At first light, a few black tents and a thread of smoke at Gilgal; far across the flat plain, a small walled town on its mound among palms.

The Book of

Joshua 5

Before a single battle, God marks His people as His own, feeds them from the land, and sends His Commander.

15 verses≈ 3 min1 personBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

Tap any post to go deeper

In this chapter

Where we are

1–5Crossing overInto the landChapter 5
6–12Taking the landThe LORD fights for Israel
13–21Dividing the landAn inheritance for each tribe
22–24Choose this dayServe the LORD

The Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal

Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and their spirits failed for fear of the Israelites.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

God

God

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel once again.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.

And after all the nation had been circumcised, they stayed there in the camp until they were healed.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So that place has been called Gilgal to this day.

Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.

Joshua 5:9

Question

Quick question

The place where the new generation received the covenant sign was given a name that remembers what God did there.

The name Gilgal sounds like the Hebrew word for what?

Evening at Gilgal under a rising full moon: families around small fires at their tent doors, a lamb roasting on a spit, flat loaves on a cloth.

On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while the Israelites were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they kept the Passover. The day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from the produce of the land.

0:16

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

At dawn a woman kneels by a small fire, roasting green ears of barley on a clay griddle, a basket of cut barley and flat loaves beside her.

And the day after they had eaten from the produce of the land, the manna ceased.

There was no more manna for the Israelites, so that year they began to eat the crops of the land of Canaan.

Reflect

The manna ceased

For forty years bread had come from heaven every morning. Then, the day after Israel ate “from the produce of the land,” “the manna ceased.” God had not stopped providing; He had changed the way He did it. Write about a time God’s provision for you changed its form: a job, a season, a person, a way of being cared for that ended. Then write how you can see, looking back, that He was still the One feeding you.

The Commander of the LORD’s Army

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand.

Joshua

Joshua approached Him and asked, “Are You for us or for our enemies?”

Commander of the LORD's army

“Neither,” He replied. “I have now come as Commander of the LORD’s army.”

Joshua

Then Joshua fell facedown in reverence and asked Him, “What does my Lord have to say to His servant?”

Commander of the LORD's army

The Commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”

Close and low: an old man's weathered hands set worn leather sandals down on bare earth beside his bare feet in long evening light.

And Joshua did so.

Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.

Joshua 5:15

Pray

On His side

Joshua asked, “Are You for us or for our enemies?” The answer was “Neither.” The Commander had not come to join Joshua’s side; He had come to lead. Before you ask God to back your plans today, bow first. Pray: Lord, I do not ask You to take my side. I ask to stand on Yours. “What does my Lord have to say to His servant?” Show me, and give me grace to do it at once, as Joshua did.

You’ve experienced

Joshua 5

0 of 24 chapters read

A verse to carry with you

“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Joshua 5:15

or swipe left