The Meaning of Joshua 5:14 Explained

Joshua 5:14

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?

YLT: And He saith, 'No, for I am Prince of Jehovah's host; now I have come;' and Joshua falleth on his face to the earth, and doth obeisance, and saith to Him, 'What is my Lord speaking unto His servant?'

Darby: And he said, No; for as captain of the army of Jehovah am I now come. Then Joshua fell upon his face to the earth, and worshipped, and said to him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

ASV: And he said, Nay; but as prince of the host of Jehovah 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?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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? 

What does Joshua 5:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 5:13-15 - The Commander And His Plan Of Campaign
When the heart is perfect with God we may count on His presence and help. It is to the separated and obedient servant that the vision of Christ, as Ally and Captain, is given. Here were three hosts marshaled by Jericho-of the Canaanites, of Israel, and of the heavenly armies, waiting to war against the evil spirits which ruled the darkness of the land, Ephesians 6:12.
The answer to Joshua's question depended on whether Israel was prepared to accept God's plan of campaign, which was very humbling to the flesh. "The Lord is with us, if we are with Him," Joshua 7:11-12; 2 Chronicles 15:2. As Jericho was the key to Canaan, and its fall was to be the earnest of complete victory, the program was carefully planned to give God His rightful position. From first to last its capture was the result of the interposition of Him who dwelled in the bush. Therefore, the Ark was borne around the city, as the symbol of His presence, Numbers 10:35. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 5

1  The Canaanites are afraid
2  Joshua renews circumcision
10  The Passover is kept at Gilgal
12  manna ceases
13  An angel appears to Joshua

What do the individual words in Joshua 5:14 mean?

so He said No but [as] I Commander of the army of Yahweh now have come And fell Joshua on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to Him what my Lord does say to His servant
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ לֹ֗א כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י שַׂר־ צְבָֽא־ יְהוָ֖ה עַתָּ֣ה בָ֑אתִי וַיִּפֹּל֩ יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ אֶל־ פָּנָ֥יו אַ֙רְצָה֙ וַיִּשְׁתָּ֔חוּ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ מָ֥ה אֲדֹנִ֖י מְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־ ؟ עַבְדּֽוֹ

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀  so  He  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לֹ֗א  No 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
כִּ֛י  but  [as] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
שַׂר־  Commander 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
צְבָֽא־  of  the  army 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עַתָּ֣ה  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
בָ֑אתִי  have  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וַיִּפֹּל֩  And  fell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
פָּנָ֥יו  his  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אַ֙רְצָה֙  to  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וַיִּשְׁתָּ֔חוּ  and  worshiped 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
ל֔וֹ  to  Him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
אֲדֹנִ֖י  my  Lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
מְדַבֵּ֥ר  does  say 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
؟ עַבְדּֽוֹ  His  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.