Joshua 5

And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, 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, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.

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

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.

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 out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

For 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 that 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.

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.

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.

And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

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

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.

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

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

And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

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Joshua 5

Circumcision and Passover mark Israel's transition from the wilderness generation to the land-inheriting generation; the 'reproach of Egypt' is rolled away as covenant males are circumcised at Gilgal. The renewal of Passover celebrates deliverance past while inaugurating deliverance present, and manna ceases when Israel eats the grain of Canaan—the promise moves from miraculous sustenance to agrarian possession. The encounter with the commander of YHWH's army (likely a theophany) finds Joshua worshiping, instructed to remove his sandals as Moses did at the burning bush, linking Joshua's authority to the Sinaitic covenant and positioning him as YHWH's appointed instrument. The chapter traces Israel's maturation from redeemed slaves to covenant people ready to inherit the land through the LORD's leading.

Joshua 5:1

As soon as all the kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan and all the kings of the Canaanites by the sea heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel

Joshua 5:2

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, 'Make flint knives and circumcise the people of Israel a second time'

Joshua 5:3

So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the people of Israel at the Hill of the Foreskins

Joshua 5:4

And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the warriors, had died during the wandering in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt

Joshua 5:5

For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey had not been circumcised

Joshua 5:6

For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the warriors who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD; to them the LORD had sworn that he would not let them see the land that the LORD had sworn to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey

Joshua 5:7

So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, whom Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way

Joshua 5:8

When the circumcision of all the nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed

Joshua 5:9

And the LORD said to Joshua, 'Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.' Therefore the place was called Gilgal

Joshua 5:10

While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho

Joshua 5

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