Joshua 5:12

12 And the manna ceased the day after, when they [started] eating the produce of the land, and there was no longer manna for the {Israelites}. They ate from the crop of the land of Canaan in that year.

Joshua 5:12 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 5:12

And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of
the old corn of the land
There being now no further need of it; miracles are not wrought or continued when unnecessary; for the ceasing of the manna shows, that it was not a common but an extraordinary provision. The ceasing of the manna, which was a type of Christ, may signify the cessation of Gospel ordinances, in which Christ is held forth as food for his people. These are to continue till all the spiritual Israel of God have passed over the river Jordan, or death, even until the end of the world, and then to cease, ( Matthew 28:19 Matthew 28:20 ) ( 1 Corinthians 11:26 ) ( Revelation 21:22 Revelation 21:23 ) ; the eating of the old corn may signify the glories of the future state, the joys and happiness of the heavenly Canaan, prepared for those that love the Lord from the foundation of the world; it may denote those ancient things the saints will feed and live upon to all eternity; the eternal love of the three divine Persons, electing grace, the ancient settlements of grace, the everlasting covenant of grace, and the blessings of it; the glorious Mediator of it, that was set up from everlasting, and the grace given to them in him before the world began:

neither had the children of Israel manna any more;
having no more need of it, as the saints in heaven will stand in no more need of Gospel ordinances:

but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year;
the increase of the land, not only of the fields, but of the vineyards and oliveyards, which they had neither sown nor planted, see ( Deuteronomy 6:10 Deuteronomy 6:11 ) ; which may denote the plenty and variety of the joys of heaven, and glories of the future state; the various fruits which grow on Christ, the tree of life, brought forth every month, or continually; all which will be enjoyed through the free grace of God, without the works or merits of men.

Joshua 5:12 In-Context

10 And the {Israelites} camped at Gilgal, and they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, on the plains of Jericho.
11 On the next day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate from the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and roasted corn.
12 And the manna ceased the day after, when they [started] eating the produce of the land, and there was no longer manna for the {Israelites}. They ate from the crop of the land of Canaan in that year.
13 And it happened, when Joshua was by Jericho, {he looked up}, and he saw a man standing {opposite him} [with] his sword drawn in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said, "Are you with us, or with our adversaries?"
14 And he said, "Neither. I have come now [as] the commander of Yahweh's army." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and {he bowed down} and said to him, "What [is] my lord commanding his servant?"

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.