Joshua 5:2

Joshua 5:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
• New International Version (NIV)At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)At that time the Lord said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time."
• New King James Version (NKJV)At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.”

Context of Joshua 5:2

1Now it happened when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted [in despair], and there was no [fighting] spirit in them any longer because of the Israelites [and what God had done for them]. At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise the [new generation of the] sons of Israel as [was done] before.” 3So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. 4This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness along the way after they left Egypt.

Joshua 5:2 word by word

בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ עֲשֵׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ חַֽרְב֣וֹת צֻרִ֑ים וְשׁ֛וּב מֹ֥ל אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שֵׁנִֽית׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• At that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
• Makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• thee sharpצוּרtsûr tsûr · rockH6697
• knivesחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• and circumciseמָלַלmûl · to circumciseH4135
• againשׁוּבshûb · to return: againH7725
• the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• the second timeשֵׁנִיshênîy · secondH8145

Cross-references for Joshua 5:2

• Genesis 17:10This is [the sign of] My covenant, which you shall keep and faithfully obey, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised.
• Deuteronomy 10:16So circumcise [that is, remove sin from] your heart, and be stiff-necked (stubborn, obstinate) no longer.
• Deuteronomy 30:6“And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants [that is, He will remove the desire to sin from your heart], so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, so that you may live [as a recipient of His blessing].
• Romans 2:29But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and [true] circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by [the fulfillment of] the letter [of the Law]. His praise is not from men, but from God.
• Romans 4:11He received the sign of circumcision, a seal or confirmation of the righteousness which he had by faith while [he was still] uncircumcised—this was so that he would be the [spiritual] father of all who believe without being circumcised—so that righteousness would be credited to them,
• Colossians 2:11In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but by the [spiritual] circumcision of Christ in the stripping off of the body of the flesh [the sinful carnal nature],

Commentaries on Joshua 5:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Make thee sharp knives - צרים חרבות charboth tsurim, knives of rock, stone, or flint. Before the use of iron was common, all the nations of the earth had their edge-tools made of stones, flints, etc. In the lately discovered islands this is found to be a common case. Our ancestors in these countries made their arrow and spear-heads of flint: these I have often seen turned up by the plough. But we cannot suppose that at the time here referred to the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Make thee sharp knives - Render rather as marg., and compare marginal reference and note. Knives of flint or stone were in fact used for circumcision, and retained for that and other sacred purposes, even after iron had become in common use. The rendering of the margin is adopted by almost all ancient versions, by most commentators, and by the fathers generally, who naturally regarded circumcision performed by Joshua and by means of knives of stone or…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Before the Israelites turned their attention to Jericho, God directed Joshua to perform the covenant renewal ceremony of circumcising all the males born in the forty years since the exodus from Egypt. Because the land was part of the covenant promise, Israel’s men needed to demonstrate their personal participation in the covenant through circumcision in order to enter into the land. Flint occurs in nature without human shaping. For this reason, people…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-122. At that time--on the encampment being made after the passage. the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives--Stone knives, collect and make them ready. Flints have been used in the early times of all people; and although the use of iron was known to the Hebrews in the days of Joshua, probably the want of a sufficient number of metallic implements dictated the employment of flints on this occasion (compare Ex 4:25). circumcise again the children of…Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 5:2

• Circumcision
• Gilgal
• Revivals

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Joshua
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Circumcision
• Knife
• Loose
• Flint
• Foreskin

Commentaries on Joshua 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings