The Making Of A Faithful People (Joshua 5:1-12) Series

Let's start today by simply reading our passage, Joshua 5:1-12:

(1) And then, as soon as all the kings of the Amorites heard,

who [were] on the other side of the Jordan to the west,

with all the kings of the Canaanites who [were] at the sea, that Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the sons of Israel until we /they crossed over,

their heart melted

and there wasn't in them any longer inner strength from before the sons of Israel.

(2) At that time Yahweh said to Joshua,

"Make for yourself swords of flint,

and again circumcise the sons of Israel a second time."

(3) And Joshua made swords of flint,

and he circumcised the sons of Israel at the Hill of the Foreskins,

(4) And this [was] the reason that Joshua circumcised:

All the people-- the ones coming out from Egypt, the men of war had died in the wilderness on the way while/when they came out from Egypt

(5) for/because circumcised, all the people coming out were,

while all the people born in the wilderness on the way while they were coming out from Egypt were not circumcised

(6) for/because forty years the sons of Israel walked in the wilderness until the whole nation-- the men of war coming out from Egypt -- finished (died),

who had not heeded the voice of Yahweh,

who Yahweh had sworn to them not to let them see the land

that Yahweh had sworn with an oath to their ancestors, to give to us-- a land flowing with milk and honey,

(7) while their sons he raised in their place.

Them, Joshua circumcised,

because/for uncircumcised, they were.

because/for they had not circumcised them on the way,

(8) And then, after the whole nation had finished being circumcised, they dwelled/remained in their place in the camp until they were [recovered/healed],

(9) and Yahweh said to Joshua,

"Today I have rolled back ("galaled") the reproach/taunt of Egypt from over you,"

and he called the name of that place Gilgal, up to this day,

(10) and the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal,

and they observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho,

(11) and they ate from the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain on this very day,

(12) and the manna stopped on the next day, when they ate from the produce of the land,

and there wasn't still for the sons of Israel manna,

and they ate from the crop of the land of Canaan in that year.

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Verse 1:

(1) and then, as soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan to the west, with all the kings of the Canaanites who were at the sea, that Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the sons of Israel until we /they crossed over, their heart melted,

and there wasn't still in them life/spirit from before the sons of Israel.

Since the very beginning of Joshua, we've been waiting for this moment. Yahweh is going to give Israel a home, where they can live in peace, in covenant relationship with him. And for weeks now, we've been ready to grab our swords, and get this thing done.

AJ (Author of Joshua) begins chapter 5 with a description of all the kings of the Amorites and Canaanites.

Everyone has heard what Yahweh did for his people, in drying up the waters of the Jordan, and everyone has panicked. Rahab had already told the Israelite spies how the people's hearts had melted (2:11), and that was BEFORE the Jordan crossing. When your enemy's hearts have melted, and when they are in total despair-- surely now, is the time to attack. Touch them, and they will fall over before you. They will flee in terror.

Verse 2:

(2) At that time Yahweh said to Joshua,

"Make for yourself swords of flint,

and again circumcise the sons of Israel a second time."

Here, we find our expectations built up, only to have them frustrated again. The kings are terrified, and at that time, Yahweh tells Joshua to make swords. And we are ready to hop out of our seats and cheer, because it's time to be brave and take the land. !!!!!!!!!! But these swords are not for Jericho. Yahweh needs them to make swords so they can be circumcised a second time.

And we sit here, and we maybe don't know what to do with this.

We tend to think that the book of Joshua is basically about two things: the conquest of the land, and the distribution of that land to the different tribes. But chapter 5 doesn't fit. Something is wrong with our understanding. We are missing something. What is it? Why is circumcision important? Let's keep reading, and see if we can't find an answer.