AMORITES] represent, roughly speaking, the inhabitants of the highland districts. CANAANITES] = 'lowlanders,' in the specialised sense, the dwellers on the maritime plain. UNTIL WE WERE PASSED OVER] RM 'until they were passed over.' It was always thus read by the Jews. 2-9. Renewal of the Rite of C... [ Continue Reading ]
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 War. The Circumcision was a necessary preliminary (Exodus 12:44; Exodus 12:48) to the Passover Feast... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Egyptians.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REPROACH OF EGYPT] This may mean that the Egyptians, laying great stress on circumcision themselves, regarded the fact of uncircumcision as a reproach. GILGAL] mg. 'Rolling. 'This etymology, like that of 'Babel 'in Genesis 11:9, is now generally recognised as unscientific. It is rather a play on... [ Continue Reading ]
KEPT THE PASSOVER ON THE FOURTEENTH DAY] of Nisan, as ordained in Exodus 12:6. They had probably selected the lambs four days before, immediately on their arrival at the camp (see on Joshua 4:19); and had rested quietly for three full days after the circumcision. This is the third recorded Passover;... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE MORROW] The feast of Mazzoth, or Unleavened Bread, was a distinct festival (cp. Leviticus 23:5) of seven days' duration, following on the one-day feast of the Passover. The two came naturally, in the course of centuries, to be regarded as a single festival, to which either title could be appl... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MANNA CEASED] see prefatory note. 13-15. Vision of the Heavenly Captain.... [ Continue Reading ]
A MAN] clearly, as elsewhere in Holy Scripture (cp. e.g. Genesis 18:2; Genesis 32:24; Daniel 9:21; Zechariah 1:8; Acts 1:10), an angelic being, to be identified with the promised guide of Exodus 23:20 (cp. Exodus 33:2). Of this angel the Lord says (Exodus 23:21): 'My name _is_ in him'; and in... [ Continue Reading ]