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Matthew Henry

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 5:8

And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people ,.... Which seems as if it was done in one day, even on the same day they passed over Jordan, and came to Gilgal; though Bishop Usher F1 Annales Vet. Test. p. 38. thinks it was the day following; and so the Jews F2 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 11. p. 31. say it was on the eleventh of Nisan: that they abode in their places in the camp till they were whole : till the wound made by circumcision was healed; now as it was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 5:8

They abode - in the camp , till they were whole - This required several days; see the notes on Genesis 34:24 , Genesis 34:25 . Sir J. Chardin informs us that when adults were circumcised they were obliged to keep their beds for about three weeks, or at least during that time they are not able to walk about but with great difficulty. The account he had from several renegadoes, who had received circumcision among the Mohammedans. Is it not strange that during this time they... 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 5:6-11

The Two Sacraments of the Old Covenant Circumcision and the passover were the two sacraments of the old covenant. The first set forth the truth that enrolment among the people of God must be accompanied with the putting away of evil. The second represented the past deliverance from the bondage of Egypt, and the future deliverance from all the perils of the wilderness by entrance into Canaan, and the final possession of the land of promise. On the eve of the decisive conflict, God commands... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 5:8

Till they were whole. Literally, till they revived, as in Genesis 20:7 ; 2 Kings 1:2 ; 2 Kings 8:8 . Objections have been raised (see Keil and Delitzsch in loc) to the possibility of this circumcision taking place in one day. But it has been shown by calculation that between one-third and one-fourth of the people who remained had been circumcised already, and that therefore such an operation as this could be performed with the utmost ease in a very short time. The word גוִו is... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joshua 5:8

The circumcision must have taken place on the day after the passage of Jordan, i. e. the 11th Nisan, and the Passover was kept on the 14th of the same month. For so long at least, they who had been circumcised would be disabled from war (compare the marginal reference), though they would not necessarily be debarred from keeping the feast. The submission of the people to the rite was a proof of faith, even though we remember that the panic of the Canaanites Joshua 5:1 would render any immediate... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Joshua 5:8

Joshua 5:8. Till they were whole Free from that pain and soreness which circumcision caused. It was certainly an act of great faith to expose themselves to so much pain, and danger too, in this place, where they were hemmed in by Jordan and their enemies. 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

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