Joshua 5

1. And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the side of the Jordan westward and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had passed over, that their heart melted; neither was there spirit in them any more because of the children of Israel.

2. At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, “Make thee sharp knives and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.”

3. And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins [or, Gibeahhaaraloth].

4. And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way after they came out of Egypt.

5. Now all the people who came out were circumcised; but all the people who were born in the wilderness on the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

6. For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord. Unto these the Lord swore that He would not show them the land which the Lord swore unto their fathers that He would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

7. And their children, whom He raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the way.

8. And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp till they were whole.

9. And the Lord said unto Joshua, “This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you.” Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal [that is, Rolling] unto this day.

10. And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho.

11. And they ate of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes and parched corn on the selfsame day.

12. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

13. And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there stood a man opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand; and Joshua went unto him and said unto him, “Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?”

14. And he said, “Nay, but as captain of the host of the Lord have I now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said unto him, “What saith my lord unto his servant?”

15. And the captain of the Lord’S host said unto Joshua, “Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place whereon thou standest is holy.” And Joshua did so.