Joshua 5:13

Joshua 5:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, 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 Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
• New International Version (NIV)Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
• New King James Version (NKJV)And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
• New Living Translation (NLT)When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?”

Context of Joshua 5:13

11And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" 14And he said, "No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?" 15And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

Joshua 5:13 word by word

וַיְהִ֗י בִּֽהְי֣וֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ֮ בִּירִיחוֹ֒ וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד לְנֶגְדּ֔וֹ וְחַרְבּ֥וֹ שְׁלוּפָ֖ה בְּיָד֑וֹ וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ הֲלָ֥נוּ אַתָּ֖ה אִם־לְצָרֵֽינוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
• was by Jerichoיְרִיחוֹyerîychô yerêchô yerîychôh · JerichoH3405
• that he lifted upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: lookH5375
• his eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• and lookedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• and, behold, there stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• over against him with his swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• drawnשָׁלַףshâlaph · to drawH8025
• in his handיָדyâd · handH3027
• wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• unto him, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• thou for us, or for our adversariesצַרtsar tsâr · enemyH6862

Cross-references for Joshua 5:13

• Genesis 33:1And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants.
• Daniel 8:3I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.
• Daniel 10:5I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
• Joshua 6:2And the Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.
• Genesis 18:2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth
• Genesis 32:24And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.
• Exodus 23:23"When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out,
• Judges 13:8Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born."
• Hosea 12:3In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God.
• Zechariah 1:8"I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
• Acts 1:10And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
• Revelation 1:13and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
• Numbers 22:23And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road.
• 1 Chronicles 21:16And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
• 1 Chronicles 12:17David went out to meet them and said to them, "If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you."

Commentaries on Joshua 5:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13When Joshua was by Jericho - The sixth chapter should have commenced here, as this is an entirely new relation; or these two chapters should have made but one, as the present division has most unnaturally divided the communication which Joshua had from the angel of the Lord, and which is continued to Joshua 6:5. It is very likely that Joshua had gone out privately to reconnoitre the city of Jericho when he had this vision; and while contemplating the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13A man - See Genesis 12:7, note; Genesis 18:2, note. The appearance was that of God manifested in the Person of His Word. Hence, the command of Joshua 5:15. That the appearance was not in a vision merely is clear from the fact that Joshua “went unto Him” and addressed Him.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-15Verses 13-15 We read not of any appearance of God's glory to Joshua till now. There appeared to him one as a man to be noticed. This Man was the Son of God, the eternal Word. Joshua gave him Divine honours: he received them, which a created angel would not have done, and he is called Jehovah, chap. 6:2. To Abraham he appeared as a traveller; to Joshua as a man of war. Christ will be to his people what their faith needs. Christ had his sword drawn, which…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13Joshua was scouting the land and the city’s defenses near the town of Jericho to follow up on the report of the two spies (2:23–24). Joshua showed personal courage when he went toward the unknown man, who was holding a sword in his hand.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1513. when Joshua was by Jericho--in the immediate vicinity of that city, probably engaged in surveying the fortifications, and in meditating the best plan of a siege. there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn--It is evident from the strain of the context that this was not a mere vision, but an actual appearance; the suddenness of which surprised, but did not daunt, the intrepid leader.Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 5:13

• Jericho
• Sword
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Jericho
• Joshua
• Angel
• Loose
• Joshua, Book of
• War, Man of
• Angels

Commentaries on Joshua 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings