Circumcision renewed the community’s connection to God’s covenant before they advanced further into the land.
Then Joshua 5:7 states, “So their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised because they had not circumcised them along the way.” (v.7). This verse highlights a defining moment in Israel’s history, when the new generation, born during Israel’s forty years of desert wandering, formally joined the covenant sign of circumcision. The original generation that escaped Egypt with Moses had perished in the wilderness due to unbelief (Numbers 14:22-23), leaving these “children” to inherit the LORD’s promises of land and blessing. By circumcising them, Joshua reinstated what had been neglected, ensuring that all who entered Canaan received the external sign of the covenant first instituted with Abraham (Genesis 17:9-13). In this way, Israel renewed its commitment to follow the LORD’s commands before waging any battles in the Promised Land.
The verse mentions “Joshua,” the Israelite leader who succeeded Moses around 1406 BC. He guided the nation across the Jordan River into Canaan, fulfilling the divine commission to settle the land. Joshua (Hoshea) the son of Nun served as Moses’ assistant, and when Moses died, Joshua took on the responsibility of leading the tribes during the conquest. He directed them to perform this act of circumcision at Gilgal, the site near Jericho where Israel first encamped after crossing the Jordan. Gilgal would become a significant spiritual headquarters, repeatedly referenced in the Hebrew Scriptures. Located just east of Jericho, Gilgal was the staging area for the nation’s initial operations in Canaan.
This act of physically marking the people carried a deeper spiritual significance. It pointed forward to the idea that devotion to God requires the “circumcision” of the heart, a concept more fully explained in the New Testament (Romans 2:28-29; Colossians 2:11). Much like water baptism today signifies an internal transformation for believers in Jesus Christ, circumcision was the outward token of Israel’s identity as God’s covenant people. Here in Joshua 5:7, the LORD ensured that a new generation, poised to experience His blessings firsthand, demonstrated its faith through obedience—an act of setting themselves apart unto Him.
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Joshua 5:7 meaning
Then Joshua 5:7 states, “So their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised because they had not circumcised them along the way.” (v.7). This verse highlights a defining moment in Israel’s history, when the new generation, born during Israel’s forty years of desert wandering, formally joined the covenant sign of circumcision. The original generation that escaped Egypt with Moses had perished in the wilderness due to unbelief (Numbers 14:22-23), leaving these “children” to inherit the LORD’s promises of land and blessing. By circumcising them, Joshua reinstated what had been neglected, ensuring that all who entered Canaan received the external sign of the covenant first instituted with Abraham (Genesis 17:9-13). In this way, Israel renewed its commitment to follow the LORD’s commands before waging any battles in the Promised Land.
The verse mentions “Joshua,” the Israelite leader who succeeded Moses around 1406 BC. He guided the nation across the Jordan River into Canaan, fulfilling the divine commission to settle the land. Joshua (Hoshea) the son of Nun served as Moses’ assistant, and when Moses died, Joshua took on the responsibility of leading the tribes during the conquest. He directed them to perform this act of circumcision at Gilgal, the site near Jericho where Israel first encamped after crossing the Jordan. Gilgal would become a significant spiritual headquarters, repeatedly referenced in the Hebrew Scriptures. Located just east of Jericho, Gilgal was the staging area for the nation’s initial operations in Canaan.
This act of physically marking the people carried a deeper spiritual significance. It pointed forward to the idea that devotion to God requires the “circumcision” of the heart, a concept more fully explained in the New Testament (Romans 2:28-29; Colossians 2:11). Much like water baptism today signifies an internal transformation for believers in Jesus Christ, circumcision was the outward token of Israel’s identity as God’s covenant people. Here in Joshua 5:7, the LORD ensured that a new generation, poised to experience His blessings firsthand, demonstrated its faith through obedience—an act of setting themselves apart unto Him.