Joshua 5 9

Joshua 5:9 kjv

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.

Joshua 5:9 nkjv

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.

Joshua 5:9 niv

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the place has been called Gilgal to this day.

Joshua 5:9 esv

And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

Joshua 5:9 nlt

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt." So that place has been called Gilgal to this day.

Joshua 5 9 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Isa 25:8"He will swallow up death forever; the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away..."Removal of all reproach by God
Zeph 3:19"Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors... I will make them into a praise and a name in all the earth, when I restore your fortunes."God removes reproach and restores honor
Ps 69:10"When I humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach."Reproach can be a spiritual burden
Heb 12:2"looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame..."Jesus endured shame for our redemption
Exod 13:3"Then Moses said to the people, 'Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery...'"Deliverance from slavery/bondage of Egypt
Rom 6:6-7"We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin..."Spiritual freedom from slavery to sin
Tit 3:3"For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, enslaved to various passions and pleasures..."Humanity's former spiritual bondage
Gen 17:10"This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised."Circumcision as a covenant sign
Deut 10:16"Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn."Calls for spiritual circumcision
Rom 2:28-29"For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit..."Emphasizes spiritual circumcision of heart
Col 2:11"In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ..."Christian's spiritual circumcision in Christ
Jer 31:31-34"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel..."Prophecy of the New Covenant
2 Cor 5:17"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."New creation in Christ; new beginning
Num 33:53"And you shall take possession of the land and dwell in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it."Promise of land possession
Heb 4:1"Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it."Entering God's rest/inheritance
Judg 2:1"Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim..."Gilgal as a significant historical site
1 Sam 7:16"And he used to go on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah..."Gilgal as a religious/judicial center
Deut 9:3"Understand therefore today that it is the Lord your God who is going over before you as a consuming fire..."God's active role in Israel's conquest
Ps 118:23"This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes."Acknowledges divine action and wonder
Josh 21:43-45"Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers... Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass."God's promises are faithfully fulfilled
Exod 12:48"If a sojourner ... would keep the Passover to the Lord, every male belonging to him must be circumcised..."Circumcision prerequisite for Passover
Deut 23:14"Because the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp... therefore your camp must be holy..."Holiness required for divine presence/battle
Gen 34:14"We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who has a foreskin..."Circumcision as a cultural distinction

Joshua 5 verses

Joshua 5 9 Meaning

This verse communicates God's profound declaration to Joshua and the nation of Israel that He has completely removed the disgrace and shame associated with their enslavement in Egypt and their uncircumcised state. This decisive divine act, symbolized by the mass circumcision and the naming of the place Gilgal ("rolling away"), marks a new beginning for Israel as a consecrated nation, prepared to inherit the promised land, free from the burdens of their past.

Joshua 5 9 Context

Joshua 5 serves as a crucial transition point for Israel after miraculously crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Prior to beginning their military campaign against Canaan, God commands a profound spiritual renewal. The immediate context of verse 9 includes the mass circumcision of all Israelite males born in the wilderness who had not been circumcised, fulfilling the covenant commanded by God to Abraham (Gen 17). This act, while making them vulnerable, was a necessary step of obedience and consecration. Immediately after their recovery, they observed the Passover (Josh 5:10), further symbolizing their identity as God's redeemed people. This consecration precedes the cessation of the manna (Josh 5:12) and the appearance of the Commander of the Lord's army to Joshua (Josh 5:13-15), underscoring that spiritual alignment is paramount before embarking on the physical conquest of Canaan.

Historically, the "reproach of Egypt" encompasses various aspects: the shame of their previous enslavement and impotence; the humiliation of having lingered for 40 years in the wilderness, which other nations might have interpreted as God's inability to bring His people into the land (Num 14:13-16); and importantly, the reproach of uncircumcision for a covenant people entering the land. While the Egyptians practiced some forms of circumcision, it was a defining mark of Abraham's covenant descendants, setting Israel apart. By performing this covenant rite, Israel formally disavowed their past ties to Egyptian identity and bondage, fully embracing their status as God's redeemed and holy nation on the cusp of receiving their promised inheritance.

Joshua 5 9 Word analysis

  • Then: Signifies a consequential next step in God's plan, linking directly to the mass circumcision that just occurred.
  • the Lord: Hebrew: YHWH (Yahweh). The personal, covenant-keeping God of Israel. It emphasizes that this declaration and action is of divine origin and rooted in His faithfulness to His promises.
  • said: Implies a direct, authoritative, and specific revelation from God to His appointed leader, Joshua.
  • to Joshua: Hebrew: Yehoshua (יהושע), meaning "YHWH is salvation." The one chosen by God to lead Israel into the Promised Land. This declaration strengthens his leadership and confirms God's presence with him.
  • “Today: Hebrew: hayyom (הַיּוֹם). Emphasizes the immediacy and definitive nature of this act. It is a new, precise moment in their history, signaling a clear break from the past and a turning point.
  • I have rolled away: Hebrew: gallothi (גַלּוֹתִי), from the verb galal (גלל), meaning "to roll, remove, unroll, open, reveal." The use of the perfect tense indicates a completed, irreversible action. The "I" stresses God's sole agency in this significant spiritual transformation. It conveys the image of a heavy stone or burden being definitively moved aside.
  • the reproach: Hebrew: cherpat (חֶרְפַּת), from cherpah (חֶרְפָּה), meaning "shame, disgrace, humiliation, insult." It denotes public scorn or dishonor.
  • of Egypt: Hebrew: Mitzraim (מִצְרָיִם). Refers to the nation where Israel endured prolonged slavery. This phrase is multifaceted, referring to:
    • The humiliation of bondage: Israel’s national indignity from being enslaved.
    • Perceived weakness of their God: The notion that YHWH was unable to bring His people fully into their promised inheritance, as they had wandered for 40 years.
    • The spiritual state of uncircumcision: For a covenant people, remaining uncircumcised was a visible sign of covenant disobedience or alienation, potentially mocking their claim to be God's chosen.
    • Idolatrous contamination: Their lingering association with the pagan practices of Egypt.
  • from you.”: Refers corporately to the nation of Israel. It means the shame is no longer attached to their identity, status, or reputation as a people.

Words-Group Analysis:

  • "I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt": This phrase encapsulates God's redemptive power and active intervention. It is a divine declaration of full restoration and spiritual cleansing. By removing this reproach, God reinstates Israel’s honor, establishes their distinct identity, and removes any basis for the nations or even themselves to question God's faithfulness or their unique covenant relationship. This makes them fit to be a holy nation inheriting a holy land.
  • "So the name of that place is called Gilgal": Hebrew: Gilgal (גִלְגָּל). The name of the location is a direct verbal play on galal ("rolled away"), providing an etiological explanation for the place-name. Gilgal literally becomes "Rolling," serving as a permanent memorial and physical testimony to this monumental divine act of cleansing and covenant renewal. It ensures that the memory of this decisive turning point will endure through generations.
  • "to this day": A common biblical phrase validating the historical authenticity and ongoing relevance of the event for the original audience. It asserts the lasting impact and significance of what happened at Gilgal.

Joshua 5 9 Bonus section

  • Gilgal became a significant location in Israel's history, serving as their initial camp and operational base for the conquest (Josh 9:6, 10:6). It later became an important religious and judicial center, as evidenced by its mention in Judges, Samuel, and Hosea (Judg 2:1; 1 Sam 7:16; Hos 4:15).
  • The spiritual vulnerability Israel experienced during their recovery from circumcision at Gilgal highlights their complete reliance on God's protection. It underscores that God commands obedience and purity before ensuring safety or victory, demonstrating that His covenant faithfulness transcends immediate pragmatic concerns.
  • The stopping of the manna and the eating of the produce of the land immediately after this event (Josh 5:10-12) further signifies a new era. No longer sustained supernaturally from the wilderness, Israel would now be sustained by the bountiful produce of the very land God had promised and enabled them to possess, tying directly into the theme of covenant fulfillment.
  • The "reproach of Egypt" can be seen as a shadow of the ultimate spiritual reproach humanity carries—the reproach of sin and separation from God. Just as God "rolled away" Israel's shame at Gilgal, the sacrifice of Christ ultimately "rolls away" the sin and shame of those who believe, making them new creations fit for eternal inheritance (Col 2:11-14; Rom 8:1-2).

Joshua 5 9 Commentary

Joshua 5:9 encapsulates the core theological truth that God alone cleanses His people and removes their shame to prepare them for His purposes. The "reproach of Egypt" represented not only the past humiliation of physical bondage but also the spiritual indignity of being out of covenant compliance. Through the renewed act of circumcision at Gilgal, God definitively declares an end to that shame, effectively "rolling away" their past and making them ritually and spiritually clean to receive their inheritance. This signifies a fundamental shift: Israel is no longer a band of ex-slaves wandering in the desert, but a consecrated, purified nation ready to engage in God's holy war and claim the Promised Land. This moment establishes Gilgal as a pivotal spiritual and national base, reminding future generations that God’s presence and favor are contingent upon covenant fidelity and sanctification, which always precedes victory.