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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Joshua 5:2

JOSHUA—NOTE ON Joshua 5:2 Make flint knives... circumcise... a second time. Circumcision was a reminder of God’s lasting covenant with Israel (Genesis 17:10). All males were circumcised when they were eight days old. Flint, or obsidian, was easily available and was particularly well suited for use in circumcisions.

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See also Joshua 5:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Joshua 5:2. _MAKE THEE SHARP KNIVES_] חרבות צרים _charboth tsurim,_ _knives of rock, stone_, or _flint_. Before the use of iron was _common_, all the nations of the earth had their edge-tools m...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    MAKE THEE SHARP KNIVES - Render rather as marg., and compare marginal reference and note. Knives of flint or stone were in fact used for circumcision, and retained for that and other sacred purposes,...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    5. AT GILGAL CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The terrified enemies (Joshua 5:1)_ 2. Circumcision commanded and executed (Joshua 5:2) 3. The Passover kept (Joshua 5:10) 4. The old corn of the land ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    Joshua Circumcises the Israelites. Here we have an interesting but quite unhistorical account of the institution of circumcision. Circumcision (pp. 83, 99f.) is a prehistoric rite practised by many na...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SAID. See note on Joshua 3:7. AGAIN. the second time. Not repeated as an act on the _person,_ but on the nation on. second occasion (compare for this usage Isaiah 11:11 and Jude 1:5, implying that the...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Make thee sharp knives_ Or, as in margin, KNIVES OF FLINT. "Stonen knyues," Wyclif. In Exodus 4:25 we read that Zipporah, the wife of Moses, took a "sharp stone," or "knife of flint," and circumcised...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _VER._ 2. _AT THAT TIME THE LORD SAID UNTO JOSHUA_— This was the morning after the passage, the 11th day of the first month, as the learned Usher and others have very probably conjectured. _MAKE THEE...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _The Covenant of Circumcision Joshua 5:1-9_ 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 s...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AT THAT TIME THE LORD SAID UNTO JOSHUA, MAKE THEE SHARP KNIVES, AND CIRCUMCISE AGAIN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THE SECOND TIME._ At that time - on the encampment being made after the passage. THE LORD...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    5:2 stone-knives, (a-10) Lit. 'swords of rocks.' Some read 'sharp knives.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    RENEWAL OF CIRCUMCISION AND CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER The two incidents recorded in Joshua 5:2;—Circumcision and the Passover—represent the final stage in the preparation of the people for the Holy...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    SHARP KNIVES] RV 'knives of flint.' LXX curiously relates (in an addition to Joshua 24:30) that these knives were buried with Joshua in his tomb. Flint knives were used for religious purposes by the E...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    COME IN, AND RECEIVE GOD’S PROMISES! JOSHUA _BRIAN ROWLANDS_ Maps to help you to study this book are on the Internet at www.easyenglish.info. CHAPTER 5 *CIRCUMCISION AND *PASSOVER – JOSHUA 5:1-...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (20 — 5:9) It would seem that these verses all belong to one section. The use of the first person in Joshua 5:1, “until _we_ were passed over,” is most naturally explained by taking the verse as part...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE CIRCUMCISION OF ISRAEL BY JOSHUA (Joshua 5:2). (2) MAKE THEE SHARP KNIVES. — Authorities are divided between the rendering “sharp knives” and “knives of flint.” The first seems best supported, as...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    בָּ † עֵ֣ת הַ הִ֗יא אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER X. CIRCUMCISION AND PASSOVER- MANNA AND CORN. Joshua 5:1. THE first two facts recorded in this chapter seem to be closely connected with each other. One is, that when all the Amorite and Can...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    RENEWING THE COVENANT WITH GOD Joshua 5:1 Evidently the people of Canaan realized that they were entering into conflict with God Almighty. This made their bitter resistance less excusable. But before...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The effect on the people of this crossing of the Jordan is revealed in the words, "Their heart melted, neither was there any spirit in them any more." Therefore time must again be taken for matters di...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    Five events of interest are recorded in Joshua 5:1-15. First, we learn that the kings of the Canaanites by the sea lost heart when they learned how the Lord had caused Israel to pass through Jordan on...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, (b) and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. (b) For now they had left it off, about 40 years....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Time. While the enemy was rendered incapable of attacking the Israelites by excessive fear (Calmet) and consternation, Josue was commanded to renew the sign of the covenant, by which they were to take...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    As circumcision was a sign or seal of the everlasting covenant God made with Abraham, and evidently referred to Him in whom the law was to be completed: it is not very easy to account for the long neg...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The passing of the Jordan was a wondrous and significant event; but it was not everything. It sank deep into the consciences of the Canaanites on all sides; but there was more that was needed, and mor...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    2._At that time the Lord said, _etc It seems very strange and almost monstrous, that circumcision had so long been laid aside, especially as it became those who were receiving daily admonitions to be...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The power of resurrection-life takes all strength from Satan: "He who is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." In our earthly life, the flesh being in us, we are expo...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AT THAT TIME THE LORD SAID UNTO JOSHUA,.... When the people had passed over Jordan, and had pitched in Gilgal, and Joshua had set up the stones there; and particularly when the dread of them had seize...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. Ver. 2. _Make thee sharp knives._] Heb., Knives of edges, or knives of fli...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Jos. 5:2. This was the second general circumcision of the congregation. The first was probably before the Passover they kept in Egypt while they had peace in Egypt (as Mr. Henry says, "They doubtless,...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _At that time_ Namely, the morning after the passage, on the eleventh day of the first month, as Archbishop Usher and others have very probably conjectured. On the thirteenth day they were sore of the...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Canaanites are afraid. 2 Ioshua renueth Circumcision. 10 The Passeouer is kept at Gilgal. 12 Manna ceaseth. 13 An Angel appeareth to Ioshua. 1 AND it came to passe when all the Kings of the...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, literally, knives of stone, made with a very sharp cutting edge, used extensively at that time, AND CIRCUMCISE AGAIN THE CHILDREN OF ISR...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE PEOPLE...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    CIRCUMCISION IN GILGAL (vs.1-9) The miraculous crossing of the Jordan awakened great fear in the hearts of the Canaanitish people, so that their hearts melted (v.1). This was God's work. It was He w...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    SHARP KNIVES: Or, knives of flints...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-9 How dreadful is their case, who see the wrath of God advancing towards them, without being able to turn it aside, or escape it! Such will be the horrible situation of the wicked; nor can words ex...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    AT THAT TIME; as soon as ever they were come to Gilgal, which was on the tenth day; and so this might be executed the next, or the eleventh day, and that in the morning: on the thirteenth day they wer...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Joshua 5:2 time H6256 LORD H3068 said H559 (H8804) Joshua H3091 Make H6213 (H8798) flint H6697 knives...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘At that time YHWH said to Joshua, “Make yourself knives of flint and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.” ' This did not mean circumcising those who were already circumcised for...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    CIRCUMCISION Circumcision is the "sign" of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 17:7); (Romans 4:11). "The reproach of Egypt" was that, during the later years of the Egyptian bondage, this separating sign...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Reproach of Egypt rolled away. New food for the new place. The unseen captain. CHARACTERS: God, Joshua, Christ. CONCLUSION: (Circumcision, the seal of the covenant in their flesh, was negl...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Joshua 5:1. _The Amorites on the side of Jordan westward._ This agrees with Numbers 13:29. The Amorites dwell in the mountains. Joshua 5:2. _Make thee sharp knives._ Whet them, if of steel; but often...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Make thee sharp knives and circumcise._ THE CIRCUMCISING AT GILGAL Even those comparatively unenlightened people must have realised that there was deep spiritual significance in the administration o...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Joshua 5:2. Sharp knives] Marg. “knives of flints” (cf. Exodus 4:25). The reason for using stone knives may have been more on account of legal than of physical considerations. The use...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE CIRCUMCISION.— JOSHUA 5:1 WHICH WERE ON THE SIDE OF JORDAN WESTWARD. A large portion of the territory of the Amorites had, as we have seen (Joshua 3:10), been already conquered. The r...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now in chapter five we read where all of the adult males were at this point circumcised. It was a rite that they did not follow while they were in the wilderness. So that those who were born in the wi...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Colossians 2:11; Deuteronomy 10:16; Deuteronomy 30:6; Genesis 17:10;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    At that time — As soon as ever they were come to Gilgal, which was on the tenth day; and so this might be executed the eleventh day, and that in the morning: on the thirteenth day they were sore of th...

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