Joshua 5

The Manna Ceased the Day They Ate the Land’s Grain

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Circumcision at the Hill of the Foreskins

5:1When the kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan and the kings of Phoenicia by the sea heard that the Lord God had dried up the River Jordan before the sons of Israel as they crossed, their minds melted; they were dismayed, and no understanding remained in them because of the sons of Israel.

5:2At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make stone knives for yourself from sharp rock, and sit down and circumcise the sons of Israel.”

5:3Joshua made sharp stone knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at the place called Hill of the Foreskins.

5:4This is how Joshua purified the sons of Israel: those born along the way and those among the people who had left Egypt who were still uncircumcised—

5:5Joshua circumcised all these.

5:6For Israel had lived forty-two years in the wilderness of Madbaritis. Therefore most of the fighting men who had left the land of Egypt were uncircumcised, those who disobeyed God’s commands. He decreed that they should not see the land the Lord swore to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

5:7In their place He appointed their sons, whom Joshua circumcised because they had remained uncircumcised along the way.

5:8After being circumcised, they rested there in the camp until they recovered.

5:9The Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, “Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.” He called that place Gilgal.

Passover at Gilgal and the End of the Manna

5:10The sons of Israel kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month, from evening, west of Jericho, beyond the Jordan, in the plain.

5:11They ate from the grain of the land: unleavened bread and new grain. On this day

5:12the manna failed after they had eaten from the grain of the land. There was no longer manna for the sons of Israel; that year they harvested the country of the Phoenicians.

The Commander of the Lord’s Host

5:13When Joshua was at Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing opposite him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua approached and said, “Are you one of ours or one of our opponents?”

5:14He said to him, “I have now arrived as commander-in-chief of the Lord’s host.” Joshua fell on his face to the earth and said to him, “Master, what do you command your servant?”

5:15The Lord’s commander-in-chief said to Joshua, “Loosen the sandal from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.”

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.