Joshua 5:14

KJV1611 – Modern English

And he said, No; but as captain of the army of the LORD have I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshiped, and said to him, What does my lord say to his servant?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ לֹ֗א כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י שַׂר־צְבָֽא־יְהוָ֖ה עַתָּ֣ה בָ֑אתִי וַיִּפֹּל֩ יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ אֶל־פָּנָ֥יו אַ֙רְצָה֙ וַיִּשְׁתָּ֔חוּ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ מָ֥ה אֲדֹנִ֖י מְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־עַבְדּֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

And wayyōʾmer, "No, for I am śar-ṣəḇāʾ-YHWH, now bāʾṯî." And wayyippōl yəhôšuaʿ to his face ʾarṣâ and wayyištāḥû and wayyōʾmer to him, "What ʾăḏōnî mədabbēr to his servant?"

Grammar Details

• *wayyōʾmer*: waw-consecutive + 3rd masculine singular qal imperfect - and he said
• *śar*: noun masculine singular construct - commander of
• *ṣəḇāʾ*: noun masculine singular construct - army of
• *YHWH*: divine name - LORD/Yahweh
• *bāʾṯî*: 1st common singular qal perfect - I have come
• *wayyippōl*: waw-consecutive + 3rd masculine singular qal imperfect - and he fell
• *yəhôšuaʿ*: proper noun - Joshua
• *pānāyw*: noun masculine plural with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his face
• *ʾarṣâ*: noun feminine singular with directional suffix - to the ground
• *wayyištāḥû*: waw-consecutive + 3rd masculine singular hishtaphel imperfect - and he bowed down
• *ʾăḏōnî*: noun masculine singular with 1st common singular suffix - my lord
• *mədabbēr*: piel participle masculine singular - speaking
• *ʿaḇdô*: noun masculine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his servant

Word Meanings

• *wayyōʾmer*: and he said/spoke/replied
• *śar*: commander/captain/prince/chief
• *ṣəḇāʾ*: army/host/troops
• *bāʾṯî*: I have come/arrived/entered
• *wayyippōl*: and he fell/dropped down/prostrated
• *pānāyw*: his face/presence/countenance
• *ʾarṣâ*: to the ground/earthward/to the earth
• *wayyištāḥû*: and he bowed down/worshiped/prostrated himself
• *ʾăḏōnî*: my lord/master/superior
• *mədabbēr*: speaking/saying/commanding
• *ʿaḇdô*: his servant/slave/subordinate

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  He replied, "Neither," he said. "I am the commander of the LORD’s army. Now I have come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence and asked, "What message does my Lord have for His servant?"

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

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

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said,{H559} Nay; but [as] prince{H8269} of the host{H6635} of Jehovah{H3068} am I now come.{H935} And Joshua{H3091} fell{H5307} on his face{H6440} to the earth,{H776} and did worship,{H7812} and said{H559} unto him, What saith{H559} my lord{H113} unto his servant?{H5650}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said{H559}{(H8799)}, Nay; but as captain{H8269} of the host{H6635} of the LORD{H3068} am I now come{H935}{(H8804)}. And Joshua{H3091} fell{H5307}{(H8799)} on his face{H6440} to the earth{H776}, and did worship{H7812}{(H8691)}, and said{H559}{(H8799)} unto him, What saith{H1696}{(H8764)} my lord{H113} unto his servant{H5650}?

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  He sayde: No, but I am the prynce of the LORDES hoost, and now am I come. Then fell Iosua downe to the earth vpon his face, & worshipped him, and sayde vnto him: What sayeth my LORDE vnto his seruaunt?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And he said, Nay, but as a captaine of the host of the Lorde am I nowe come: then Ioshua fel on his face to the earth, and did worship, & saide vnto him, What sayth my Lorde vnto his seruant?

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he sayde, Naie: but as a captaine of the hoast of the Lord am I nowe come. And Iosuah fell on his face to ye earth, and did worship, and sayde vnto him: What saith my Lord vnto his seruaunt?

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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?

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He said, No; but [as] prince of the host of Yahweh am I now come. Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said to him, What says my lord to his servant?

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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?'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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?

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And he said, No; but I have come as captain of the armies of the Lord. Then Joshua, falling down with his face to the earth in worship, said, What has my lord to say to his servant?

• World English Bible (2000)

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

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  He answered,“Truly I am the commander of the LORD’s army. Now I have arrived!” Joshua bowed down with his face to the ground and asked,“What does my master want to say to his servant?”

Referenced Verses

• Gen 17:3 : 3 And Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,
• Isa 55:4 : 4 Behold, I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander for the people.
• Dan 10:13 : 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia resisted me for twenty-one days; but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I was left there with the kings of Persia.
• Dan 10:21 : 21 But I will show you what is noted in the Scripture of truth; and no one stands with me in these things, but Michael your prince.
• Dan 12:1 : 1 At that time, Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one found written in the book.
• Matt 8:2 : 2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.
• Matt 22:44 : 44 The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool?
• Luke 1:43 : 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
• Luke 5:12 : 12 And it happened, when he was in a certain city, a man full of leprosy saw Jesus and fell on his face, and begged him, saying, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.
• Luke 20:42 : 42 And David himself says in the book of Psalms, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand,
• John 20:28 : 28 And Thomas answered and said to him, My Lord and my God!
• Acts 9:6 : 6 And trembling and astonished, he said, Lord, what do you want me to do? And the Lord said to him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do.
• Acts 10:25-26 : 25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
• Phil 3:8 : 8 Indeed, I count all things as loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ,
• Isa 6:8 : 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then I said, Here am I; send me.
• Gen 17:17 : 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born to him who is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?
• Exod 4:10 : 10 And Moses said to the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before, nor since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue.
• Exod 4:13 : 13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray, by the hand of him whom you will send.
• Exod 23:20-22 : 20 Behold, I send an angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of him and obey his voice; do not provoke him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him. 22 But if you indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
• Lev 9:24 : 24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
• Num 16:22 : 22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will You be angry with all the congregation?
• Num 16:45 : 45 Get up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
• 1 Sam 3:9-9 : 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, Speak, LORD; for your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for your servant hears.
• Ps 110:1 : 1 The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.
• Heb 2:10 : 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
• Rev 12:7 : 7 And there was a war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war,
• Rev 19:10-14 : 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, See that you do it not: I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he who sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no one knew but he himself. 13 And he wore a robe dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
• Rev 22:8-9 : 8 And I, John, saw these things and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 Then he said to me, See that you do not do it: for I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the sayings of this book: worship God.