Joshua 5:10 · Bible study
Joshua 5:10 Commentary: Passover at Gilgal and Covenant Renewal
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the exact timing of the Passover at Gilgal marks Israel's covenant renewal and readiness to inherit the Promised Land after circumcision.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The first Passover in the Promised Land, kept on the exact appointed day after covenant renewal at Gilgal.
- Key words: Passover (פסח), deliverance memorial; Gilgal, 'rolling away' of reproach; evening, appointed sacrifice time.
- Main debate: Whether the Passover was kept immediately after circumcision on the 14th of Nisan or delayed to the second month for healing.
- Theological theme: Covenant renewal and obedient worship precede the possession of God's promises.
- Best use: A sermon on the priority of worship and covenant obedience when entering new seasons of faith.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The children of Israel encamped in Gilgal. They kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal; and they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the sons of Israel encamp in Gilgal, and make the passover on the fourteenth day of the month, at evening, in the plains of Jericho;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and held the passover on the fourteenth day of the month, at even, in the plains of Jericho.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the children of Israel abode in Galgal, and they kept the phase, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, in the plains of Jericho:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y los hijos de Israel asentaron el campo en Gilgal, y celebraron la pascua á los catorce días del mes, por la tarde, en los llanos de Jericó.
E os filhos de Israel assentaram o acampamento em Gilgal, e celebraram a páscoa aos catorze dias do mês, pela tarde, nas planícies de Jericó.
Les enfants d’ Israël campèrent à Guilgal; et ils célébrèrent la Pâque le quatorzième jour du mois, sur le soir, dans les plaines de Jéricho.
Und als die Kinder Israel also in Gilgal das Lager hatten, hielten sie Passah am vierzehnten Tage des Monats am Abend auf dem Gefilde Jerichos
Terwijl de kinderen Israels te Gilgal gelegerd lagen, zo hielden zij het pascha op den veertienden dag derzelver maand, in den avond, op de vlakke velden van Jericho.
I figliuoli d’Israele si accamparono a Ghilgal, e celebrarono la Pasqua il quattordicesimo giorno del mese, sulla sera, nelle pianure di Gerico.
Tedy położyli się obozem synowie Izraelscy w Galgal, a obchodzili święto przejścia czternastego dnia miesiąca w wieczór na polach Jerycha.
И стояли сыны Израилевы станом в Галгале и совершили Пасху в четырнадцатый день месяца вечером на равнинах Иерихонских;
以色列 人 在吉甲 安營。正月 十 四 日 晚上，在耶利哥 的平原 守 逾越節。
So the children of Israel put up their tents in Gilgal; and they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, in the lowlands of Jericho.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 5:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators widely agree that Joshua 5:10 records a pivotal moment of covenant restoration. Keil and Delitzsch note that the Passover had been suspended since the nation left Sinai (Numbers 9:1, 5). Its revival at Gilgal signals that the wilderness discipline is over. Calvin, however, argues it is improbable that the Passover was neglected for forty years, considering God's command for perpetual observance (Exodus 12:42). Matthew Henry sees this as a 'revival' of the joyful ordinance, contrasting the years when Israel was denied this comfort. Adam Clarke engages the chronological difficulty: circumcision just days earlier would have made participation painful if not miraculous. He records Harmer's suggestion that the Passover may have been kept in the second month, as Numbers 9:10, 11 allows for those unclean. Despite this tension, the shared conviction is that the exact fourteenth day timing demonstrates Israel's determination to obey God's law precisely at the threshold of conquest. The Passover is both a memorial of deliverance and a declaration that they now stand ready to possess the land.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Immediate celebration on 14th Nisan: The text states the Passover was on the fourteenth day; God gave miraculous healing for the circumcised adults.
- Delayed celebration to second month: Adult circumcision required longer healing; the fourteenth day could be of the second month (Harmer, as cited by Adam Clarke).
What is clear: Israel observed the Passover on the fourteenth day at evening as commanded, at Gilgal in the plains of Jericho, after circumcision.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Timing of the Passover after circumcision | All agree the Passover was kept on the 14th day of the month at evening, as commanded in Exodus 12:6. | Some (e.g., Adam Clarke) note the difficulty of healing from adult circumcision by the 14th, suggesting a miraculous recovery or a second-month date (Harmer). Others see no problem or assume circumcision occurred earlier. |
| Suspension of the Passover in the wilderness | The Passover was not observed communally during the 38 years of wandering after the incident at Kadesh. | Calvin argues it was still observed in some form, citing God's command for perpetual observance. Keil & Delitzsch and others hold it was suspended until this moment. |
| Significance of Gilgal as a location | Gilgal became a site of memorial and covenant renewal, associated with the rolling away of Egypt's reproach. | Some emphasize its role as a military staging ground; others focus on its spiritual meaning as a place of new beginnings. |
| Relationship between Passover and the conquest of Jericho | The Passover celebration preceded the military campaign, showing the priority of worship. | Some see the Passover as a direct preparation for the conquest; others view it as a separate act of covenant commitment without a strategic link. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The camp at Gilgal was Israel's first permanent settlement west of the Jordan. The name, explained in verse 9, means 'rolling away', the Lord rolled away the reproach of Egypt, likely the stigma of uncircumcised slavery. The plains of Jericho, fertile and expansive, allowed the entire nation to encamp and gather for worship, even as Jericho's gates were barred (Joshua 6:1). Gill notes that local lambs were probably available for the sacrifice. The timing is exact: the fourteenth day of the first month (Nisan), at evening, the same hour prescribed in Exodus 12:6. This is the first Passover kept on the soil of the Promised Land. According to Numbers 9, the last recorded communal Passover was at Sinai, two years after the Exodus. The intervening 38 years of wandering included no such celebration, as God's judgment on that generation suspended this ordinance (Amos 5:25 is often cited). Now, with the new generation circumcised at Gilgal, the covenant is fully renewed. The next day, the people would eat unleavened bread from the land's produce, and the manna would cease forever. This transition from supernatural provision to the produce of Canaan marks the end of the wilderness era. The Passover thus stands at the hinge of Israel's story: from judgment to inheritance, from wandering to rest.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text of this verse is consistent across manuscripts. No significant variants are noted in the consulted commentaries.
Reception History
The verse has been used throughout church history to emphasize the priority of worship before undertaking great tasks. Matthew Henry highlights the 'right method' of beginning with God. Calvin sees the sequence as evidence that covenant renewal precedes inheritance. In liturgical traditions, the transition from circumcision to Passover has been seen as a foreshadowing of baptism and the Eucharist. The verse has also been employed in sermons on entering new seasons, urging believers to renew their commitment to God's appointed means of grace even when facing opposition.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Obedience at the threshold. Israel kept the Passover on the exact day and time commanded, even while camped in enemy territory. The detail of the fourteenth day at evening shows they did not let urgency or danger override God's instructions.
- Covenant renewal before conquest. Circumcision (verses 2, 9) restored the sign of the covenant; then the Passover celebrated the reality of deliverance. Only after this did they face Jericho. Spiritual preparation preceded military action.
- Worship as a declaration of faith. Celebrating the Passover with Jericho shut up was an act of trust. They honored the God who brought them out of Egypt even before He showed them how He would bring them into the land.
Five-point outline
- Place: Gilgal, a site of reproach rolled away, now a camp of covenant renewal.
- Time: The fourteenth day of the month at evening, precise obedience to the Mosaic law.
- Act: Keeping the Passover, remembering God's deliverance and trusting His ongoing salvation.
- Context: Plains of Jericho, in sight of a fortified city, yet they worshipped first.
- Sequence: Circumcision then Passover, the covenant mark restores the right to feast.
Illustration hooks
- A family that prays together before moving into a new home, acknowledging God's provision.
- A sports team that holds a team-building ceremony before a championship match, focusing on unity and purpose.
- A business that dedicates its new office with a prayer before opening, prioritizing mission over profit.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why would Israel pause to worship when an enemy city was right in front of them?
- Does this verse teach that we should prioritize worship even when life feels urgent?
- How can I 'keep the feast' of God's deliverance in the middle of my own battles?
Leading a Discussion
Joshua 5:10 captures a moment when Israel, freshly circumcised and camped near a hostile city, pauses to keep the Passover. This decision reveals their priorities and trust in God. As you study, consider what it means to place worship before work, and covenant before conquest.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What details stand out about the time, place and preceding events in this verse?
- Interpretation: Why was it significant that Israel kept the Passover exactly on the fourteenth day, as originally commanded?
- Interpretation: How does the sequence of circumcision and then Passover shape the meaning of this moment?
- Application: In what areas of your life might God be calling you to renew covenant before moving forward?
- Application: How can we 'keep the feast' of God's deliverance when we feel pressured or threatened by external circumstances?
- Connection: How does this passage help us understand the relationship between God's commands and His promises?
- Connection: What does the transition from manna to the produce of the land teach about God's provision for each season?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 12:6 | You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at evening. |
| Numbers 9:1 | Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, |
| Numbers 9:5 | They kept the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, in the wilderness of Sinai. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did. |
| Ezekiel 12:3 | “Therefore, you son of man, prepare your baggage for moving, and move by day in their sight. You shall move from your place to another place in their sight. It may be they will consider, though they are a rebellious house. |
| Ezekiel 12:6 | In their sight you shall bear it on your shoulder, and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face, so that you don’t see the land, for I have set you for a sign to the house of Israel.” |
| Ezekiel 12:16 | But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.’” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke underscores the timeline puzzle: if the Israelites were circumcised on the eleventh day of the month, the passover on the fourteenth would require healing far faster than adult recovery allowed, pointing to either a miracle or a later observance. He notes that some scholars place the passover in the second month to allow natural recovery.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the Passover was kept regularly in the wilderness, despite some claiming it was interrupted. He sees no evidence of neglect, since God commanded it as a perpetual observance. The circumcision requirement was suspended as an extraordinary privilege, allowing uncircumcised Israelites to partake without profaning the feast.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes a striking parallel: as the first Passover in Egypt was marked by terror and judgment on that nation, the first Passover in the promised land was celebrated at Gilgal while Jericho lay tightly shut up against Israel. Gilgal itself was to become a permanent gathering place for the tribes through centuries of history.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that this was the first Passover observed in the promised land, marking a fresh start for Israel after their circumcision at Gilgal. Keeping the feast on the plains of Jericho signified their full entry into covenant blessing and the land God had given them.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that Israel kept the Passover exactly as commanded, on the fourteenth day at evening, while still encamped at Gilgal before circumcision. He observes that being now in the good land, they likely obtained lambs from Jericho's inhabitants or could spare their own, fulfilling the ordinance without difficulty.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that keeping the Passover at the divinely appointed time was the act that launched Israel as a nation. Their very existence as a people began not with a political ceremony but with a solemn act of religious dedication to God.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch clarify that the "morrow after the passover" here means the 16th of Nisan, the day when the wave sheaf was offered. On that day Israel first ate the new grain of Canaan, and the manna ceased entirely, marking a decisive transition from wilderness provision to the promised land's fruit.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that the name Gilgal likely existed before this event and was given a symbolic meaning only afterward. The Israelites interpreted the name as "rolling away" the reproach of Egypt, but the place probably already bore that name from earlier times.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights Joshua's unusual priority: instead of rushing into battle, he begins the campaign with worship, keeping the Passover just as the law required. The manna stops only after they eat from the land itself, showing God's provision shifts from the miraculous to the ordinary without interruption.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that this Passover was the third in their history, coming after a wilderness period when such sacrifices were neglected. God denied them this ordinance's comfort as a sign of His displeasure, but now after their affliction, He restored that comfort to them.