Bible Strands
Joshua 5:15
The Commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Commander of the LORD’s army addresses Joshua immediately after Joshua falls facedown in reverence (Joshua 5:14). The exchange occurs at the site of the impending conquest, marking a direct divine encounter.
The words — The speaker issues the command שַׁל נַֽעַלְ/ךָ (shal naʿal/ka), literally “take off your sandal,” and identifies himself as שַׂר צְבָא יְהוָה (sar tzevaʾ Yahweh), “commander of the army of Yahweh.”
The thread — The footwear command parallels the directive in Exodus 3:5 regarding holy ground. The motif of divine presence marking sacred space also runs through Acts 7:32 and 2 Peter 1:18.
Why it lands — The text records a direct command to remove sandals on holy ground, followed by Joshua’s immediate obedience. The passage demands acknowledgment of divine holiness that requires physical reverence and instant compliance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
Cross-references
- Exodus 3:5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
- Acts 7:32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
- 2 Peter 1:18 And we ourselves heard this voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.