The Book of Joshua

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 5 -

Nowe when all the Kings of the Amorites, which were beyond Iorden Westward, and all the Kinges of the Canaanites which were by the Sea, heard that the Lord had dried vp the waters of Iorden before the children of Israel vntill they were gone ouer, their heart fainted: and there was no courage in them any more because of the children of Israel.

That same time the Lord said vnto Ioshua, Make thee sharpe kniues, and returne, and circumcise the sonnes of Israel the second time.

Then Ioshua made him sharpe kniues and circumcised the sonnes of Israel in the hill of the foreskinnes.

And this is the cause why Ioshua circumcised all the people, euen the males that came out of Egypt, because all the men of warre were dead in the wildernesse by the way after they came out of Egypt.

For all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were borne in the wildernes by the way after they came out of Egypt, were not circumcised.

For the children of Israel walked fourtie yeres in the wildernes, till all the people of the men of warre that came out of Egypt were consumed, because they obeyed not the voyce of the Lord: vnto whome the Lord sware, that he would not shewe them the lande, which the Lord had sworne vnto their fathers, that he would giue vs, euen a land that floweth with milke and hony.

So their sonnes whome he raysed vp in their steade, Ioshua circumcised: for they were vncircumcised, because they circumcised them not by the way.

And when they had made an ende of circumcising al the people, they abode in the places in the campe till they were whole.

After, the Lord said vnto Ioshua, This day I haue taken away the shame of Egypt from you: wherefore he called the name of that place Gilgal, vnto this day.

So the children of Israel abode in Gilgal, and kept ye feast of the Passeouer the fourteenth day of the moneth at euen in ye plaine of Iericho.

And they did eat of the corne of the land, on the morow after the Passeouer, vnleauened breade, and parched corne in the same day.

And the MAN ceased on the morowe after they had eaten of the corne of the land, neither had the children of Israel MAN any more, but did eate of the fruite of the land of Canaan that yeere.

The Commander of the LORD’s Army

And when Ioshua was by Iericho, he lift vp his eyes and looked: and behold, there stood a man against him, hauing a sword drawen in his hand: and Ioshua went vnto him, and said vnto him, Art thou on our side, or on our aduersaries?

And he said, Nay, but as a captaine of the host of the Lord am I nowe come: then Ioshua fel on his face to the earth, and did worship, and saide vnto him, What sayth my Lord vnto his seruant?

And the captaine of ye Lords host said vnto Ioshua, Loose thy shoe of thy foote: for ye place wheron thou standest, is holy: and Ioshua did so.

When all the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, their heart melted, and there was no more spirit in them, because of the children of Israel.

At that time, the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives, and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.”

Joshua made himself flint knives, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

This is the reason Joshua circumcised them: all the people who came out of Egypt, who were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way, after they came out of Egypt.

For all the people who came out were circumcised; but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised.

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness until all the nation, even the men of war who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they didn’t listen to the LORD’s voice. The LORD swore to them that he wouldn’t let them see the land which the LORD swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Their children, whom he raised up in their place, were circumcised by Joshua, for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the way.

When they were done circumcising the whole nation, they stayed in their places in the camp until they were healed.

The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal

(a)

to this day.

The children of Israel encamped in Gilgal. They kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho.

They ate unleavened cakes and parched grain of the produce of the land on the next day after the Passover, in the same day.

The manna ceased on the next day, after they had eaten of the produce of the land. The children of Israel didn’t have manna any more, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

The Commander of the LORD’s Army

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood in front of him with his sword drawn in his hand. Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our enemies?”

He said, “No; but I have come now as commander of the LORD’s army.” Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshiped, and asked him, “What does my lord say to his servant?”

The prince of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals, for the place on which you stand is holy.” Joshua did so.

Footnotes

(a)5:9 “Gilgal” sounds like the Hebrew for “roll.”