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At that time Yahweh said to Joshua, “Make for yourself knives of flint, and circumcise the Israelites[a] a second time.” So Joshua made knives of flint, and he circumcised the Israelites[b] at the hill of the foreskins.[c] This is the reason why Joshua circumcised all the people: all the males who went out from Egypt, all the warriors, died in the wilderness as they went out from Egypt on the journey.[d] For all the people who left were circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness on the journey[e] after they left from Egypt were not circumcised. For forty years the Israelites[f] traveled in the wilderness until all the nation, the warriors that left Egypt, perished, because they did not listen to the voice of Yahweh. To them Yahweh swore that they would not see the land that he[g] swore to their ancestors[h] to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. And it was their children whom he raised in their place that Joshua circumcised, for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the journey.[i]

The Israelites Celebrate Passover in Canaan

And it happened, when all the nation had finished circumcising, they remained where they were in the camp until they recovered. And Yahweh said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” Therefore, the name of that place is called Gilgal[j] to this day.

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 5:2 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  2. Joshua 5:3 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  3. Joshua 5:3 Hebrew “Gibeath-haaraloth”
  4. Joshua 5:4 Literally “on the road”
  5. Joshua 5:5 Literally “on the road”
  6. Joshua 5:6 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  7. Joshua 5:6 Hebrew “Yahweh”
  8. Joshua 5:6 Or “fathers”
  9. Joshua 5:7 Literally “on the road”
  10. Joshua 5:9 Hebrew “rolling”

Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal

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

Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age(C)—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt.(D) 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(E) forty years(F) 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,(G) a land flowing with milk and honey.(H) 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.(I)

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

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 5:3 Gibeath Haaraloth means the hill of foreskins.
  2. Joshua 5:9 Gilgal sounds like the Hebrew for roll.