Joshua 5

Joshua 5:1

Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and their spirits failed for fear of the Israelites.

Joshua 5:1 · BSB

Joshua 5:2

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel once again.”

Joshua 5:2 · BSB

sharp knives or , knives of flints , Before the use of iron was common , all the nations of the earth had their edge tools made of stones , flints , etc. Our ancestors had their arrows and spearheads made of flint; which are frequently turned up by the plough. And even when iron became more common , stone knives seem to have been preferred for making incisions in the human body. The Egyptians used such to open the bodies for embalming; and the tribe of Alnajab in Ethiopia , who follow the Mosaic institution , perform the rite of circumcision , according to Ludolf , cultris lapidibus , with knives made of stone.

Joshua 5:3

So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.

Joshua 5:3 · BSB

the hill of the foreskins or , Gibeah haaraloth

Joshua 5:4

Now this is why Joshua circumcised them: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of war—had died on the journey in the wilderness after they had left Egypt.

Joshua 5:4 · BSB

Joshua 5:5

Though all who had come out were circumcised, none of those born in the wilderness on the journey from Egypt had been circumcised.

Joshua 5:5 · BSB

Joshua 5:6

For the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years, until all the nation’s men of war who had come out of Egypt had died, since they did not obey the LORD. So the LORD vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Joshua 5:6 · BSB

Joshua 5:7

And Jushua-Raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones he circumcised. Until this time they were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way.

Joshua 5:7 · BSB

Joshua 5:8

And after all the nation had been circumcised, they stayed there in the camp until they were healed.

Joshua 5:8 · BSB

when they etc. Heb. when the people had made an end to be circumcised

Joshua 5:9

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So that place has been called Gilgal to this day.

Joshua 5:9 · BSB

Joshua 5:10

On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while the Israelites were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they kept the Passover.

Joshua 5:10 · BSB

Joshua 5:11

The day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from the produce of the land.

Joshua 5:11 · BSB

old corn The people would find abundance of old corn in the deserted granaries of the affrighted inhabitants , and the barley harvest being ripe , after offering the sheaf of first-fruits , they ate also new parched corn; and thus the manna being no longer necessary , ceased , after having been sent them regularly for almost forty years. To Christians the manna for their souls shall never fail , till they arrive at the Canaan above , to feast on its rich and inexhaustible provisions.

Joshua 5:12

And the day after they had eaten from the produce of the land, the manna ceased. There was no more manna for the Israelites, so that year they began to eat the crops of the land of Canaan.

Joshua 5:12 · BSB

Joshua 5:13

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua approached Him and asked, “Are You for us or for our enemies?”

Joshua 5:13 · BSB

Joshua 5:14

“Neither,” He replied. “I have now come as Commander of the LORD’s army.” Then Joshua fell facedown in reverence and asked Him, “What does my Lord have to say to His servant?”

Joshua 5:14 · BSB

Joshua 5:15

The Commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Joshua 5:15 · BSB

And Joshua Many persons have been puzzled to know what was intended by this extraordinary appearance of the angel to Joshua , because they supposed that the whole business ends with the chapter; whereas it is continued in the succeeding one , the first #### Verse of which is a mere parenthesis , simply relating to the state of Jericho at the time when Joshua was favoured with this encouraging vision; by which he was shewn that their help came from God alone , and that it was not by human might or power , but by the Lord of hosts they were to obtain the victory.