THE BOOK OF
JOSHUA.

Joshua 5

1The Canaanites are afraid. 2Joshua reneweth circumcision. 10The passover is kept at Gilgal. 12The manna ceaseth. 13An angel appeareth to Joshua.


1AND it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan 1westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, 2that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

1 That is, dwelling the west part, in the land of Canaan.

2 Hebr. melted, that is, they fainted. See Joshua 2:9, 24.

2¶At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make theea3sharp knives, and 4circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.

a Exod. 4:25.

3 Other, knives of flints. Hebr. swords, or knives of rocks, as Exod. 4:25.

4 Hebr. return, circumcise, that is, circumcise again, an Hebrew manner of speaking. See Num. 11 on verse 4; Psalm 85:6; Ezek. 8:6. The circumcision was first commanded unto Abraham and his seed, and was afterward continued till in Egypt, where those who were come out of Egypt were also circumcised; but for as much as circumcision was not administered unto those that were born in the wilderness, therefore the same is here again by Gods command resumed.

3And Joshua made him sharp knives, and 5circumcised the children of Israel at the 6hill of the foreskins.

5 Namely, those, who as yet were not circumcised, which were those who were born in the wilderness.

6 Some keep the Hebrew word araloth used in the text, which signifies foreskins, because the foreskins of the children of Israel were circumcised there.

4And 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.

5Now 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 out of Egypt, them 7they had not circumcised.

7 Namely, the parents. This was omitted, either through negligence and heedlessness, or because they knew not the precise time when they were to march; and it would be very troublesome, yea doubtless prove exceeding dangerous to those who were but newly circumcised to march upon it immediately.

6For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware thatb he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

b Num. 14:23.

7And their children, whom 8he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.

8 Namely, the Lord God.

8And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, 9till they were whole.

9 Hebr. until they lived, as Num. 21:8.

9And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away 10the reproach of Egypt 11from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called 12Gilgal 13unto this day.

10 Such he calls the foreskin, which the Israelites had left on their children, herein rather following the example of the uncircumcised Egyptians than the command of God. See Jer. 9:25, 26. Some understand by the reproach of Egypt, the reproach, which the Egyptians would have cast upon God and his people, if they would have been excluded out of the land of Canaan. See Deut. 9:28.

11 Hebr. from upon you; that is, which lay upon you.

12 That is, rolling, rolling away, because by circumcision the shame or reproach of the Israelites was as it were rolled away.

13 Namely, this name remains, or keep that place this name.

10¶And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and 14kept the passover onc the fourteenth day 15of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

14 Hebr. made. The celebrating of the passover was likewise neglected in the wilderness, save in the second year after their exodus out of Egypt; see Num. 9:1.

c Exod. 12:6.

15 Namely, on the fourteenth day of the first month of the year, as appears Joshua 4:19.

11And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrowd after the passover, unleavenede cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.

d morning*

e Exod. 12:39; Lev. 2:14.

12¶And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

13¶And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, theref stood 16a man over against him with his 17sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

f Exod. 23:23.

16 This was the Lord Christ in the form of a man, as may be gathered from Joshua 6:2.

17 Namely, thereby to encourage Joshua, giving him to understand, that He would be with him, and fight on his side against the Canaanites, and cause him to have the victory.

14And he said, 18Nay; but as 19captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and 20did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

18 Namely, I do not belong to your enemies.

19 Namely, Christ, taking care of the camp of the Israelites, which are the Lord’s people.

20 For he knew Him to be the true God. If this had been but a created angel, he would not have suffered himself to be honored thus, as may be seen, Rev. 19:10; 22:9.

15And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, 21Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is 22holy. And Joshua did so.

21 This God likewise commanded Moses, Exod. 3:5. See also Acts 7:33.

22 Hebr. holiness. Why was this place holy? Because the Lord had hallowed it by His special presence. See Exod. 3:5 and the annotation there.