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At that time, Yahweh 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 Yahweh’s voice. Yahweh swore to them that he wouldn’t let them see the land which Yahweh 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.

Yahweh 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:9 “Gilgal” sounds like the Hebrew for “roll.”

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.