在吉甲行割禮

在約旦河西岸一帶的亞摩利眾王和沿海一帶的迦南眾王,聽說耶和華為了讓以色列人過河而使約旦河成為乾地,都嚇得膽戰心驚,勇氣盡失。

那時,耶和華對約書亞說:「你用火石做成刀子,再次給以色列人行割禮。」 約書亞便用火石做成刀子,在割禮山給以色列人行了割禮。 約書亞給他們舉行割禮,是因為所有從埃及出來、能夠作戰的男子都死在曠野的路上。 從埃及出來的男子都受過割禮,而後來在曠野出生的以色列人都沒有受過割禮。 以色列人在曠野飄泊了四十年,直到從埃及出來可以作戰的男子都死了為止,因為他們不聽從耶和華的話。耶和華向他們起誓,不讓他們看見那奶蜜之鄉,衪曾應許他們祖先要把那個地方賜給他們。 耶和華立他們的子孫代替他們。這新一代的以色列人沒有受過割禮,因為在路上沒有為他們行過割禮。於是,約書亞為他們行了割禮。

全體民眾受了割禮後,都留在自己的營內,直到康復為止。 耶和華對約書亞說:「今天我除去了你們在埃及受的羞辱。」因此,那地方叫吉甲[a],沿用至今。

在迦南守逾越節

10 以色列人都在耶利哥平原上的吉甲紮營,並於一月十四日傍晚在那裡守逾越節。 11 第二天他們就吃當地的穀物,吃無酵餅和烤麥穗。 12 他們吃了當地出產後的第二天,嗎哪便不再降下,以色列人再沒有嗎哪吃了。那一年他們開始吃迦南的出產。

耶和華軍隊的元帥

13 約書亞走近耶利哥,舉目看見一個人手裡拿著拔出來的劍站在他面前。約書亞上前去問道:「你是來幫助我們的,還是來幫助我們敵人的?」 14 那人答道:「都不是,我來是做耶和華軍隊的統帥。」約書亞就俯伏下拜說:「我主,有什麼話要吩咐僕人?」 15 耶和華軍隊的統帥對約書亞說:「把你腳上的鞋脫下!因為你站的地方是聖潔的。」約書亞便把鞋脫下來。

Footnotes

  1. 5·9 吉甲」意思是「除去」。

Circumcision of the Israelites

When all the Amorite kings across the Jordan to the west and all the Canaanite kings near the sea(A) heard how the Lord had dried up the water of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over,(B) they lost heart and their courage failed because of the Israelites.

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelite men again.”(C) So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelite men at Gibeath-haaraloth.[a] This is the reason Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males—all the men of war—had died in the wilderness along the way after they had come out of Egypt. Though all the people who came out were circumcised, none of the people born in the wilderness along the way were circumcised after they had come out of Egypt. For the Israelites wandered in the wilderness forty years until all the nation’s men of war who came out of Egypt had died off because they did not obey the Lord.(D) So the Lord vowed never to let them see the land he had sworn to their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.(E) He raised up their sons in their place; it was these Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way. After the entire nation had been circumcised, they stayed where they were in the camp until they recovered.(F) The Lord then said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” Therefore, that place is still called Gilgal[b] today.(G)

Food from the Land

10 While the Israelites camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.(H) 11 The day after Passover they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from the produce of the land.(I) 12 And the day after they ate from the produce of the land, the manna ceased.(J) Since there was no more manna for the Israelites, they ate from the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

Commander of the Lord’s Army

13 When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand.(K) Joshua approached him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

14 “Neither,” he replied. “I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.”(L)

Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in homage(M) and asked him, “What does my lord want to say to his servant?”

15 The commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.”(N) And Joshua did that.

Footnotes

  1. 5:3 Or The Hill of Foreskins
  2. 5:9 = to roll

And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.

And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.

Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.

And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.

And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.

12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?

15 And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

The Second Generation Circumcised

So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, 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 from before the children of Israel until [a]we had crossed over, that [b]their heart melted; (C)and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel.

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make (D)flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.” So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at [c]the hill of the foreskins. And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: (E)All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt. For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised. For the children of Israel walked (F)forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were [d]consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord—to whom the Lord swore that (G)He would not show them the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, (H)“a land flowing with milk and honey.” Then Joshua circumcised (I)their sons whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp (J)till they were healed. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I have rolled away (K)the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of the place is called (L)Gilgal[e] to this day.

10 Now the children of Israel camped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover (M)on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight on the plains of Jericho. 11 And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and [f]parched grain, on the very same day. 12 Then (N)the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.

The Commander of the Army of the Lord

13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, (O)a Man stood opposite him (P)with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”

14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”

And Joshua (Q)fell on his face to the earth and (R)worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”

15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, (S)“Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 5:1 So with Kt.; Qr., some Heb. mss. and editions, LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. they
  2. Joshua 5:1 their courage failed
  3. Joshua 5:3 Heb. Gibeath Haaraloth
  4. Joshua 5:6 destroyed
  5. Joshua 5:9 Lit. Rolling
  6. Joshua 5:11 roasted

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

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

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) All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. 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) 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. And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.(K)

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)

The Fall of Jericho

13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man(S) standing in front of him with a drawn sword(T) in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown(U) to the ground(V) in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord[e] have for his servant?”

15 The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”(W) And Joshua did so.

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
  5. Joshua 5:14 Or lord