Re: chapter 5, this verse stood out for me:
verse 1: And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
Just how many kings did the Amorites and the Caananites have? And it's amaaaaazing that God put fear in their hearts of the Israelites? God "spooked", them, mon......
...and here in verse 2 where God tells Joshua to circumcise the Israelites......there's some real parallels to Moses and Joshua here....both leaders of the Israelites and both Godly men, and both carrying out God's command for the Israelites to be circumcised....
verse 2: At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
And whoa! Verses 13-15...this is PIVOTAL!!!! Just WHO was this with the drawn sword?
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
14 And 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?
15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
The commentary was ENORMOUSLY helpful here, because it explained the details and clues that indicated WHO this was with His Sword drawn. It was God Himself! So HERE we see that Joshua ALSO saw God face to face, just as Moses had. How glorious is that?
And back to verses 9-12...here is where God stops providing the manna because they are gonna eat of the fruit of their land that God had claimed for them. In a sense, this first meal of the fruit of the land is sorta' like a celebration, and what a glorious celebration it is.
9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.
12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.