Joshua 5:4 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 5:1-9

A vast show, no doubt, the numerous camp of Israel made in the plains of Jericho, where now they had pitched their tents. Who can count the dust of Jacob? That which had long been the church in the wilderness has now come up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved, and looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners. How terrible she was in the eyes of her enemies we are here told, Josh. 5:1. How fair and clear she was made in the eyes... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 5:4

And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise ,.... Or the reason of the command given him to circumcise the children of Israel at this time, namely, what follows: all the people that came out of Egypt that were males, even all the men of war ; meaning such that were twenty years old, and upwards: died in the wilderness, by the way, after they came out of Egypt ; not directly, but in a course of forty years, as they journeyed through the wilderness; this is to be understood... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 5:4

This is the cause why Joshua did circumcise - The text here explains itself. Before the Israelites left Egypt all the males were circumcised; and some learned men think that all those who were born during their encampment at Sinai were circumcised also, because there they celebrated the passover; but after that time, during the whole of their stay in the wilderness, there were none circumcised till they entered into the promised land. Owing to their unsettled state, God appears... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 5:1-9

The great renewal of the covenant. Matthew Henry very felicitously quotes here and combines the two passages (So Matthew 8:5 and Matthew 6:10 ), "Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved, who looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?" Terrible as an army in the eyes of her enemies (verse 1); fair as the moon, clear as the sun, when the reproach of Egypt is rolled away (verse 9). I. ISRAEL ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 5:4

After they came out from Egypt. Rather " on their journey from Egypt." See next verse, where the same words are translated "as they came out." read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joshua 5:4-7

Of the whole nation those only were already circumcised at the time of the passage of the Jordan who had been under twenty years of age at the time of the complaining and consequent rejection at Kadesh (compare the marginal reference). These would have been circumcised before they left Egypt, and there would still survive of them more than a quarter of a million of thirty-eight years old and upward.The statements of these verses are of a general kind. The “forty years” of Joshua 5:6 is a round... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Joshua 5:4

Joshua 5:4. All that came out of Egypt that were males died This is to be restrained to such as were then above twenty years old, and such as were guilty of the rebellion mentioned Numbers 14:0., as it is expressed Joshua 5:6. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Joshua 5:2-15

Camp at Gilgal (5:2-15)Israel’s camp at Gilgal became the centre for the battle campaign that was to follow. But before the people could receive the land God promised them in the covenant, they had to renew their covenant relation with him.During the previous forty years, the people of Israel had brought shame upon themselves through consistently being disobedient and unbelieving. They had even neglected the first requirement of the covenant, which was the circumcision of all newborn male... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Joshua 5:4

men. Hebrew, plural of 'ish or 'enosh. App-14 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Joshua 5:2-5

"At that time, Jehovah said unto Joshua, Make thee knives of flint, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. And Joshua made him knives of flint, 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 forth out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came forth out of Egypt. For all the people that came out were circumcised; but... read more