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Passover in the new land
Joshua 5:10 “And the children of Yisra’ĕl camped in Gilgal, and performed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening on the desert plains of Yeriḥo. And they ate of the stored grain of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened bread and roasted grain on this same day. And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the stored grain of the land. And the children of Yisra’ĕl no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Kena‛an that year.”
Even though they were in the wilderness, they did not know it would be 40 years. Israel just had to trust their Father, follow the Him and stay in Faith, and He provided them manna all this time. When they left Egypt, they left on this very day – the 14th day of the 1st month. That was their first Passover. Now they have arrived at their destination, on Passover.
Ai
Joshua 8:28 And Yehoshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a ruin to this day.
Ai in Hebrew is AY H5857 – ʿay, which means “a heap of ruins”. In Genesis 12:7-8 Abraham was promised by YHWH between Ai (which was then Hai) and Bethel that YHWH would give this land to Abrahams’ seed, and he built an altar there. Ai was part of prophecy being fulfilled. This does give one comfort to know that our Father in Heaven is in control, He knows everything.
War
Joshua 5:13-14 “And it came to be, when Yehoshua was by Yeriḥo, that he lifted his eyes and looked and saw a Man standing opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Yehoshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries? And He said, “No, for I have now come as Captain of the host of YHWH.”
Before Israel marches 7 times and blowing the Shofars, the REAL Captain of the war of YHWH appears. How many times have we heard the story of the walls of Jericho because of the marching and Shofars. What happened to the giants in the city? It is like Israel did what they were commanded, and walked into a city that was already won. In verse 14 we have the word “host”, what does your bible translation say?
The Hebrew word in the original texts are SABA H6635 – ṣāḇā‘, meaning “host of army”, war or warfare, army, battle. It also refers to the “host of angels“, but the same word is used for the “whole creation“. In Genesis 2:1 it says, “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. H6635”.
This word is used hundreds of times in Psalms, Isaiah and Jeremiah and few other prophets. Here are just a few quick verses, and one from Malachi the prophet.
- Psa 84:12 “O YHWH of hosts, H6635 blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.”
- Isa 6:3 “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is YHWH of hosts: H6635 the whole earth is full of his glory.”
- Mal 3:17 “And they shall be mine, saith YHWH of hosts, H6635 in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.”
- Mal 4:1 “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith YHWH of hosts, H6635 “
