Joshua 5:13-6:5

Christian Standard Bible

Commander of the Lord’s Army

¹³ When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand.^(A) Joshua approached him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

¹⁴ “Neither,” he replied. “I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.”^(B)

Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in homage^(C) and asked him, “What does my lord want to say to his servant?”

¹⁵ The commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.”^(D) And Joshua did that.

The Conquest of Jericho

6 Now Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites—no one leaving or entering. ² The Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its best soldiers over to you.^{(E) 3} March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. ⁴ Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the rams’ horns.^{(F) 5} When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the troops give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the troops will advance, each man straight ahead.”