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 ]