CHAPTER 5
Now
when all
the Amorite
kings
west of
the Jordan
and all
the Canaanite
kings
along
the coast
heard
how
the LORD
had dried up
the waters
of the Jordan
before
the Israelites
until
they had crossed over,
their hearts
melted
and their spirit
failed
for fear of
the Israelites.
At that
time
the LORD
said
to
Joshua,
“Make
flint
knives
and circumcise
the sons
of Israel
once again.”
Now this
is why
Joshua
circumcised them:
All
those
who came out
of Egypt—
all
the men
of war—
had died
on the journey
in the wilderness
after they had left
Egypt.
Though
all
who had come out
were
circumcised,
none
of those
born
in the wilderness
on the journey
from Egypt
had been circumcised.
For
the Israelites
had wandered
in the wilderness
forty
years,
until
all
the nation’s
men
of war
who had come out
of Egypt
had died,
since
they did not
obey
the LORD.
So
the LORD
vowed
never
to let them see
the land
He
had sworn
to their fathers
to give us,
a land
flowing
with milk
and honey.
And
Joshua
raised up
their sons
in their place,
and these were the ones he circumcised.
Until this time they were
still uncircumcised,
since
they had not
been circumcised
on the way.
And
after
all
the nation
had been circumcised,
they stayed
there
in the camp
until
they were healed.
Then the LORD
said
to
Joshua,
“Today
I have rolled away
the reproach
of Egypt
from you.”
So that
place
has been called
Gilgal
to
this
day.
On the evening
of the fourteenth
day
of the month,
while the Israelites
were camped
at Gilgal
on the plains
of Jericho,
they kept
the Passover.
The day after
the Passover,
on that very
day,
they ate
unleavened bread
and roasted grain
from the produce
of the land.
And the day
after they had eaten
from the produce
of the land,
the manna
ceased.
There was
no
more
manna
for the Israelites,
so that
year
they began to eat
the crops
of the land
of Canaan.
Now when Joshua
was
near Jericho,
he looked up
and saw
a man
standing
in front of
him with a drawn
sword
in His hand.
Joshua
approached
Him
and asked,
“Are You
for us or
for our enemies?”
“Neither,”
He replied.
“I
have now
come
as commander
of the LORD’s
army.”
Then Joshua
fell facedown
in reverence
and asked
Him,
“What
does my Lord
have to say
to
His servant?”
The commander
of the LORD’s
army
replied,
“Take off
your sandals,
for
the place
where
you
are standing
is holy.”
And Joshua
did
so.