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.

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make for yourself (A)flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.” So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at [a]Gibeath-haaraloth. This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: (B)all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, 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 sons of Israel walked (C)forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, [b]perished because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord, (D)to whom the Lord had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. So their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua [c]circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way.

Now when they had finished circumcising all the nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they recovered. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away (E)the shame of Egypt from you.” So the name of that place is called [d]Gilgal to this day.

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 5:3 I.e., the hill of the foreskins
  2. Joshua 5:6 Lit were finished
  3. Joshua 5:7 Lit circumcised them
  4. Joshua 5:9 I.e., wheel, or stone circle