Joshua 5:1-8

1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites who [were] on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites who [were] by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we had passed over, that their heart melted; neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
4 And this [is] the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, [that were] males, [even] all the men of war died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.
5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised; but all the people [that were] born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth from Egypt, [them] they had not circumcised.
6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people [that were] men of war who came out of Egypt were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: to whom the LORD swore that he would not show them the land which the LORD swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
7 And their children, [whom] he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
8 And it came to pass when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.

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.

The Webster Bible is in the public domain.