Joshua 5:3 kjv
And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
Joshua 5:3 nkjv
So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
Joshua 5:3 niv
So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.
Joshua 5:3 esv
So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.
Joshua 5:3 nlt
So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the entire male population of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.
Joshua 5 3 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Gen 17:10-14 | "This is My covenant... every male among you shall be circumcised... | Circumcision as sign of Abrahamic covenant. |
Ex 4:24-26 | Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin... | Use of flint knife in circumcision. |
Lev 12:3 | On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. | Law regarding circumcision on eighth day. |
Deut 10:16 | "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn." | Inner spiritual meaning of circumcision. |
Deut 30:6 | "The Lord your God will circumcise your heart... so that you will love him..." | God enables heart circumcision for obedience. |
Josh 5:2 | At that time the Lord said to Joshua, "Make flint knives for yourself..." | God's direct command for this act. |
Josh 5:4-7 | The reason why Joshua circumcised them... all who were born in the desert. | Explains the necessity: new generation. |
Josh 5:8 | When all the people had been circumcised, they remained in their places... | Period of healing and waiting. |
Josh 5:9 | "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." | Connects circumcision to removing shame. |
Jer 4:4 | "Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskins of your hearts..." | Call for internal spiritual renewal. |
Ezek 44:7 | "when you bring in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and flesh..." | Links uncircumcision to unholiness/alienation. |
Rom 2:28-29 | "For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly... true circumcision is of the heart." | Spiritual nature of true circumcision in NT. |
Rom 4:11 | "He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness..." | Circumcision as a seal of faith. |
1 Cor 7:19 | Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments... | External rite less important than obedience. |
Gal 5:2-6 | "Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you." | Emphasizes freedom from ritual law for salvation. |
Col 2:11-12 | "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands..." | New covenant spiritual circumcision through Christ. |
Eph 2:11 | Remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised"... | Gentile/Jew distinction through circumcision. |
Ex 19:10-15 | God required consecration and purification before encountering Him at Sinai. | Preparation for meeting with God. |
Num 9:1-5 | Celebration of Passover requires ritual cleanliness. | Foreshadows Josh 5:10, linking purity to Passover. |
1 Sam 17:26 | "For who is this uncircumcised Philistine..." | Uncircumcised seen as defiled/outside covenant. |
Gen 34:14-17 | Dinah's brothers required circumcision of Shechemites for intermarriage. | Circumcision as a distinct mark of covenant people. |
Heb 12:14 | "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." | Call for holiness and purification. |
1 Pet 3:21 | "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you... " | NT parallel: Baptism as new covenant sign. |
Phil 3:3 | "For we are the circumcision, who worship God in Spirit and boast in Christ Jesus..." | True believers as the "circumcision." |
Joshua 5 verses
Joshua 5 3 Meaning
Joshua chapter 5 verse 3 records a pivotal moment where Joshua, following God's command, made flint knives and circumcised the entire generation of Israelite males born during their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. This act marked a renewal of the Abrahamic covenant sign for the second generation before they began the conquest of the Promised Land, signifying their full identification as God's chosen people.
Joshua 5 3 Context
Joshua 5:3 is part of the pivotal fifth chapter of Joshua, immediately following the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River (Ch 3-4) and the encampment at Gilgal. The Israelites have just entered the Promised Land. Verse 1 describes the fear among the Canaanite kings after hearing about the Jordan crossing. In verse 2, God commands Joshua to re-circumcise the Israelite males, revealing that this covenant sign had been neglected during their 40-year wilderness wandering. This neglect was linked to the disobedience of the older generation who perished in the desert. Thus, Joshua's action in verse 3 is an act of obedience, reinstating the covenant before the military campaigns began. This purification, in the literal shadow of Jericho, was not merely a physical ritual but a spiritual re-dedication and an essential step for the nation to inherit the land promised to their circumcised father, Abraham. The act temporarily incapacitated the men, forcing them to rely completely on divine protection, signifying that their victory would be by God's hand, not their own strength.
Joshua 5 3 Word analysis
So Joshua made for himself: (וַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ - wayya‘as lo yehoshu‘a). The verb ‘asah (made/did) implies personal involvement and execution of the command. The reflexive pronoun lo ("for himself") highlights that Joshua was directly responsible and personally undertook this task, demonstrating active obedience to God's instruction, rather than merely delegating. This underscores his leadership not just militarily, but spiritually.
flint knives: (חַרְבּוֹת צֻרִים - charbôt tsurim).
- charbôt: Plural of cherev, meaning "sword" or "knife." In this context, ritual cutting instruments.
- tsurim: Plural of tsur, meaning "flint," "rock," or "stone."
- The choice of flint suggests either the lack of metal tools in the wilderness or, more likely, a ritual significance harkening back to ancient practices (as seen with Zipporah in Ex 4:25) or signifying a primitive, foundational, or symbolic return to the simplicity and purity of the original covenant sign. It might also reflect the temporary and essential nature of their wilderness equipment, using what was readily available.
and circumcised: (וַיָּמָל - wayyāmal). From the Hebrew root mul, meaning "to circumcise." This is the core action of the verse. It refers to the physical removal of the foreskin. In the Bible, this act served as the enduring sign of the covenant between God and Abraham and his descendants, symbolizing belonging to God's chosen people (Gen 17). Its performance on an entire generation, including many adults, was a profound and widespread act of national spiritual cleansing and covenant re-entry.
the sons of Israel: (אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - ’et-b'ney yisra’el). Refers to all the Israelite males, specifically those born in the wilderness who had not been circumcised (as clarified in Josh 5:4-7). This included the generation that would enter and conquer the land. The collective nature of the act signifies the covenant being renewed with the nation as a whole, preparing them for their corporate mission.
at Gibeath-haaraloth: (אֶל־גִּבְעַת הָעֲרָלוֹת - ’el-gibt‘at hā‘arālôt).
- Gibeath: "Hill" or "Gibeah."
- haaraloth: "the foreskins" (plural of ‘orlah, foreskin).
- Thus, "The Hill of Foreskins." This place received its name because of this momentous event. This name emphasizes the profound, visible impact of the ritual, marking the location permanently with the sign of the covenant and the removal of the reproach mentioned later in verse 9. The act physically happened there and served to spiritually cleanse the people and consecrate the land itself.
Word-Group Analysis:
- "made for himself flint knives and circumcised": This sequence emphasizes Joshua's active and immediate obedience to a demanding divine command. The use of simple, possibly ancient, tools (flint) underscores the foundational and ritual purity of the act, possibly distinct from daily metal implements, and harks back to early covenant practice, implying God’s desire for fundamental, obedient ritual observance over sophisticated means.
- "the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth": This phrase highlights the vast scope of the command—the entire new generation of the covenant community—and situates it at a physically memorable and spiritually significant location. The place name itself, "Hill of Foreskins," permanently enshrines the magnitude of this national circumcision, which was essential for God to roll away "the reproach of Egypt" (Josh 5:9) and fully acknowledge them as His pure people before giving them the Promised Land.
Joshua 5 3 Bonus section
- Theological Parallel to the New Covenant: The physical act of circumcision under the Old Covenant finds its theological fulfillment in the New Covenant's "circumcision of the heart" (Deut 30:6; Rom 2:29; Col 2:11). This spiritual transformation, effected by the Holy Spirit, cleanses from sin and prepares believers for their spiritual inheritance in Christ. Baptism in the New Testament can also be seen as a new covenant sign of entrance, mirroring circumcision (Col 2:12), signifying spiritual purification and new life in Christ.
- Joshua's Leadership as a Type of Christ: Joshua's obedience in fulfilling God's command to re-establish the covenant sign foreshadows Christ, who fulfills the Old Covenant requirements through His perfect obedience (Matt 5:17). Both Joshua and Jesus lead their people into a promised inheritance and bring about spiritual purity.
- The Act as a Test of Faith: Performing mass circumcision left the Israelite army physically incapacitated for a period (three days being common for recovery, cf. Gen 34:25), making them extremely vulnerable to attack by the Canaanites. This command from God was a profound test of Israel's faith, demanding implicit trust in His protection and timing, even in military matters. It demonstrated that victory would not come through military strength alone, but through divine faithfulness and the obedience of His people.
- Rolling Away the Reproach: Joshua 5:9 reveals the deeper significance: the "reproach of Egypt" was rolled away. This might refer to the shame of a nation failing to properly adhere to its covenant with God while in the wilderness, or the potential for Egypt to mock them for not being true covenant people (see Ex 32:12; Num 14:16). This circumcision cleansed the generation, validating their status as fully devoted and worthy inheritors of God’s promise.
Joshua 5 3 Commentary
Joshua 5:3 narrates a profoundly significant act of national purification and covenant renewal. Following God's direct command, Joshua personally facilitated the mass circumcision of every Israelite male born in the wilderness. This was not merely a ceremonial duty; it addressed a covenant breach that had persisted for 40 years, where the physical sign of belonging to Abraham's lineage had been neglected. The specific use of "flint knives" may emphasize the primitive yet sacred nature of the act, connecting it to its ancient roots (cf. Zipporah in Ex 4:25), or highlighting dependence on simple tools, indicating God values obedience above grandeur.
The location, "Gibeath-haaraloth," literally meaning "The Hill of Foreskins," gained its name from this very event, immortalizing the site of Israel's national covenant re-establishment. This mass circumcision, rendering the men vulnerable, profoundly underscored their total dependence on God for protection, even on the brink of battle for Jericho. It served as a spiritual purification and a clear distinction between them, as God's sanctified people, and the surrounding Canaanite nations. This foundational act of obedience ensured that the generation poised to inherit the land was physically marked as part of God’s covenant family, reflecting inner allegiance. It spiritually prepared them for Passover celebration and the subsequent holy war. This act speaks volumes about the priority God places on faithfulness to covenant and sanctification before undertaking His work.