Joshua 4:19-5:12 nasu Monday, October 26
Joshua 4:19 Now the people came up from the
Jordan on the tenth[1] of
the first[2]
month and camped at Gilgal on the
eastern edge of Jericho. 20 Those twelve[3]
stones[4]
which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 He said to the sons of Israel, "When your children
ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' 22 then you
shall inform your children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.'
23 "For YHVH your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until
you had crossed, just as YHVH your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried
up before us until we had crossed; 24 that all the peoples of the earth may
know that the hand of YHVH is mighty, so that you may fear YHVH your God
forever."
Joshua 5:1 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 YHVH had dried up the waters of
the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts
melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of
Israel.
Joshua 5:2 At that time[5]
YHVH said to Joshua, "Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again
the sons of Israel[6]
the second[7]
time." 3 So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of
Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth[8].
4 This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them[9]:
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[10]
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 YHVH, to whom YHVH had
sworn that He would not let them see the land which YHVH 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.
Joshua 5:8 Now when they had finished circumcising
all the nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they were
healed[11].
9 Then YHVH 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.
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| The morning Devotion connected with this passage can be found here Morning Devotions: Joshua 4:19 - 5:12 |
Joshua 5:10 While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal they observed the Passover[12]
on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of
Jericho. 11 On the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of
the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 The manna ceased on the day after they had
eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had
manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.
[1] Ten or tenth is one of the perfect
numbers, and signifies the perfection of Divine order, commencing, as it does,
an altogether new series of numbers. It pictures completion.
[2] One or first As a cardinal number it
denotes unity; as an ordinal it denotes primacy. Unity being indivisible, and
not made up of other numbers, is therefore independent of all others, and is
the source of all others. So with the Deity. The great First Cause is
independent of all. All stand in need of Him, and He needs no assistance from
any. (Bullinger)
[3] Twelve is the number of perfection in
government.
[4] Stones /ta ‘eben the word for stone is a compound word from ‘av (or abba) which is
Hebrew for Father; and ben
which is Hebrew for son. ‘Av is the house of the mighty God. Ben is the house
of the righteous seed. What they have in common is the letter bet picturing a
house. The stone is the house of The Almighty’s righteous Son. 1Peter 2:4-8
[5]
Magnificent Grace had been shown to Israel (the Jordan dry). It was after that
awesome event that Israel was asked to do something difficult. Circumcision.
[6]
The Almighty first demonstrated his
power is supernatural, then he asked the nation to enter the covenant of Torah
via circumcision. Our faith is in the Almighty
[7] The second time The number 2
communicates “a difference” (there is no difference with one or first) 2nd
, though different in character, yet one as to testimony and friendship. The
Second that comes in may be for help and deliverance. But, alas! where man is
concerned, this number testifies of his fall, for it more often denotes that
difference which implies opposition, enmity, and oppression (bullinger)
[8]
Means “the hill of foreskins”
[9] Obedience
to Torah commanded by YHVH Josh 1:7-9 "Only be strong and very courageous;
be careful to do according to all the Torah
which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to
the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of Torah shall not depart from your mouth,
but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do
according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way
prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong
and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for YHVH your God is with you
wherever you go."
[10] Fourty …association with a period of
probation, trial, and chastisement— (not judgment, like the number 9, which
stands in connection with the punishment of enemies, but the chastisement of
sons, and of a covenant people). (bullinger)
[11]
There was no fear of attack because of the fear of the Canaanites and Amorites
who heard that Israel cross on dry land.
[12]
Without circumcision they could not have kept the Passover.
