2 At that time H6256 the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 Make H6213 thee sharp H6697 knives, H2719 and circumcise H4135 again H7725 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 the second time. H8145
Then Zipporah H6855 took H3947 a sharp stone, H6864 and cut off H3772 the foreskin H6190 of her son, H1121 and cast H5060 it at his feet, H7272 and said, H559 Surely a bloody H1818 husband H2860 art thou to me.
This is my covenant, H1285 which ye shall keep, H8104 between me and you and thy seed H2233 after thee; H310 Every man child H2145 among you shall be circumcised. H4135 And ye shall circumcise H5243 the flesh H1320 of your foreskin; H6190 and it shall be a token H226 of the covenant H1285 betwixt me and you. And he that is eight H8083 days H3117 old H1121 shall be circumcised H4135 among you, every man child H2145 in your generations, H1755 he that is born H3211 in the house, H1004 or bought H4736 with money H3701 of any stranger, H1121 H5236 which is not of thy seed. H2233 He that is born H3211 in thy house, H1004 and he that is bought H4736 with thy money, H3701 must needs H4135 be circumcised: H4135 and my covenant H1285 shall be in your flesh H1320 for an everlasting H5769 covenant. H1285 And the uncircumcised H6189 man child H2145 whose H834 flesh H1320 of his foreskin H6190 is not circumcised, H4135 that soul H5315 shall be cut off H3772 from his people; H5971 he hath broken H6565 my covenant. H1285
And the LORD H3068 thy God H430 will circumcise H4135 thine heart, H3824 and the heart H3824 of thy seed, H2233 to love H157 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 with all thine heart, H3824 and with all thy soul, H5315 that thou mayest live. H2416
But G235 he is a Jew, G2453 which is one inwardly; G1722 G2927 and G2532 circumcision G4061 is that of the heart, G2588 in G1722 the spirit, G4151 and not G3756 in the letter; G1121 whose G3739 praise G1868 is not G3756 of G1537 men, G444 but G235 of G1537 God. G2316
And G2532 he received G2983 the sign G4592 of circumcision, G4061 a seal G4973 of the righteousness G1343 of the faith G4102 which G3588 he had yet being G1722 uncircumcised: G203 that G1519 he G846 might be G1511 the father G3962 of all G3956 them that believe, G4100 though G1223 they be not circumcised; G203 that G1519 righteousness G1343 might be imputed G3049 unto them G846 also: G2532
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 5
Commentary on Joshua 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
Israel have now got over Jordan, and the waters which had opened before them, to favour their march forward, are closed again behind them, to forbid their retreat backward. They have now got footing in Canaan, and must apply themselves to the conquest of it, in order to which this chapter tells us,
Jos 5:1-9
A vast show, no doubt, the numerous camp of Israel made in the plains of Jericho, where now they had pitched their tents. Who can count the dust of Jacob? That which had long been the church in the wilderness has now come up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved, and looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners. How terrible she was in the eyes of her enemies we are here told, v. 1. How fair and clear she was made in the eyes of her friends, by the rolling away of the reproach of Egypt, we are told in the following verses.
Jos 5:10-12
We may well imagine that the people of Canaan were astonished, and that when they observed the motions of the enemy they could not but think them very strange. When soldiers take the field they are apt to think themselves excused from religious exercises (they have not time nor thought to attend to them), yet Joshua opens the campaign with one act of devotion after another. What was afterwards said to another Joshua might truly be said to this, Hear now, O Joshua! thou and thy fellows that sit before thee are men wondered at (Zec. 3:8), and yet indeed he took the right method. that is likely to end well which begins with God. Here is,
Jos 5:13-15
We have hitherto found God often speaking to Joshua, but we read not till now of any appearance of God's glory to him; now that his difficulties increased his encouragements were increased in proportion. Observe,
And (lastly) Hereby he prepares him to receive the instructions he was about to give him concerning the siege of Jericho, which this captain of the Lord's host had now come to give Israel possession of.