INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 5 The Canaanites being dispirited on the passage of the children of Israel through Jordan, Joshua 5:1; Joshua is ordered to circumcise such of the people of Israel that were uncircumcised, Joshua 5:2; in order to their eating of the passover, which was now to be kept, Joshua... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN ALL THE KINGS OF THE AMORITES, WHICH [WERE] ON THE SIDE OF JORDAN WESTWARD,.... On the side the Israelites were now on; and this is observed, to distinguish them from the other kings of the Amorites beyond Jordan, on the eastern side, who were already conquered by the Israe... [ Continue Reading ]
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 seized the inhabitants of Canaan, and deprived them of all their courage; and so was a fit time for the e... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA MADE HIM SHARP KNIVES, AND CIRCUMCISED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... Not that Joshua circumcised them himself, any more than he made the knives himself, but he ordered both to be done, and took care that they were done. And as any that had skill might make the knives, so might any circumcis... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS [IS] THE CAUSE WHY JOSHUA DID CIRCUMCISE,.... Or the reason of the command given him to circumcise the children of Israel at this time, namely, what follows: ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT OF EGYPT [THAT WERE] MALES, [EVEN] ALL THE MEN OF WAR; meaning such that were twenty years old, and upw... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT WERE CIRCUMCISED,.... All that came out of Egypt, and males, were circumcised, whether under or above twenty years of age; for though it is possible all were circumcised before they came out of Egypt, which favours the opinion of Dr. Lightfoot, that they might be cir... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WALKED FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS,.... Wanting a few days, the round number is given: not forty two, as the Septuagint version: TILL ALL THE PEOPLE [THAT WERE] MEN OF WAR, WHICH CAME OUT OF EGYPT, WERE CONSUMED; all that were above twenty years of age, excepting Joshu... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN [WHOM] HE RAISED UP IN THEIR STEAD, THEM JOSHUA CIRCUMCISED,.... Who were born to them in the wilderness, and succeeded them, some of which might be near forty years of age; as for those that were born before, of which there might be many now living, they had been circumcised alread... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THEY HAD DONE CIRCUMCISING ALL THE PEOPLE,.... Which seems as if it was done in one day, even on the same day they passed over Jordan, and came to Gilgal; though Bishop Usher a thinks it was the day following; and so the Jews b say it was on the eleventh of Nisan: THAT THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO JOSHUA,.... Out of the tabernacle: THIS DAY HAVE I ROLLED AWAY THE REPROACH OF EGYPT FROM OFF YOU; either the reproach of being reckoned office same religion with the Egyptians, they now having observed the command of the Lord, and thereby declared themselves to be his servan... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ENCAMPED IN GILGAL,.... Not after their circumcision, but before, and where they continued encamped during that, and until the passover had been kept by them; this was little more than a mile from Jericho, Joshua 4:19; AND KEPT THE PASSOVER ON THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE MO... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY DID EAT THE OLD CORN OF THE LAND,.... That of the last year, as some versions g, which agree with ours; in which they seem to follow the Jewish writers, who, as particularly Kimchi, Gersom, and Ben Melech, interpret it of the old corn, for this reason, because they might not eat of the new... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MANNA CEASED ON THE MORROW AFTER THEY HAD EATEN OF THE OLD CORN OF THE LAND,.... There being now no further need of it; miracles are not wrought or continued when unnecessary; for the ceasing of the manna shows, that it was not a common but an extraordinary provision. The ceasing of the mann... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN JOSHUA WAS BY JERICHO,.... Or "in Jericho" i; not in the city itself, but in the border of it, as Kimchi and Ben Melech; or on the side of it, as Jarchi; on one side of which he was reconnoitring by himself, very probably seeking for a proper place where to make his first a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, NAY,.... Not for or on the side of their adversaries was he come, as Joshua suspected at the first sight of him; the Septuagint version is, "he said unto him", taking לא for לו, as it sometimes is: BUT [AS] CAPTAIN OF THE HOST OF THE LORD AM I NOW COME; of the host of the Lord both in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST SAID UNTO JOSHUA,.... As a trial and proof of his obedience to him: LOOSE THY SHOE FROM OFF THY FOOT; which is to be understood literally, as when the like was commanded Moses at Horeb, Exodus 3:5; though some interpret it figuratively; as Abarbinel, "remove from... [ Continue Reading ]