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

1When all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings who lived along the Mediterranean coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan River so the people of Israel could cross, they lost heart and were paralyzed with fear because of them. At that time the Lord told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise this second generation of Israelites.” 3So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the entire male population of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. 4Joshua had to circumcise them because all the men who were old enough to fight in battle when they left Egypt had died in the wilderness.

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 covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised.
• Deuteronomy 10:16Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.
• Deuteronomy 30:6“The Lord your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!
• Romans 2:29No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
• Romans 4:11Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith.
• Colossians 2:11When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful 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