Joshua 5:13-15 describes Joshua's encounter near Jericho with a mysterious figure who identifies Himself as the commander of the army of the LORD. Joshua falls before Him, and the commander instructs him to remove his sandals because the place is holy, language strongly reminiscent of Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush. The passage emphasizes that Israel's coming victories will ultimately depend not upon Joshua's military ability but upon the presence and authority of the LORD.

Hebrews 2:10 describes Jesus as the "captain," "author," or "founder" of salvation, depending upon the translation, who brings many sons and daughters to glory through His suffering. Christian interpreters have therefore long seen a typological correspondence between Joshua's heavenly commander and Christ, the true leader of God's people. Some also understand the figure in Joshua 5 as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, although the text itself does not explicitly make that identification. The safest connection is that Joshua's conquest is placed under divine command, while the New Testament presents Jesus as the supreme Captain who leads His people to final salvation and victory.