The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 155

is still in the possession of the enemy ; and poses it to have been a created being-an ans"·ers ingeniously that wherever the cap- angel-through whom Jehovah was pleased tain of the Lord's host is must needs be to manifest Himself. The former opinion holy ground). Be lift up hie eyes. Usually, ,va.~ genera.I in the earliest ages of the though not always (cf. Gen. xiii. 10), used Church. The appearance of the Arian of an unexpected or marvellous sight (see heresy, however, brought this interpretation Gen. niii. 2; xxii. 13; Num. xxiv. 2; l into discredit. It was felt to be dangerous Sa.m. n. 13; l Chron. xxi. 16). A man. to admit it, lest it should lead to the notion This Dinne or angelic vision came, as wa.s that the Logos, however great and glorious often the ce.se, in human shape (cf. Gen. a being he might be, however superior to all x,iii. 1, 2; xix. l, 2, 10; xxxii. 24; Judg. other created beings, was nevertheless re- xiii. 3. 6, 11; Daniel x. 16, 18; xii. 6, 7. moved by an infinite interval from the Su- See note on next verse). With h1s sword preme God Himself. The Jewish interpreters drawn 1n his_ hand. As in Num. xxii. 31; differ on the point. Maimonides and others 1 Chron. xx1. 16 (cf. Gen. iii. 24). And (see next note) do not regai:d the appeamnce Joahua went unto him and said. It ap- as a real one. The majority seem to have pears from this, says Calvin, that Joshua supposed it to have been the Archangel was alone, and was prepared to fight with Michael. We will proceed to examine the the apparition, if it appeared that he had scriptural and patristic evidence on the fallen in with an enemy. For at first, unex- subject. That appearances, believed to be pected as the appearance was, he recognised manifestations of God Himself in a visible nothing supernatural in it. form, are recorded in Scripture, is a fact ,er. 14.-And he 11111d, Nay. Many MSS. which cannot be denied. Thus we have the -.,-hich are followed by the LXX. and Syrie.o voice of God (1'1Jh;. ~~') walking in the gar- r:, versions, have for kS here. The Chaldee den (Gen. iii. 8). Again, in eh. xv., though and Yulgate read kS, and the Masorites do first God appears to Abraham in a vision, not reckon this among the 15 passages in the nature of the manifestation would seem which 1S is read for kS (Keil). But when to have changed in some respects afterwards, Keil adds that a comparison of this passage for we read" he brought him forth abroad" with eh. xxiv. _21 decides the point, he is (ver. 5). Again, in eh. xviii., we find that gmng too fe.r, SlllCe ':ll often stands, like the Jehovah " appeared" to Abraham as he Greek o7<, before a quotation, in the ple.ce dwelt by the oaks of Me.mre (ver. 1), and of our inverted commas (see, for instance, the narrative would suggest the.t Jehovah Gen. xxix. 33; Exod. iii. 12, &c.). The Himself appeared, and two attendant angels. various reading has no doubt arisen from This is further corroborated by the fact that the ambiguity of the passage, for it appears Abraham remains in conference with Je- gre.mmatically doubtful to which part of hovah, wbile the two angels who arrived in Joshua's question the particle of negation the evening at Sodom do _not appear to have applies. Yet it is obvious enough practically been spoken of e.s Jehovah, or to have re- that it is in answer to the last portion of it. ceived Divine honours from Lot. The But as captain of the Lord's host am I now " man" who (Gen. xx:xii. 24) wrestled with come. Literally, "for (or but) I, the captain Jacob is described afterwards (ver. 30) e.s o_( the Lord's host, have now come." As "God." The "angel of the Lord" who though he would say, " the struggle is now (Exod. iii. 2) "appee.red" unto Moses "in a imminent ; the conflict is all but begun; and flame of fire, out of the midst of a bush," is now, at the critical -moment when my help immediately afterwards described as J e- is needed, I, the captain of the hosts of the hove.h and Elohim (ver. 4), and, as in the Lord, the leader of all that vast army of present passage, Moses is instructed to re- unseen con.!ederates, who are destined to move his shoe from his foot in consequence marshal the forces of nature, the elements of the holiness of the place in which so of supernatural terror and dismay on the great a Being appeared. And here we are Eide of the Israelites, am come 'to help led to investigate the nature of that myste- yon." That the Lord's host must mean rious being who is described as " the e.ngel the angels is clear from such passages as of the Lord," the" angel,'' or, as the word Gen. xx.xii. 2; 1 Kings xxi.i. 19 ; Pea. ciii. is sometimes tre.nslated, •' messenger of the 20, 21; cxlviii. 2; St. Luke ii. 13 (cf. covenant." He appears to Hagar (Gen. 2 Kings vi. 17 ). Hengstenberg, in iris xvi. 7), and she immediately proceeds (ver. ' Christology,' illustrates by Matt. x:xvi. 53. 13) to express her belief that it is God whom Two opinions have been held by the early she has seen. The angel who appears to Church concerning this manifestation. The Abraham at the saorifioo of Isa1Lo (Gen. nii. finit regards it as the appearance of the Son 11, 12, 18) 11peaks of Himself as God. The of God in a visible form ; the second sap- voice of the angel, again, is regarded by Leah on. v. 13-16.J TB:E BOOK OF .roslIUA. 91