Joshua 5:4 - This is the reason Joshua circumcised them: all the people who came out of Egypt, who were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way, after they came out of Egypt.

Generated Verse: Joshua 5:4

What does "Joshua 5:4" mean?


Joshua 5:4 explains the reason why Joshua circumcised the Israelite men after they crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land. The verse states that:

Those circumcised in Egypt died in the wilderness: All the men who had been circumcised in Egypt, specifically "all the men of war" (those of fighting age), died during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness after the Exodus.
Lack of Circumcision: A new generation had grown up in the wilderness who hadn't been circumcised.

Essentially, the verse explains that the generation who left Egypt, who were circumcised as part of their covenant with God, had passed away. A new generation had been born and grown up during the years in the wilderness, but they had not been circumcised. This was a problem because circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and the Israelites.

The verse sets the context for the subsequent verses, where Joshua obeys God's command to circumcise the new generation before they can fully participate in the religious life of the community and claim their inheritance in the Promised Land.

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