Old Testament · Joshua

Joshua 5

The Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal

1And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until they passed over, that their heart melted, and there was no longer any spirit^a in them because of the children of Israel.

2At that time the LORD said to Joshua: Make for yourself knives of flint, and circumcise again the children of Israel a second time. 3And Joshua made for himself knives of flint, and circumcised the children of Israel at Gibeath-ha-araloth.

4And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised: all the people who came out of Egypt, the males, all the men^b of war, died in the wilderness on the way, when they came out of Egypt. 5For all the people who came out had been circumcised; but all the people who were born in the wilderness on the way, when they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised.

6For forty years the children of Israel walked in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, were finished, because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD; to whom the LORD swore not to let them see the land which the LORD swore to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7And their children He raised up in their stead; them Joshua circumcised, for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the way.

8And it came to pass, when all the nation had finished being circumcised, that they stayed in their places in the camp until they were healed.

9And the LORD said to Joshua: This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from upon you. And he called the name of that place Gilgal, to this day.

10And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and they made the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho. 📊 Chart 📊 Chart 11And they ate of the produce of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes and parched grain, in the bone of that same day.

12And the manna ceased on the morrow, when they ate of the produce of the land; and there was no longer manna for the children of Israel, but they ate of the yield of the land of Canaan that year.

The Commander of the LORD’s Army

13And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man standing opposite him, and his sword drawn in his hand; and Joshua went to him and said to him: Are you for us, or for our adversaries?

14And he said: No, but I am the prince of the host of the LORD; now I have come. And Joshua fell on his face to the ground and bowed down, and said to him: What does my lord speak to his servant?

15And the prince of the host of the LORD said to Joshua: Remove your sandal from upon your foot, for the place on which you stand, it is holy. And Joshua did so.