51 Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west , and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea , heard how e the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before e the sons of Israel until they had crossed , that their hearts melted , and there was no spirit in them any longer because e of the sons of Israel . 2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua , "Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time ." 3 So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth e . 4 This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the people who came out of Egypt who were males , all the men of war , died in the wilderness along the way after they came out of Egypt . 5 For all the people who came out were circumcised , but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised . 6 For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness , until all the nation , that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt , perished because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord , to whom the Lord had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey . 7 Their children whom He raised up in their place , Joshua circumcised ; for they were uncircumcised , because they had not circumcised them along the way . 8 Now when they had finished circumcising all the nation , they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed . 9 Then the Lord said to Joshua , "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Joshua 5:1-9
Commentary on Joshua 5:1-9
(Read Joshua 5:1-9)
How dreadful is their case, who see the wrath of God advancing towards them, without being able to turn it aside, or escape it! Such will be the horrible situation of the wicked; nor can words express the anguish of their feelings, or the greatness of their terror. Oh that they would now take warning, and before it be too late, flee for refuge to lay hold upon that hope set before them in the gospel! God impressed these fears on the Canaanites, and dispirited them. This gave a short rest to the Israelites, and circumcision rolled away the reproach of Egypt. They were hereby owned to be the free-born children of God, having the seal of the covenant. When God glorifies himself in perfecting the salvation of his people, he not only silences all enemies, but rolls back their reproaches upon themselves.