Joshua 5:5 · Bible study
Joshua 5:5 Commentary: The Uncircumcised Wilderness Generation
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore why Israel's wilderness-born males were uncircumcised at Gilgal and what this reveals about covenant judgment and renewal before entering the
Research Summary
- Meaning: The generation born in the wilderness had not received the covenant sign of circumcision, setting up the mass circumcision at Gilgal.
- Key words: mûlîm (circumcised, H4135), yillôdîm (born, H3209), lō’ mālû (they had not circumcised, H3808+H4135).
- Main debate: Whether the omission was a divine judgment (Barnes, Wesley) or a practical consequence of the journey (Gill, Jewish tradition).
- Theological theme: The covenant sign can be suspended under judgment, but God graciously renews it when His people return to the land of promise.
- Best use: As a Gospel of grace in the Old Testament, showing that God restores what neglect and discipline have broken.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Though all who had come out were circumcised, none of those born in the wilderness on the journey from Egypt had been circumcised.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For all the people who came out were circumcised; but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised.
KJV King James Version 1769
Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For all the people that came out were circumcised; but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, they had not circumcised.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
for all the people who are coming out were circumcised, and all the people who are born in the wilderness, in the way, in their coming out from Egypt, they have not circumcised;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For all the people that came out were circumcised; but all the people that were born in the wilderness on the way, after they came out of Egypt, [them] had they not circumcised.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Now these were all circumcised. But the people that were born in the desert,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque todos los del pueblo que habían salido, estaban circuncidados: mas todo el pueblo que había nacido en el desierto por el camino, después que salieron de Egipto, no estaban circuncidados.
Porque todos os do povo que haviam saído, estavam circuncidados: mas todo aquele povo que havia nascido no deserto pelo caminho, depois que saíram do Egito, não estavam circuncidados.
Tout ce peuple sorti d’ Égypte était circoncis; mais tout le peuple né dans le désert, pendant la route, après la sortie d’ Égypte, n’ avait point été circoncis.
Denn alles Volk, das auszog war beschnitten; aber alles Volk, das in der Wüste geboren war, auf dem Wege, da sie aus Ägypten zogen, das war nicht beschnitten.
Want al het volk, dat er uittoog, was besneden; maar al het volk, dat geboren was in de woestijn op den weg, nadat zij uit Egypte getrokken waren, hadden zij niet besneden.
Or tutto questo popolo uscito dall’Egitto era circonciso; ma tutto il popolo nato nel deserto durante il viaggio, dopo l’uscita dall’Egitto, non era stato circonciso.
Bo obrzezan był wszystek on lud, co wyszedł; ale wszystek lud, który się zrodził na puszczy, w drodze po wyjściu z Egiptu, nie był obrzezany.
весь же вышедший народ был обрезан, но весь народ, родившийся в пустыне на пути, после того как вышел из Египта, не был обрезан;
因為 出來 的眾 民都 受過割禮；惟獨出 埃及以後、在曠野 的路上 所生的 眾 民 都沒有 受過割禮。
All the people who came out had undergone circumcision; but all the people whose birth had taken place in the waste land on their journey from Egypt had not.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 5:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the generation born and raised in the wilderness had not been circumcised, and the explanations cluster around two main lines. Barnes anchors the omission in the divine sentence at Kadesh (Numbers 14:28ff): the nation was placed under a ban, and the suspension of circumcision became a visible token of that ban. The covenant was temporarily abrogated, though not permanently, God always intended to restore it. Wesley likewise sees it as “a continued token of God’s displeasure” for the people’s unbelief and murmuring. Gill offers a more practical angle: the constant, uncertain journeying (“by the way”) made it difficult to pause for circumcision and healing. Keil and Delitzsch note that the approach of the Passover made circumcision urgent, and the Canaanites’ fear made the moment safe. These views are not contradictory; together they suggest the omission was both a judgment and a practical reality, resolved by God’s renewing grace at Gilgal.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Divine judgment / suspension of covenant: Barnes and Wesley: the sentence at Kadesh (Numbers 14) placed the people under a ban; circumcision was omitted as a token of that ban.
- Practical necessity / journey hardship: Gill and Jewish tradition (Pirke Eliezer): the uncertainty and hardship of travel made circumcision and recovery impractical.
- Neglect by the people: Implicit in verse 7 ('they had not circumcised them by the way') and some earlier commentators, suggesting it was a failure of parents or leaders.
What is clear: That the wilderness-born generation arrived at Gilgal uncircumcised, that the Lord commanded Joshua to circumcise them, and that this act renewed the covenant and removed the reproach of Egypt before they entered the land.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Reason circumcision was omitted in the wilderness | The wilderness generation of Israelite males was not circumcised during the forty years of wandering. | Some (Barnes, Wesley) see it as a divine judgment, the covenant was suspended because of the rebellion at Kadesh. Others (Gill, Jewish tradition) emphasize the practical difficulty of traveling and uncertain stops. |
| Was this neglect sinful or providential? | The omission was not accidental; it happened under God's sovereign allowance. | Barnes argues it was a token of the nation's temporary rejection. Gill suggests it was permitted due to the hardship of the journey, implying it was not necessarily sinful for the individual parents. |
| Relation to the Passover command | The uncircumcised could not properly celebrate Passover (Exodus 12:48). | Some commentators stress that the omission was a punishment that also prevented Passover observance; others note that the Passover at Sinai (Numbers 9) was kept by the circumcised, but later the wilderness generation was not eligible until now. |
| Theological significance of renewal at Gilgal | The circumcision at Gilgal was a renewal of the Abrahamic covenant and a removal of shame. | Reformed tradition (Matthew Henry, Calvin) emphasizes God's sovereign grace in restoring the covenant. Others (Wesley, Gill) focus on the necessity of repentance and obedience before receiving covenant blessings. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The scene is Gilgal, the first Israelite camp inside Canaan after crossing the Jordan on dry ground (Joshua 4). The forty years of wilderness wandering are over; the disobedient generation of the exodus has died, as God swore they would (Numbers 14:28, 35). Now their children, the new Israel, stand at the threshold of the Promised Land. But before they can celebrate the Passover and begin the conquest, they must be circumcised.
Circumcision was the sign of God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17). To be uncircumcised was to be outside that formal covenant relationship. The wilderness generation had neglected this sign for the entire forty years. Why? The journey itself, a forty-year migration with uncertain stops, made the required recovery period impractical (Gill). More profoundly, the divine judgment at Kadesh had placed the entire nation in a state of alienation from the covenant blessings; the sign was suspended as part of that punishment (Barnes). But now, with the Jordan crossed and the Canaanite kings paralyzed with fear (Joshua 5:1), God calls Joshua to renew the covenant. The reproach of Egypt, the shame of being uncircumcised and perhaps the taunt that God could not deliver them (Lange), is rolled away at Gilgal (Joshua 5:9). This act prepares the people spiritually for the war ahead and for the Passover, the feast of deliverance. Historically, verse 5 explains why the whole nation needed to be circumcised “the second time” (Joshua 5:2): only those who came out of Egypt had the sign; the entire wilderness-born population did not.
Textual Notes
None of the supplied sources note any textual variant for Joshua 5:5 itself. The verse is stable across the Masoretic Text and the major manuscript traditions. There is a textual issue in Joshua 5:1 (the Keri reading ‘abhram instead of ‘ad she-‘abharnu), but it does not affect verse 5.
Reception History
Early Jewish interpretation (e.g., Pirke Eliezer, cited by Gill) attributed the omission to “the affliction of journeying”, a practical explanation that has remained popular. The Targum Jonathan simply paraphrases the verse without adding reason. Christian interpreters in the Reformation era read verse 5 in light of the covenant theology. Martin Luther and John Calvin saw the omission as a mark of divine displeasure and the Gilgal circumcision as a type of Christian baptism, a cleansing from the reproach of sin. Matthew Henry, following that line, wrote that God “rolled away the reproach of Egypt,” meaning the shame of their former slave identity and the disgrace of being without the covenant sign. In the Wesleyan tradition, the verse illustrates how God’s judgment is always followed by an offer of restoration when the people turn back to Him. Modern evangelical commentaries (e.g., the New Bible Commentary) maintain the judgment explanation but also note the practical element, reflecting the ongoing balance between the two views.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Judgment of the Wilderness. The uncircumcised state of the new generation was not accidental, it was the outworking of God’s sentence at Kadesh. The covenant sign was suspended because the covenant relationship was under discipline.
- The Grace of Renewal. At Gilgal, God initiates restoration. He commands circumcision “the second time,” not as a new covenant, but as a renewal of the old one. Grace does not erase judgment but redeems it.
- The Preparation for Battle. The people were made vulnerable while healing, yet God had already thrown their enemies into fear. Spiritual readiness often requires a moment of weakness that reveals God’s protection.
Five-Point Outline
- Remembering the past: the exodus generation that died in unbelief.
- Recognizing the gap: a generation raised without the covenant sign.
- The divine command: circumcision as a prerequisite for new life in the land.
- The suffering of renewal: pain and healing before conquest.
- The roll of reproach: God removes the shame of Egypt and restores His people.
Illustration Hooks
- Passport renewal. Your old passport expired during years of wandering in a foreign country. You cannot board the flight home until it’s renewed, and the process is uncomfortable, requiring a photo session in the middle of your camp.
- Team restart. A sports team loses its star players due to poor performance. The new recruits come in but haven’t learned the team’s secret plays. Before the championship game, the coach holds an emergency practice, a grueling session that leaves everyone sore but united.
- Family reconciliation. After years of estrangement, a parent and adult child decide to rebuild relationship. The first step is reopening the family trust fund, a painful conversation about past failures, but it’s the only way to move forward together.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why did God let an entire generation grow up without the sign of the covenant? Was it their fault or their parents’?
- Does this mean that outward religious signs (baptism, Communion) can be suspended when God is disciplining His people?
- How do we know when it’s time to “circumcise” ourselves again, to renew our commitment after a season of neglect?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at a turning point in Israel’s story, between the judgment of the wilderness and the conquest of the land. Before you read, ask your group to imagine a family that has been moving from place to place for forty years, never settling long enough to perform a ritual that requires eight days of recovery. Then discuss the bigger questions: Why did God wait to require this until they were safe in the land? And what does it say about God’s character that He restores the covenant sign just when the people need it most?
Discussion Questions
- What two groups are contrasted in Joshua 5:5? (Observation)
- Why were the wilderness-born Israelites not circumcised? List the reasons given by the commentators (judgment, travel, neglect). Which do you find most compelling and why? (Interpretation)
- How does the context, the crossing of the Jordan, the fear of the kings, the approaching Passover, help explain why circumcision was commanded now? (Observation/Interpretation)
- Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:19 that “what matters is keeping God’s commandments.” The wilderness generation did not keep the command to circumcise. Does this mean they were cut off from salvation? How do you reconcile this with God’s mercy at Gilgal? (Application)
- What does the phrase “the reproach of Egypt” (Joshua 5:9) mean in this context? How might the lack of circumcision have been a source of shame? (Interpretation)
- Have you ever experienced a season in which a spiritual practice (prayer, church attendance, Communion) was neglected? What helped you renew that practice? (Application)
- The act of circumcision left the men vulnerable to attack, yet God had caused the enemies to fear. How does this challenge our tendency to prioritize safety over obedience? (Application)
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)
| Deuteronomy 12:8 | You shall not do all the things that we do here today, every man whatever is right in his own eyes; |
| Deuteronomy 12:9 | for you haven’t yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which Yahweh your God gives you. |
| Hosea 6:6 | For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. |
| Hosea 6:7 | But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me there. |
| Matthew 12:7 | But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless. |
| Romans 2:26 | If therefore the uncircumcised keep the ordinances of the law, won’t his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision? |
| I Corinthians 7:19 | Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping God’s commandments. |
| Galatians 5:6 | For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision amounts to anything, but faith working through love. |
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
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that the omission of circumcision in the wilderness was not accidental but a direct consequence of the ban placed on Israel after Kadesh, which temporarily abrogated the covenant. God waited to restore the covenant until He had given visible proof of His power through victories over Sihon and Og, and then recalled the people to circumcision and the Passover at this most opportune moment, just before they faced war.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws a clear contrast: every Israelite who personally left Egypt had been circumcised, but all those born during the wilderness wanderings after the exodus had not received the rite. This explains why Joshua had to circumcise the new generation upon entering Canaan.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill holds that the exodus generation was likely circumcised during Egypt's three days of darkness, avoiding the danger of travel afterward. Those born in the wilderness remained uncircumcised because constant journeying and uncertain stops made the procedure impractical. This explains the neglect recorded in Joshua.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch argue that circumcision was omitted in the wilderness not from neglect but because God temporarily suspended the covenant with the rebellious exodus generation. The sign was withheld until that generation died off, then restored to their sons as the covenant was renewed for entry into Canaan.
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
Henry focuses on the meaning behind the circumcision. He sees it as God rolling away the shame of Egypt, both the literal disgrace of being uncircumcised like the Egyptians and the deeper reproach of their slavery and unbelief in the wilderness. With this act, Israel was renewed as a covenant people ready to enter the land.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley argues that the failure to circumcise the children in the wilderness was not merely a travel concession but a deliberate sign of God's ongoing displeasure. This omission stood as a token that this generation, because of their unbelief and murmuring, would never receive the benefit of the promise that circumcision sealed.