Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G Message"Neither," He replied. "I am the Commander of Yahweh's heavenly armies. Now I have come." Joshua fell facedown to the earth in worship and said, "What does my Lord say to His servant?"
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GHe said, "No — I am the Commander of YHWH's army. I have now come." And Yehoshua fell on his face to the ground and bowed in worship, and said to Him, "What does my Lord speak to His servant?"
KJV
King James VersionAnd 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?
BSB
Berean Standard Bible“Neither,” He replied. “I have now come as Commander of the LORD’s army.” Then Joshua fell facedown in reverence and asked Him, “What does my Lord have to say to His servant?”
Footnotes
*Sar-tzeva-YHWH* — "Prince" or "Commander of the host/army of YHWH." The divine *tzeva* (host) encompasses the angelic armies and, by extension, Israel itself. His answer "No" (*lo'*) — refusing categorisation as belonging to either human side — is a breathtaking reply: He has not come to join Israel's campaign; He has come as sovereign Commander, before whom Joshua himself must fall. *Wayyishtachu* — the word for Joshua's response — is the standard Hebrew term for divine worship, and this figure *accepts* it without rebuke (contrast Acts 10:26; Rev. 19:10, where angels explicitly refuse worship). Ancient Jewish and Christian interpreters alike widely identified this figure as the Angel of YHWH — the pre-incarnate divine Presence. FOG capitalises "Commander" and renders *Adonai* as "my Lord" with capitalisation to signal divine address; FOG Message renders "Lord" in a devotional register that honours the same identification.