The Meaning of Joshua 5:3 Explained

Joshua 5:3

KJV: And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

YLT: and Joshua maketh for him knives of flint, and circumciseth the sons of Israel at the height of the foreskins.

Darby: And Joshua made him stone-knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of Araloth.

ASV: And Joshua made him knives of lint, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Joshua  made  him sharp  knives,  and circumcised  the children  of Israel  at the hill  of the foreskins. 

What does Joshua 5:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 5:1-12 - Renewing The Covenant With God
Evidently the people of Canaan realized that they were entering into conflict with God Almighty. This made their bitter resistance less excusable. But before Israel could go forward into the campaign, they must undergo that initial rite which from the days of Abraham had separated them unto God, Genesis 17:1-27. The outbreak at Kadesh had practically annulled that relationship, which now must be renewed, Numbers 14:1-45.
Before we can serve God's high purposes in the world, we must be separated from sin. The old nature must be denied and put away, and the new nature, which is holy, harmless and separate from sin, must become ours. Nothing but death can meet the case, Colossians 2:11; 2 Corinthians 7:1.
The circumcised soul alone may eat of the Passover, which is Christ. We need to feed on Him, keeping the daily feast with joy, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; John 6:51; John 6:54. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 5

1  The Canaanites are afraid
2  Joshua renews circumcision
10  The Passover is kept at Gilgal
12  manna ceases
13  An angel appears to Joshua

What do the individual words in Joshua 5:3 mean?

So made for himself Joshua knives flint and circumcised - the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins
וַיַּעַשׂ־ ל֥וֹ יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ חַֽרְב֣וֹת צֻרִ֑ים וַיָּ֙מָל֙ אֶת־ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶל־ גִּבְעַ֖ת הָעֲרָלֽוֹת

וַיַּעַשׂ־  So  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
ל֥וֹ  for  himself 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
חַֽרְב֣וֹת  knives 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
צֻרִ֑ים  flint 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: צוּר 
Sense: rock, cliff.
וַיָּ֙מָל֙  and  circumcised 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּל 
Sense: to circumcise, let oneself be circumcised, cut, be cut off.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אֶל־  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
גִּבְעַ֖ת  the  hill 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: גִּבְעָה  
Sense: hill.
הָעֲרָלֽוֹת  of  the  foreskins 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: הָעֲרָלֹות 
Sense: foreskin, uncircumcised.

What are the major concepts related to Joshua 5:3?

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