Note: Words are shown in their original Hebrew order, which differs from English translations. This reflects the emphasis and structure of Scripture as originally written. Click any word to see its full lexicon entry.
1Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and their spirits failed for fear of the Israelites.
4Now this is why Joshua circumcised them: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of war—had died on the journey in the wilderness after they had left Egypt.
6For the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years, until all the nation’s men of war who had come out of Egypt had died, since they did not obey the LORD. So the LORD vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
7And Joshua raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones he circumcised. Until this time they were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way.
12And the day after they had eaten from the produce of the land, the manna ceased. There was no more manna for the Israelites, so that year they began to eat the crops of the land of Canaan.
13Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua approached Him and asked, “Are You for us or for our enemies?”
14“Neither,” He replied. “I have now come as Commander of the LORD’s army.” Then Joshua fell facedown in reverence and asked Him, “What does my Lord have to say to His servant?”
Joshua chapter 5 marks a critical transition in Israel's journey. Having crossed the Jordan River miraculously, the people now face three essential preparations before the conquest of Canaan begins: spiritual renewal through circumcision, remembrance through the Passover celebration, and divine commissioning through a encounter with the Commander of the Lord's army. This chapter emphasizes that God's people must be spiritually clean, obedient to covenant requirements, and confident in His presence before advancing in His purposes.
The chapter opens with a striking picture of enemy demoralization. When the Canaanite kings heard that the LORD had dried up the Jordan for Israel's crossing, their hearts literally melted—they lost all courage and fighting spirit. This supernatural sign had accomplished what no military campaign could have: it broke the enemies' will to resist. Yet immediately, rather than advancing to battle, Joshua receives an unexpected command: to circumcise all the males of Israel using flint knives. Circumcision was the sign of God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:10–11), marking the people as belonging to the LORD. The fact that this covenant renewal comes before military conquest teaches us that spiritual identity and obedience precede earthly victory. God's people must be ceremonially and covenantally clean before they can fully possess their inheritance.
Joshua now explains why circumcision was necessary. All the men who came out of Egypt and were of fighting age had already died in the wilderness—a tragic consequence of Israel's unbelief and disobedience (Numbers 14:26–35). The new generation, born during the forty-year wilderness wandering, had never been circumcised because the nation was under judgment and wandering. Now that judgment has ended, and a new, obedient generation stands ready to enter the Land, the covenant sign must be restored. This was not a punishment but a renewal of the covenant relationship. The people remained in camp during their recovery (verse 8), vulnerable but trusting God for protection. This teaches a profound lesson: sometimes God asks us to be vulnerable and dependent on Him before granting us strength and victory.
With circumcision complete, God declares that He has rolled away the reproach of Egypt from Israel (verse 9). The place is named Gilgal (meaning "rolling"), commemorating this spiritual cleansing. The people then observe the Passover—the festival celebrating their deliverance from Egypt—now in the Promised Land itself. This is profoundly symbolic: they have finally arrived at the destination toward which every Passover pointed. Immediately after eating the produce of Canaan, the manna ceased (verse 12). For forty years, God had miraculously provided bread from heaven; now His people would live on the fruit of the land He had given them. This marks a turning point: from dependence on daily divine provision in the wilderness to stewardship of the land itself.
As Joshua surveys Jericho, he encounters a man with a drawn sword—the Captain of the host of the LORD. This is widely understood by evangelical interpreters as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, the divine warrior leading God's armies. Joshua's response is worship and submission. The Captain commands Joshua to remove his sandals, declaring the ground holy. This echoes Moses' experience at the burning bush (Exodus 3:5). The message is clear: Joshua must approach the coming conquest with reverence, recognizing that ultimate victory belongs to the LORD, not to human military strength.
Application for Today
Before pursuing God's calling in our lives, we must first be spiritually renewed and covenant-committed. Like Israel at Gilgal, we need times of spiritual cleansing, remembrance of God's faithfulness, and recognition of Christ's lordship. Victory in God's kingdom comes not through our strength alone, but through humble submission to His purposes and His presence.
Study Notes — Joshua 5
5 sectionsJoshua chapter 5 marks a critical transition in Israel's journey. Having crossed the Jordan River miraculously, the people now face three essential preparations before the conquest of Canaan begins: spiritual renewal through circumcision, remembrance through the Passover celebration, and divine commissioning through a encounter with the Commander of the Lord's army. This chapter emphasizes that God's people must be spiritually clean, obedient to covenant requirements, and confident in His presence before advancing in His purposes.
The chapter opens with a striking picture of enemy demoralization. When the Canaanite kings heard that the LORD had dried up the Jordan for Israel's crossing, their hearts literally melted—they lost all courage and fighting spirit. This supernatural sign had accomplished what no military campaign could have: it broke the enemies' will to resist. Yet immediately, rather than advancing to battle, Joshua receives an unexpected command: to circumcise all the males of Israel using flint knives. Circumcision was the sign of God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:10–11), marking the people as belonging to the LORD. The fact that this covenant renewal comes before military conquest teaches us that spiritual identity and obedience precede earthly victory. God's people must be ceremonially and covenantally clean before they can fully possess their inheritance.
Joshua now explains why circumcision was necessary. All the men who came out of Egypt and were of fighting age had already died in the wilderness—a tragic consequence of Israel's unbelief and disobedience (Numbers 14:26–35). The new generation, born during the forty-year wilderness wandering, had never been circumcised because the nation was under judgment and wandering. Now that judgment has ended, and a new, obedient generation stands ready to enter the Land, the covenant sign must be restored. This was not a punishment but a renewal of the covenant relationship. The people remained in camp during their recovery (verse 8), vulnerable but trusting God for protection. This teaches a profound lesson: sometimes God asks us to be vulnerable and dependent on Him before granting us strength and victory.
With circumcision complete, God declares that He has rolled away the reproach of Egypt from Israel (verse 9). The place is named Gilgal (meaning "rolling"), commemorating this spiritual cleansing. The people then observe the Passover—the festival celebrating their deliverance from Egypt—now in the Promised Land itself. This is profoundly symbolic: they have finally arrived at the destination toward which every Passover pointed. Immediately after eating the produce of Canaan, the manna ceased (verse 12). For forty years, God had miraculously provided bread from heaven; now His people would live on the fruit of the land He had given them. This marks a turning point: from dependence on daily divine provision in the wilderness to stewardship of the land itself.
As Joshua surveys Jericho, he encounters a man with a drawn sword—the Captain of the host of the LORD. This is widely understood by evangelical interpreters as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, the divine warrior leading God's armies. Joshua's response is worship and submission. The Captain commands Joshua to remove his sandals, declaring the ground holy. This echoes Moses' experience at the burning bush (Exodus 3:5). The message is clear: Joshua must approach the coming conquest with reverence, recognizing that ultimate victory belongs to the LORD, not to human military strength.
Before pursuing God's calling in our lives, we must first be spiritually renewed and covenant-committed. Like Israel at Gilgal, we need times of spiritual cleansing, remembrance of God's faithfulness, and recognition of Christ's lordship. Victory in God's kingdom comes not through our strength alone, but through humble submission to His purposes and His presence.