יהושע, פרק ו׳, פסוק ב׳

Moments before the conquest of the land begins, a divine message of encouragement arrives to guarantee total victory. The purpose of this revelation is to prepare the leader for a campaign that will defy the laws of nature, assuring him that a powerful and heavily fortified enemy will fall entirely into his hands.

God communicates this message through the angel who had appeared to Joshua earlier [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The angel is referred to by God's own name because he serves as His direct messenger, as the Creator often shares His name with the angels who carry out His will [רד״ק].

This prophecy is meant to comfort Joshua and explain the unique nature of the upcoming battle. Since the conquest of Jericho was destined to be a miracle rather than a conventional war [מלבי״ם], Joshua might have worried that the city was being kept from him, much like his teacher Moses was forbidden from fighting certain nations. To dispel this fear, God assures him that the city will be handed over to him quickly and completely [אברבנאל].

The divine promise specifically includes the capture of Jericho's king to emphasize the absolute nature of the victory. In typical warfare, kings often manage to escape or are killed in the chaos of battle, but here, Joshua is assured that the king himself will be captured and delivered into his hands [אברבנאל]. Furthermore, the promise highlights the mighty warriors of Jericho [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The primary approach among commentators is that this detail amplifies the sheer scale of the miracle. It makes clear that victory is absolutely guaranteed, even against strong, seasoned soldiers who rely heavily on their physical power to save them [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].