Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, Joshua · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Verſ. 2. AT that time the Lord ſaid unto Joſhua, Make thee ſharp knives and circumciſe again the children of Iſrael the ſecond time.] In this charge which the Lord gave to Joſhua for the circumciſing of the children of Iſrael, to wit, thoſe that were born in their travels through the wilderneſſe who had not been hitherto circumciſed, there are many things queſtionable; as firſt, the time when this charge was given to Joſhua, it is ſaid here, that at that time the Lord ſaid unto Joſhua, Make thee ſharp knives &c. which hath manifeſt relation to that which went before; but may be meant, either, that God gave them that charge on the tenth day of the firſt monethmonth mentioned in the former chapter, verſ. 19. preſently after they were paſſed over Jordan, (and indeed later then ſo this charge could not be given; for they were doubtleſſe circumciſed on the eleventh day, the very next day after their paſſing over Jordan, or elſe the anguiſh of their cutting, which uſed to be greateſt on the third day after circumciſion, Gen. 34.25. could not be, in any good meaſure, over on the fourteenth day at even, when they were to celebrate the Paſſeover) or elſe in a larger extent, namely, that at that time when God gave them directions for their paſſing over Jordan, and thoſe other things formerly related, he gave them alſo this charge, that when they were paſſed over Jordan they ſhould circumciſe thoſe of the people that were as yet uncircumciſed; and this may be thought the more probable; firſt, becauſe then they might have the more time to provide the ſharp knives here mentioned: and ſecondly, becauſe then they might take order for the circumciſing thoſe of the two tribes and a half, whom they had left behind them on the other ſide Jordan, as likewiſe for their celebrating the Paſſeover, who in all probability were not left uncircumciſed, when the reſt of their brethren were circumciſed. Secondly, what theſe knives were which Joſhua was appointed to prepare for this ſervice. The word in the Originall is tranſlated by ſome, knives of edges, or ſharp knives, and by others, knives of flints (for the word will bear both tranſlations) and accordingly, ſome concieve that Joſhua was here enjoyned to make ſo many ſharp flints, or knives of flints, as were requiſite for this ſervice: and that becauſe this tended the better to ſhadow forth our circumciſion by Chriſt, who is our rock: and others again conceive that he was onelyonly to provide knives or raſours well ſharpned wherewith to circumciſe them; & indeed 1. becauſe in the firſt inſtitution of circumciſion we find no ſuch thing preſcribed, as that it ſhould be done with ſtones: and 2. becauſe it cannot be well conceived how knives of flints, for the ſpeedy circumciſing of ſo many hundred thouſand men could be on ſuch a ſudden purpoſely made, therefore I conceive that the ſharpning, or at leaſt the getting in a readineſſe ſo many knives exactly ſharpned, is all that was here enjoyned Joſhua: Thirdly, why the Lord commanded this to be done immediately upon their entrance into Canaan: of which theſe reaſons may be given, to wit, 1. becauſe being come to Gilgal, where the camp continued many years, and ſo not being to remove from one place to another as they had done formerly at the removall of the cloud, they had not that reaſon to forbear circumciſion now, which they had before. 2. that this might ſignifie to them that it was by virtue of that covenant which God had made with their fathers, whereof circumciſion was the outward ſeal, that they were now put into poſſeſſion of the land of Canaan, and might the more courageouſly encounter the inhabitants, having received this badge of their adoption, the ſigne of circumciſion: 3. that God might hereby make triall of their faith: and indeed a very hard triall it was if it be well conſidered. All that were the flower and ſtrength of their armies were now to be circumciſed, to wit, all that were born ſince their coming out of Egypt, and that was all under fourty years of age: and when they lay ſore of their circumciſion, how eaſie a matter it had been for their enemies, after the routing of thoſe of the more aged that were not now circumciſed, to have come upon the reſt, and to have cut all their throats, we may ſee by the ſlaughter which the two ſonnes of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, made amongſt the Shechemites when they lay in the ſame condition, Gen. 34.25, 26. So that nothing could be more dangerous then that which God now enjoyned them. Had this been done when they were on the other ſide Jordan where the inhabitants were already deſtroyed, it might have been done farre more ſafely and ſecurely: but now when they were hemmed in by the river Jordan in the land of their enemies, to weaken themſelves ſo farre, that if they ſhould come ſuddenly upon them, as they had reaſon to expect, they could be no way able to make any reſiſtance; this was all one, in the ſight of reaſon, as if they had been commanded to bind one another hand and foot, that the people of the land might come upon them and maſſacre them all. And thus I ſay the Lord made triall of their faith, to wit, whether in confidence of his protection they would do whatever he enjoyned them, though it ſeemed never ſo perillous in the judgement of their own reaſon. 4, becauſe on the fourteenth day of this monethmonth at even they were to eat the Paſſeover, of which none might eat that were uncircumciſed, Exod. 12.48. No uncircumciſed perſon ſhall eat thereof. Yea, when they were once in poſſeſſion of the land of Canaan, they were to obſerve all the precepts of the ceremoniall Law exactly, Deut. 12.8, 9, 10. and circumciſion was the ſeal of the covenant whereby they were bound to the keeping of theſe Laws, whence it is, that the Apoſtle ſaith, Gal. 5.3. that every man that is circumciſed, is a debter to the whole Law. But laſt of all, it may be queſtioned, why the circumciſing of the Iſraelites given now in charge to Joſhua, is called circumciſing them again the ſecond time? And to this I anſwer, that the reaſon of this is, not becauſe thoſe that had been circumciſed before were to be now circumciſed again, (for that could not be) but becauſe this ordinance of circumciſion, which had been for ſome years omitted, was now to be put in practiſe again; Circumciſe again the children of Iſrael the ſecond time: That is, ſet on foot again the uſe of the Sacrament, which had now been forborn and intermitted theſe fourty years. The firſt time of circumciſing was from the time that it was firſt enjoyned Abraham unto their coming out of Egypt; ſince then they had not uſed it; and thence is it, that Joſhua is commanded to begin again that holy rite the ſecond time.
Verſ. 3. And Joſhua made him ſharp knives, and circumciſed the children of Iſrael at the hill of the foreskins.] That is, according as God had commanded, Joſhua took order for the providing of ſharp knives, and for the circumciſing thoſe of the Iſraelites that were as yet uncircumciſed, and that was all that were under fourty years old, all that were born ſince their coming out of Egypt. And indeed, conſidering how many thouſand there were of theſe, and how ſpeedily this work was to be done, (for it was begun on the eleventh day of the monethmonth, and was to be ſo ſpeedily diſpatched that they might be able to eat the Paſſeover on the fourteenth day of the monethmonth at even) it was not poſſible that this could be done by Joſhua himſelf, but we may rather well think, that all that were before circumciſed were imployed in this ſervice. As for the place where this was done, it was called upon this occaſion Gibeah-haazaloth, that is, the hill of foreskins, to wit, becauſe there they did caſt away or bury the foreskins of thoſe that were circumciſed.
Verſ. 4. All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of warre died in the wilderneſſe, &c.] That is, all the people that were twenty years old and upward, Numb. 14.29. Your carcaſes ſhall fall in the wilderneſſe, and all that were numbred of you according to your whole number from twenty years old, and upward, which have murmured against me.
Verſ. 5. But all the people that were born in the wilderneſſe by the way, as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumciſed.] To wit, becauſe they were upon the way travelling towards the land of Canaan (as the words here ſeem to imply) and ſo could not conveniently circumciſe their children. For after they were newly circumciſed, reſt was requiſite, and it muſt needs be very dangerous to remove them, whilſt they yet lay ſore of their circumciſion; though they ſtayed long in ſome places, yet they knew not beforehand of their ſtay, but were continually in expectation to remove upon the removing of the cloud that went before them. Had the Iſraelites ſinned in this, it is not likely that either God, who ſeverely puniſhed them for other breaches of his Law would have paſſed by this ſo many years together unpuniſhed, yea unreproved; or that Moſes, who ſmarted for the neglect of circumciſion in his own familie, Exod. 4.24. would have ſuffered the people to runne on without check in ſo groſſe a contempt of Gods ordinance. And therefore, either God gave them a ſpeciall diſpenſation for this time of their travell, or elſe they knew that the rite of being circumciſed the eighth day, was not ſo enjoyned that upon no occaſion it might be differred (for what if at that time the child were ſick and weak?) & therefore having ſo juſt a cauſe they did now intermit this duty of circumciſion till they could come into the promiſed land.
Verſ. 7. And their children, whom he raiſed up in their ſtead, them Joſhua circumciſed.] That is, thoſe that were born in their travels: For thoſe that were under twenty years at their coming out of Egypt being now living, were already circumciſed; ſo that Joſhua brought into the land of Canaan, Iſraelites both circumciſed and uncircumciſed, being herein a type of Chriſt, who hath made both one, Eph. 2.14. In whom there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, circumciſion and uncircumciſion, Col. 3.11.
Verſ. 8. They abode in their places in the camp till they were whole.] To wit, no enemy attempting any thing againſt them, or once offering to moleſt them in this their weakneſſe, no not ſo much as to ſcare them or put them in any fright. To try their faith and obedience, God enjoyns not circumciſion on the other ſide of Jordan, where they might have done it more ſafely and ſecurely, without fear of their enemies taking advantage againſt them; but here in the very face of their enemies: now they found that there was no danger in truſting God, and doing what he enjoyned them.
Verſ. 9. And the Lord ſaid unto Joſhua, This day have I rolled away the reproch of Egypt from off you.] In this word rolled, the Lord ſeems to allude to the manner of circumciſion, to wit, becauſe when they were circumciſed, their foreskinnes being ſlit up, were rolled upward, and then cut off and caſt away. But the greateſt difficulty in theſe words, is to know, why it is ſaid, that in their circumciſion the reproch of Egypt was rolled away from off them; and of this there are two reaſons given, both which are very probable: For firſt, ſome by the reproch of Egypt underſtand the reproches which the Egyptians did uſually caſt upon the Iſraelites, that they were fugitives and rebels, and had under a pretence of being Gods people, caſt off the yoke of their lawfull Sovereigne; and theſe reproches of the Egyptians, they ſay, were now confuted by the circumciſion of the Iſraelites, becauſe it was the ſeal and mark of the choice that God had made of them to be his peculiar people, and that before they went down into Egypt out of Canaan, the land of promiſe, to which now they were returned. Had they continued ſtill in their uncircumciſion, wanting this badge of the ſpeciall intereſt which God had in them, they might have ſeemed lyable to thoſe reproches which the Egyptians caſt upon them; but now by renewing this ſeal of the ancient covenant which God had made with them, it was again made manifeſt that they had not revolted from their lawfull governours, but had onelyonly embraced that libertie to which the Lord had reſtored them, who had long ſince taken them to be his peculiar people. But then ſecondly, others again by the reproch of Egypt, underſtand the uncircumciſion of their fleſh, and that becauſe as circumciſion was the glory of the Iſraelites, as being the outward badge of the covenant betwixt God and them, to wit, that he would be their God, and they ſhould be his peculiar people; whence it is that Saint Paul reckons this amongſt thoſe things whereof he might glory in regard of the fleſh, that he was circumciſed the eighth day, Phil. 3.4 5. ſo uncircumciſion was the reproch of other nations, in that it was the ſigne of their being aliens from the common-wealth of Iſrael, and strangers from the Covenant of promiſe, Eph. 2.11, 12. And thence we ſee with what contempt the Iſraelites were wont to ſpeak of other nations in regard of their uncircumciſion; Who is this uncircumciſed Philistim, ſaith David, that he ſhould defie the armies of the living God? 1. Sam. 17.26. We dare not do this thing, ſay the ſonnes of Jacob to Hamor and Shechem, to give our ſister to one that is uncircumciſed; for that were a reproch unto us. Now, ſay they, however uncircumciſion was the common reproch of all nations, yet it is here called particularly the reproch of Egypt, becauſe the Iſraelites lived amongſt them, and were beſt acquainted with this reproch amongſt them. Jn regard that they came out of Egypt, and were no doubt attired like the Egyptians, had they continued in their uncircumciſion, they would have rather ſeemed to be uncircumciſed Egyptians, then the Iſrael of God; but now being circumciſed, this reproch of Egypt was rolled away from off them. And this I take to be the beſt expoſition of theſe words.
Verſ. 10. And the children of Iſrael encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Paſſeover, &c.] Both thoſe that were of old circumciſed, and thoſe newly circumciſed; for by the fourteenth day at even they might be well recovered of their cutting. It ſeems the Paſſeover alſo had been unto this time not celebrated, at leaſt not by them that were uncircumciſed. See Exod. 12.48.
Verſ. 11. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Paſſeover, unleavened cakes and parched corn in the ſelf ſame day.] By parched corn here, muſt needs be meant the new corn of the preſent yeare, and that becauſe, firſt, It is not probable that they uſed to parch any other but new corn, whileſt it was yet ſoft: and ſecondly, Becauſe elſe there ſhould be nothing that was ſingular concerning this day noted in theſe words. For doubtles they did eat unleavened bread the day before this, together with the Paſſeover; they are the expreſſe words of the law of the Paſſeover, Exod. 12.8. They ſhall eat the fleſh in that night, roſt with fire, and unleavened bread; and therefore that which is here noted concerning this morrow after the Paſſeover, is, that then they did eat both unleavened cakes of the old corn of the land (which they might get out of the barns and granaries of the villages about them, the inhabitants being fled into the defenced cities, or further up into the countrey) and likewiſe of the new corn of that yeare parched, the ſelf ſame day: for it was now juſt harveſt time, as was noted before, Chap. 3.15. when they entred Canaan. That which is moſt queſtionable in theſe words, is, what day it was that is called here, the morrow after the Paſſeover? Some hold that it was on the fifteenth day of the monethmonth, and that becauſe the Paſſeover was killed on the fourteenth day at even, Exod. 12.16. But becauſe it is evident that by the Law of God they might not eat of the new corn of the land, till they had brought a ſheaf of the firſt-fruits of their harveſt unto the Prieſts, Levit. 23.14, Ye ſhall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears untill the ſelf ſame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God; and that they did on the ſixteenth day of that monethmonth, the morrow after the ſabbath, as it is there called, verſ. 11. that is, the morrow after the feaſt of unleavened bread, which was on the fifteenth day; therefore I ſhould think it farre more probable which others hold, to wit, that the ſixteenth day was the morrow after the Paſſeover here ſpoken of, whereon the Iſraelites did eat both unleavened cakes of the old corn, and parched corn of the new, even the very ſame day whereon the ſheaf of the firſt-fruits of their harveſt was offered to the Lord; after the offering whereof they might lawfully eat of the new corn, and not till then. Nor need it ſeem ſtrange that the ſixteenth day ſhould be called the morrow after the Paſſeover here ſpoken of, becauſe though they killed the Paſſeover on the fourteenth day at even, yet the evening or night wherein they did eat the Paſchall Lambe, was the beginning of the fifteenth day, which might well therefore be called the day of the Paſſeover.
Verſ. 12. And the manna ceaſed on the morrow after they had eaten the old corn of the land, &c.] Some Expoſitours are of opinion that this alſo is to be underſtood of the ſixteenth day of the monethmonth, the ſame that is called in the foregoing verſe, the morrow after the Paſſeover: and that becauſe it cannot be denied but that the Iſraelites did eat unleavened cakes of the old corn of the land on the fifteenth day, which was the firſt day of the feaſt of unleavened bread. But ſince the text ſeems to make a manifeſt difference betwixt the morrow after the Paſſeover, verſ. 11. whereon they did eat unleavened cakes and parched corn; and the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land, in this verſe, when the manna ceaſed; therefore I think it more probable that the manna ceaſed on the ſeventeenth day of the monethmonth, and that is called the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land, with reference to that which went before, verſ. 11. to wit, the morrow after they had eaten (as was there ſaid) unleavened cakes of the old corn of the land, and parched corn in the ſelf ſame day. The reaſon why this is ſo expreſſely noted, that the manna ceaſed after the Iſraelites had begun to eat of the corn of the land, is becauſe hereby it was made evident, that the manna came not all this while they had enjoyed it from any naturall cauſe in the clouds; but was provided for them by an extraordinary way, during the time they wanted bread, by the Almighty power of God; who therefore now ſent it no longer, when they were entred into a land flowing with milk and hony, where they had plenty not of corn onelyonly, but of all other proviſion likewiſe that was requiſite for them. And thus ſhall it be alſo with Gods people in heaven: As when the Iſraelites came to eat of the fruit of Canaan, manna ceaſed, ſo when we come to our heavenly Canaan, the word, the ſacraments, and all other outward comforts ſhall ceaſe, and that becauſe our bliſſe, our life, and our fruition of God there, ſhall need none of theſe outward ſupports, Rev. 21.22, 23. And I ſaw no Temple therein; for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lambe are the Temple of it: And the citie had no need of the ſunne, neither of the moon to ſhine in it, &c.
Verſ. 13. And it came to paſſe when Joſhua was by Jericho, that he lift up his eyes and looked, and behold there ſtood a man, &c.] It is evident, that long after this the camp of the Iſraelites continued ſtill in Gilgal: for it is ſaid of the Gibeonites, chap. 9.6. that they went to Joſhua unto the camp at Gilgal. But why then is it ſaid here, that Joſhua was by Jericho? I anſwer, firſt, That Gilgal, at leaſt the outmoſt quarters of the camp in Gilgal were not farre from Jericho, and therefore we ſee it is ſaid before, chap. 4.19. that they encamped at Gilgal in the eaſt border of Jericho: and ſecondly, That though the camp was in Gilgal, yet Joſhua might be come up nearer to Jericho upon ſome occaſion, as happely to obſerve the countrey about it, to ſee where it might be beſt aſſailed, and ſo might ſee the viſion here related, to wit, that he lift up his eyes and looked, and behold there ſtood a man over againſt him, with his ſword drawn in his hand. Being, it ſeems, alone by himſelf either to pray or meditate, or perhaps to view the ſtrength of Jericho, on a ſudden, not thinking of any ſuch thing, as he looked up he ſaw a man ſtand before him with a drawn ſword in his hand, and this was the ſonne of God, the Angel of the Covenant, who now appeared thus to Joſhua in the ſhape of a man, to encourage him with aſſurance that God would fight for him againſt the inhabitants of the land, and particularly to give him directions what courſe he ſhould take againſt Jericho, as we may ſee in the following chapter, verſ. 2. where of this man thus appearing to Joſhua it is ſaid, that the Lord, or Jehovah, ſaid unto Joſhua, See, I have given into thy hand Jericho, &c.
Verſ. 14. And he ſaid, Nay, but as a Captain of the hoſt of the Lord am I now come.] That is, not for your adverſaries am I here, but as a Captain of the Iſraelites to fight for them.
Verſ. 15. Looſe thy ſhoe from off thy foot, &c.] See the note upon Exod. 3.5.