Joshua 5

1 Now when the news came to all the kings of the Amorites on the west side of Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites living by the sea, how the Lord had made the waters of Jordan dry before the children of Israel, till they had gone across, their hearts became like water, and there was no more spirit in them, because of the children of Israel.

And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites who were over the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how that Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan, from before the sons of Israel, until they had passed over, that their heart melted, and there was no spirit in them any more, because of the sons of Israel.

2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, Make yourself stone knives and give the children of Israel circumcision a second time.

At that time, said Yahweh unto Joshua, Make thee knives of flint, —and again circumcise the sons of Israel, a second time.

3 So Joshua made stone knives and gave the children of Israel circumcision at Gibeath-ha-araloth.

So Joshua made him knives of flint, —and circumcised the sons of Israel, at the Hill of Foreskins.

4 And this is the reason why Joshua did so: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the fighting-men, had been overtaken by death in the waste land on the way, after they came out of Egypt.

Now, this, is the cause why Joshua did circumcise, —all the people who came forth out of Egypt, who were males, all the men of war, died in the desert, by the way, after they came forth out of Egypt.

5 All the people who came out had undergone circumcision; but all the people whose birth had taken place in the waste land on their journey from Egypt had not.

For, though all the people who came forth had been circumcised, yet, all the people who were born in the desert by the way, after they came forth out of Egypt, had they not circumcised.

6 For the children of Israel were wandering in the waste land for forty years, till all the nation, that is, all the fighting-men, who had come out of Egypt, were dead, because they did not give ear to the voice of the Lord: to whom the Lord said, with an oath, that he would not let them see the land which the Lord had given his word to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Because, for forty years, did the sons of Israel journey in the desert, until all the nation who were men of war, who came forth out of Egypt, were consumed, because they hearkened not unto the voice of Yahweh, —unto whom Yahweh sware that he would not let them see the land, which Yahweh sware unto their fathers, that he would give unto us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

7 And their children, who came up in their place, now underwent circumcision by the hands of Joshua, not having had it before: for there had been no circumcision on the journey.

Their sons, therefore, whom he had raised up in their stead, them, did Joshua circumcise, —for, uncircumcised, they were, in that they had not circumcised them by the way.

8 So when all the nation had undergone circumcision, they kept in their tents till they were well again.

And so it came to pass, when they had made an end of circumcising all the nation, they remained in their place, in the camp, until they were healed.

9 And the Lord said to Joshua, Today the shame of Egypt has been rolled away from you. So that place was named Gilgal, to this day.

Then said Yahweh unto Joshua, To-day, have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of that place is called Gilgal ["a rolling away"]unto this day.

10 So the children of Israel put up their tents in Gilgal; and they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, in the lowlands of Jericho.

Thus then the sons of Israel encamped in Gilgal, —and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, in the waste plains of Jericho.

11 And on the day after the Passover, they had for their food the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and dry grain on the same day.

And they did eat of the corn of the land, on the morrow of the passover, unleavened cakes and parched ears of corn, —on this selfsame day.

12 And there was no more manna from the day after they had for their food the produce of the land; the children of Israel had manna no longer, but that year the produce of the land of Canaan was their food.

And the manna ceased on the morrow, when they had eaten of the corn of the land, neither had the sons of Israel manna any more, —so they did eat of the yield of the land of Canaan throughout that year.

13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, lifting up his eyes he saw a man in front of him, with his sword uncovered in his hand: and Joshua went up to him and said, Are you for us or against us?

And it came to pass, while Joshua was at Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes, and looked, and lo! a man standing over against him, with his sword drawn, in his hand, —so Joshua went unto him, and said to him, For us, art thou, or for our adversaries?

14 And he said, No; but I have come as captain of the armies of the Lord. Then Joshua, falling down with his face to the earth in worship, said, What has my lord to say to his servant?

And he said—Nay, but, I, as prince of the host of Yahweh, have, now, come. So Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshipped, and said unto him, What is my lord speaking unto his servant?

15 And the captain of the Lord's army said to Joshua, Take off your shoes from your feet, for the place where you are is holy. And Joshua did so.

Then said the prince of the host of Yahweh unto Joshua—Slip off thy sandals from thy feet, for, as for the place whereon thou art standing, holy, it is. And Joshua did so.