PREPARATION FOR BATTLE

Passage: Joshua 5:1-12

Key verse: 9

NIV

5 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast(A) heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they[a] had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear(B) and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.

Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal

2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives(C) and circumcise(D) the Israelites again.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.[b]

4 Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age(E)—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt.(F) 5 All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. 6 The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness(G) forty years(H) until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us,(I) a land flowing with milk and honey.(J) 7 So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. 8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.(K)

9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal[c](L) to this day.

10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month,(M) while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover.(N) 11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land:(O) unleavened bread(P) and roasted grain.(Q) 12 The manna stopped the day after[d] they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.(R)

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Footnotes
  1. Joshua 5:1 Another textual tradition we
  2. Joshua 5:3 Gibeath Haaraloth means the hill of foreskins.
  3. Joshua 5:9 Gilgal sounds like the Hebrew for roll.
  4. Joshua 5:12 Or the day
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The New Generation Circumcised

5 As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites (A)who were by the sea, (B)heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts (C)melted and (D)there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.

2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make (E)flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.[a] 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: (F)all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. 5 Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 6 For the people of Israel walked (G)forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord (H)swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, (I)a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So it was (J)their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

8 When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. 9 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the (K)reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called (L)Gilgal[b] to this day.

First Passover in Canaan

10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover (M)on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 And (N)the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

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Footnotes
  1. Joshua 5:3 Gibeath-haaraloth means the hill of the foreskins
  2. Joshua 5:9 Gilgal sounds like the Hebrew for to roll
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Circumcision (1-9)

Forty years before the Israelites had failed to enter the promised land because of unbelief and disobedience. All those of fighting age who had come out of Egypt had died on the way. Now, the new generation was ready to enter the land. But those born in the desert had not been circumcised. Circumcision identified them as God's people. It was a sign of their covenant with God. It was a sign of repentance and the cutting away of the old slave life. Now, at Gilgal ('rolled-away') Joshua circumcised the Israelites. Before beginning the battle, God's people must repent. God rolled away the reproach of Egypt.

2. The Passover (1

-12)

The Israelites celebrated their first Passover in the promised land. It was a reminder of God's forgiveness and God's redemption. They ate the passover, then the manna ceased. From this time, they would eat the produce of the land of Canaan. There was no turning back. They must go forward with God and conquer.

Prayer: Lord, circumcise my heart and dwell with me so that I may win the victory over life.

One Word: Be ready for the battle