Joshua 5:2-9

New International Reader's Version

Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal

² At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make knives out of flint. Use them to circumcise the men of Israel.” ³ So Joshua made knives out of flint. Then he used them to circumcise the men of Israel at Gibeath Haaraloth.

⁴ Here is why Joshua circumcised them. All the men who came out of Egypt had died. They died while they were wandering through the Sinai Desert. They were the men old enough to serve in the army. ⁵ All the men who came out had been circumcised. But all the men born in the desert during the journey from Egypt hadn’t been circumcised. ⁶ The Israelites had moved around in the desert for 40 years. By the end of that time all the men old enough to serve in the army when they left Egypt had died. That’s because they hadn’t obeyed the Lord. He had made a promise to them. He had told them they wouldn’t see the land. It’s the land he had promised to their people to give us. It’s a land that has plenty of milk and honey. ⁷ Because they hadn’t obeyed him, he raised up their sons to take their place. They were the ones Joshua circumcised. They hadn’t been circumcised yet. That’s because no one had circumcised them during the journey. ⁸ So Joshua circumcised all those men. The whole nation remained in the camp until the men were healed.

⁹ Then the Lord spoke to Joshua. He said, “Today I have taken away from you the shame of being slaves in Egypt.” That’s why the place where the men were circumcised has been called Gilgal to this very day.