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Joshua 5

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Joshua 5 Overview

Canaan’s kings hear that the LORD dried up Jordan and lose courage. Israel then renews circumcision for the wilderness-born generation, keeps Passover at Gilgal, and eats the produce of Canaan; the manna stops the next day. Near Jericho, Joshua encounters the captain of the LORD’s host and is told that the ground where he stands is holy.

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Before you read Joshua 5

Coming from

Chapter 4 established the Gilgal memorial so future generations would remember the Jordan crossing.

In this chapter

Before attacking Jericho, Israel is covenantally prepared inside the land: circumcision, Passover, the end of manna, and Joshua’s encounter all emphasize dependence on the LORD rather than military momentum.

Leads into

Chapter 6 gives the LORD’s unusual battle plan for Jericho and records the city’s fall and Rahab’s rescue.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Circumcision had not been maintained through the wilderness generation, so the new generation must bear the covenant sign before proceeding. Passover directly reconnects entry into Canaan with redemption from Egypt. The cessation of manna marks a major transition: Israel will now live from the produce of the promised land. The identity of the captain of the LORD’s host has been debated; the holy-ground command is striking, but the chapter does not explicitly say, 'This is the preincarnate Christ.'

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Military urgency does not override covenant preparation and worship.

Truth 2

The end of manna is not loss of provision but a change in how God provides as Israel enters the land.

Truth 3

Passover keeps Israel’s conquest rooted in remembered redemption from Egypt.

Truth 4

Joshua must recognize that the decisive question is not whether God is on Joshua’s side, but whether Joshua stands under God’s command.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Genesis 17 establishes circumcision as the covenant sign given to Abraham’s household.

Connection 2

Exodus 12 connects circumcision and Passover participation in Israel’s earlier covenant setting.

Connection 3

Exodus 3 contains the closest holy-ground parallel, where Moses is told to remove his shoe before the LORD’s presence.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not assume every theophany-like encounter may be identified with Christ unless Scripture gives enough warrant; acknowledge the strong divine features without manufacturing certainty.

Keep this clear 2

The phrase 'this day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt' should be interpreted in the circumcision and covenant-transition context rather than turned into an unrelated allegory.

Keep this clear 3

The cessation of manna does not mean Israel has become self-sufficient; the land’s produce is also God’s provision.

Read Joshua 5 watching for…

The effect of the Jordan crossing on Canaan’s kings.

Why a second circumcision is necessary.

The timing of Passover inside Canaan.

The exact point when manna ceases.

Joshua’s response to the captain of the LORD’s host.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-9The men of Israel are circumcised at Gilgal 10-12Israel keeps the Passover and the manna ceases 13-15Joshua meets the captain of the LORD’s host

And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.

And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.

Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.

And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.

And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.

And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.