Joshua 5:1-8

1 All the Amorite kings west of the Jordan River and all the Canaanite kings along the Mediterranean Sea heard that the LORD had dried up the Jordan River so that the Israelites could cross. So they lost heart and had no courage left to face the people of Israel.

2 At that time the LORD spoke to Joshua, "Make flint knives, and circumcise the men of Israel."

3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the men of Israel at the Hill of Circumcision.

4 This is the reason Joshua circumcised them: All the soldiers had died on the way through the desert after they left Egypt.

5 The men who left Egypt had been circumcised. However, the men born later, on the way through the desert, were not circumcised.

6 For 40 years the Israelites wandered through the desert until all their soldiers who left Egypt died. They died because they disobeyed the LORD. The LORD swore that he would not let them see this land flowing with milk and honey which he had sworn to give our ancestors.

7 The sons who took their place had not been circumcised on the way. So Joshua circumcised them.

8 When all the men had been circumcised, they remained in the camp until they recovered.

Joshua 5:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 5

The Canaanites being dispirited on the passage of the children of Israel through Jordan, Jos 5:1; Joshua is ordered to circumcise such of the people of Israel that were uncircumcised, Jos 5:2-9; in order to their eating of the passover, which was now to be kept, Jos 5:10; and they being now provided with corn sufficient, the manna ceased, Jos 5:11,12; and there appeared to Joshua a divine Person, in an human form, to encourage and direct him what to do in the conquest of the land, and particularly Jericho, Jos 5:13-15.