Joshua 5

The Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal

1NowH1961 when allH3605 the AmoriteH567 kingsH4428 west ofH5676H3220 the JordanH3383 and allH3605 the CanaaniteH3669 kingsH4428 alongH5921 the coastH32201 heardH8085 howH834 the LORDH3068 had dried upH3001 the watersH4325 of the JordanH3383 beforeH6440 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 untilH5704 they had crossed overH5674,2 their heartsH3824 meltedH4549 and their spiritsH7307 failedH3808H1961 for fear ofH6440 the IsraelitesH1121H3478.

2At thatH1931 timeH6256 the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 JoshuaH3091, “MakeH6213 flintH6697 knivesH2719 and circumciseH4135 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 once againH7725H8145.3” 3So JoshuaH3091 madeH6213 flintH6697 knivesH2719 and circumcisedH4135 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 atH413 Gibeath-haaralothH1389H6190.4

4Now thisH2088 is whyH1697 JoshuaH3091 circumcised themH4135: AllH3605 thoseH5971 who came outH3318 of EgyptH4714—allH3605 the menH582 of warH4421—had diedH4191 on the journeyH1870 in the wildernessH4057 after they had leftH3318 EgyptH4714. 5ThoughH3588 allH3605H5971 who had come outH3318 wereH1961 circumcisedH4135, noneH3605H3808 of thoseH5971 bornH3209 in the wildernessH4057 on the journeyH1870 from EgyptH3318H4714 had been circumcisedH4135.

6ForH3588 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 had wanderedH1980 in the wildernessH4057 fortyH705 yearsH8141, untilH5704 allH3605 the nation’sH1471 menH582 of warH4421 who had come outH3318 of EgyptH4714 had diedH8552, sinceH834 they did notH3808 obeyH8085H6963 the LORDH3068. SoH834 the LORDH3068 vowedH7650 neverH1115 to let them seeH7200 the landH776 HeH3068 had swornH7650 to their fathersH1 to giveH5414 us, a landH776 flowingH2100 with milkH2461 and honeyH1706. 7AndH853 He raised upH6965 their sonsH1121 in their placeH8478, and these were the onesH853 JoshuaH3091 circumcisedH4135. Until this time they wereH1961H3588 still uncircumcisedH6189, sinceH3588 they had notH3808 been circumcisedH4135 along the wayH1870.

8AndH1961 afterH834H8552 allH3605 the nationH1471 had been circumcisedH4135, they stayedH3427 thereH8478 in the campH4264 untilH5704 they were healedH2421.

9Then the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 JoshuaH3091, “TodayH3117 I have rolled awayH1556 the reproachH2781 of EgyptH4714 from youH5921.” So thatH1931 placeH4725 has been calledH7121H8034 GilgalH15375 toH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117.

10On the eveningH6153 of the fourteenthH702H6240 dayH3117 of the monthH2320, while the IsraelitesH1121H3478 were campedH2583 at GilgalH1537 on the plainsH6160 of JerichoH3405, they keptH6213 the PassoverH6453. 11The day afterH4283 the PassoverH6453, on that veryH6106 dayH3117H2088, they ateH398 unleavened breadH4682 and roasted grainH7033 from the produceH5669 of the landH776.

12And the dayH4283 after they had eatenH398 from the produceH5669 of the landH776, the mannaH4478 ceasedH7673. There wasH1961 noH3808 moreH5750 mannaH4478 for the IsraelitesH1121H3478, so thatH1931 yearH8141 they began to eatH398 the cropsH8393 of the landH776 of CanaanH3667.

The Commander of the LORD’s Army

13Now when JoshuaH3091 wasH1961 near JerichoH3405, he looked upH5375H5869 and sawH7200H2009 a manH376 standingH5975 in front of himH5048 with a drawnH8025 swordH2719 in His handH3027. JoshuaH3091 approachedH1980 HimH413 and askedH559, “Are YouH859 for us orH518 for our enemiesH6862?”

14“NeitherH3808H3588,” He repliedH559. “IH589 have nowH6258 comeH935 as CommanderH8269 of the LORD’sH3068 armyH6635.”

Then JoshuaH3091 fellH5307 facedownH413H6440H776 in reverenceH78126 and askedH559 Him, “WhatH4100 does my LordH113 have to sayH1696 toH413 His servantH5650?”

15The CommanderH8269 of the LORD’sH3068 armyH6635 repliedH559, “Take offH5394 your sandalsH5275, forH3588 the placeH4725 whereH834 youH859 are standingH5975H5921 is holyH6944H1931.”

And JoshuaH3091 didH6213 soH3651.