of God, the church, is in a militant state, and has many enemies to combat with, sin, Satan, the world, and false teachers; Christ is their Leader and Commander, the Captain of their salvation, and has all necessary qualifications or wisdom, courage, and might, for such an office; see Isa 55:4 , and Joshua fell on his face to the earth; in reverence of this divine and illustrious Person, whom he perceived to be what he was: and did worship; gave him religious worship and adoration, which had he been a created angel he would not have given to him, nor would such an one have received it, Rev 19:10 , and said unto him, what saith my Lord unto his servant? that is, what commands had he to lay upon him, and he was ready to execute them? he was heartily willing to be subject to him as the chief general of the Israelitish forces, and to consider himself, and behave, as an officer under him, and to obey all orders that should be given.