At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.”
Parallel translations
- WEB At that time, Yahweh said to Joshua, “Make flint knives, and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.”
- KJV At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
- BSB At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel once again.”
- NASB At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.”
- NLT At that time the Lord told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise this second generation of Israelites.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God told Joshua to make flint knives and circumcise the men of Israel. The covenant sign had to be renewed before they could possess the land.
Overview
The generation born in the wilderness had not been circumcised, so the covenant sign given to Abraham needed restoring. Before Israel could claim the promise, they had to be marked again as God's covenant people. This underscores that inheritance comes through covenant relationship with God, not merely through military strength.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Deut 10:16Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.
- Deut 30:6Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your offspring, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.
- Exod 4:25Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”
- Rom 4:11He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them.
- Gen 17:10–14This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.
- Col 2:11in whom you were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;
- Rom 2:29but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 5:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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