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Joshua 5
EasyEnglish Bible
Joshua 5
EasyEnglish Bible
5 Many people heard how the Lord had caused the Jordan River to become dry. This included all the Amorite kings on the west side of the Jordan River, and all the Canaanite kings who lived near the sea. They heard how the Lord had made the river become dry until all the Israelites had crossed to the other side. So the kings became very afraid of the Israelite people. They felt too weak to fight against them.[a]
Circumcision at Gilgal
2 The Lord said to Joshua at that time, ‘Make knives of stone and circumcise the Israelite men.’[b] 3 So Joshua made the knives and he circumcised the men at Gibeath Haaraloth.
4 This is why Joshua had to circumcise them: All the men who were old enough to fight when they came out of Egypt had now died. They died in the desert as they travelled to Canaan. 5 All those men who came out of Egypt had already been circumcised. But all the sons who were born on the journey through the desert had not been circumcised. 6 The Israelites had travelled in the desert for 40 years. But all the men who were old enough to fight when they left Egypt had now died. This happened because they had not obeyed the Lord. The Lord had promised to give to them the land of Canaan, a land where there is plenty of food and drink. But he made a strong promise that those men would not see that land, because they had turned against him. 7 Now Joshua circumcised their sons, who had taken their place. Their fathers had not circumcised them while they travelled in the desert.
8 All of the Israelite men were circumcised. Then they stayed there in Gilgal until they were strong again. 9 The Lord said to Joshua, ‘This shows that you are no longer ashamed to be slaves, as you were in Egypt. Today I have taken away your shame.’
So they called that place Gilgal, and it still has that name.[c]
10 The Israelite people ate the Passover meal on the evening of the 14th day of that month.[d] They did this while they were at Gilgal, near Jericho city. 11 The next day they ate food that had grown in Canaan. For the first time, they ate flat bread and grain that they cooked on a fire. 12 The manna that they had been eating no longer appeared. The Israelite people never ate manna again.[e] Now they could eat the food that was grown in Canaan.
The captain of the Lord's army
13 While Joshua was near Jericho, a man appeared to him. Joshua looked up and there he was! He stood in front of Joshua with a sword in his hand. Joshua went towards him. He asked the man, ‘Are you here to help us, or to help our enemies?’
14 The man answered, ‘Neither. I am the captain of the Lord's army. Now I am here!’
Joshua fell on the ground to worship the man and he said, ‘Sir, I am your servant. Tell me what I should do.’
15 The captain of the Lord's army said, ‘Remove your shoes from your feet. You are standing on holy ground.’ Joshua did that.
Footnotes
- 5:1 These Amorite and Canaanite kings ruled people on the west side of the Jordan River. When they saw that the Israelites had crossed the Jordan River to their side, they became very afraid.
- 5:2 God told Abraham that he and his sons must circumcise all male children. They must do this when the children were eight days old. This showed that God had made a promise to them as his special people. See Genesis 17:9-16. But they had not circumcised any children who were born while they travelled in the desert.
- 5:9 Gilgal means ‘taken away’.
- 5:10 The Passover Festival was an important time when the Israelites ate a special meal. It helped them to remember how God had saved them. They had been slaves in Egypt. They remembered, too, how God had dried up the Red Sea. Then they could walk out of Egypt.
- 5:12 Manna was food that God sent to the Israelites from the sky. It fed them all the time that they travelled through the desert. See Exodus 16:4.
Joshua 5
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Joshua 5
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Circumcision of the Israelites
5 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 waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over,(B) they lost heart and their courage failed[a] because of the Israelites.
2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelite men again.”(C) 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelite men at Gibeath-haaraloth.[b] 4 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. 5 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. 6 For the Israelites wandered in the wilderness 40 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 fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.(E) 7 Joshua raised up their sons in their place; it was these he circumcised. They were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way. 8 After the entire nation had been circumcised, they stayed where they were in the camp until they recovered.(F) 9 The Lord then said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” Therefore, that place is called Gilgal[c] to this day.(G)
Food from the Land
10 While the Israelites camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they kept the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.[d] 11 The day after Passover they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from the produce of the land. 12 And the day after they ate from the produce of the land, the manna ceased.(H) 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.(I) 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.”
Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in worship(J) 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.”(K) And Joshua did so.
Footnotes
- Joshua 5:1 Lit and they did not have spirit in them any more
- Joshua 5:3 Or The Hill of Foreskins
- Joshua 5:9 = to roll
- Joshua 5:10 = Nisan (March–April)
Joshua 5
New International Version
Joshua 5
New International Version
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)
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
- Joshua 5:1 Another textual tradition we
- Joshua 5:3 Gibeath Haaraloth means the hill of foreskins.
- Joshua 5:9 Gilgal sounds like the Hebrew for roll.
- Joshua 5:12 Or the day
- Joshua 5:14 Or lord
Joshua 5
King James Version
Joshua 5
King James Version
5 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.
2 At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
Joshua 5
New King James Version
Joshua 5
New King James Version
The Second Generation Circumcised
5 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.
2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make (D)flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at [c]the hill of the foreskins. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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.” 7 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.
8 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. 9 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
- Joshua 5:1 So with Kt.; Qr., some Heb. mss. and editions, LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. they
- Joshua 5:1 their courage failed
- Joshua 5:3 Heb. Gibeath Haaraloth
- Joshua 5:6 destroyed
- Joshua 5:9 Lit. Rolling
- Joshua 5:11 roasted
EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)
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Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.