Joshua 5:2-12

2 And about this time the Lord said to Joshua, Make thee stone knives of sharp stone, and sit down and circumcise the children of Israel the second time.

3 And Joshua made sharp knives of stone, and circumcised the children of Israel at the place called the “Hill of Foreskins.”

4 And the way in which Joshua purified the children of Israel; as many as were born in the way, and as many as were uncircumcised of them that came out of Egypt,

5 all these Joshua circumcised; for forty and two years Israel wondered in the wilderness of Mabdaris—

6 Wherefore most of the fighting men that came out of the land of Egypt, were uncircumcised, who disobeyed the commands of God; concerning whom also he determined that they should not see the land, which the Lord sware to give to their fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.

7 And in their place he raised up their sons, whom Joshua circumcised, because they were uncircumcised, having been born by the way.

8 And when they had been circumcised they rested continuing there in the camp till they were healed.

9 And the Lord said to Joshua the son of Naue, On this day have I removed the reproach of Egypt from you: and he called the name of that place Galgala.

10 And the children of Israel kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, to the westward of Jericho on the opposite side of the Jordan in the plain.

11 And they ate of the grain of the earth unleavened and new .

12 In this day the manna failed, after they had eaten of the corn of the land, and the children of Israel no longer had manna: and they took the fruits of the land of the Phoenicians in that year.

Joshua 5:2-12 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. sitting. A frequent Hebraism.