Take your sandals off; you are standing on holy ground are exactly
the same instructions as those given by the Lord to Moses at the burning bush
(Exo 3:5). The ground on which Joshua is standing is holy because of the
presence of the commander of the Lord’s army. The order of the words may need
to be inverted in translation: “You are standing on holy ground. So take off
your sandals.” The phrase holy ground
may not be understood; or worse, it may be misunderstood as “ground that is
taboo,” or in a negative sense as “ground that defiles people who touch it.”
One may even be compelled to dispense with the “ground” imagery and translate
“You are standing in the presence of the LORD.” If the imagery is maintained
one may translate “You are standing on ground where the LORD has chosen to be
worshiped.” (Robert G. Bratcher and Barclay Moon Newman, A Translator’s
Handbook on the Book of Joshua [UBS Handbook Series; London: United Bible Societies,
1983], 67)
