Joshua 5:6 · Bible study
Joshua 5:6 Commentary: Wilderness Judgment and New Beginning
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the entire generation of fighting men died in the wilderness and how circumcision at Gilgal marked covenant renewal.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The wilderness generation died for disobedience; their children enter the land after covenant renewal.
- Key words: “walked” (hālak), journey in discipline; “consumed” (tāmam), completely finished; “listened” (shāma‘), obeyed.
- Main debate: Whether the forty years is a round number or exact, and whether circumcision was entirely omitted.
- Theological theme: Divine judgment and covenant renewal.
- Best use: Explaining why the wilderness generation perished and why the new generation needed circumcision.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years, until all the nation’s men of war who had come out of Egypt had died, since they did not obey the LORD. So the LORD vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness until all the nation, even the men of war who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice. Yahweh swore to them that he wouldn’t let them see the land which Yahweh swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
KJV King James Version 1769
For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the nation, even the men of war that came forth out of Egypt, were consumed, because they hearkened not unto the voice of Jehovah: unto whom Jehovah sware that he would not let them see the land which Jehovah sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
for forty years have the sons of Israel gone in the wilderness, till all the nation of the men of war who are coming out of Egypt, who hearkened not to the voice of Jehovah, to whom Jehovah hath sworn not to show them the land which Jehovah sware to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey, are consumed;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For the children of Israel had walked forty years in the wilderness, till the whole nation of men of war had perished who had come out of Egypt, who had not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah; to whom Jehovah had sworn that he would not show them the land which Jehovah had sworn unto their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
During the forty years of the journey in the wide wilderness, were uncircumcised: till all they were consumed that had not heard the voice of the Lord, and to whom he had sworn before, that he would not shew them the land flowing with milk and honey.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque los hijos de Israel anduvieron por el desierto cuarenta años, hasta que toda la gente de los hombres de guerra que habían salido de Egipto, fué consumida, por cuanto no obedecieron á la voz de Jehová; por lo cual Jehová les juró que no les dejaría ver la tierra, de la cual Jehová había jurado á sus padres que nos la daría, tierra que fluye leche y miel.
Porque os filhos de Israel andaram pelo deserto por quarenta anos, até que toda a gente dos homens de guerra que haviam saído do Egito foi consumida, porquanto não obedeceram à voz do SENHOR; pelo qual o SENHOR lhes jurou que não lhes deixaria ver a terra, da qual o SENHOR havia jurado a seus pais que não as daria, terra que flui leite e mel.
Car les enfants d’ Israël avaient marché quarante ans dans le désert jusqu’ à la destruction de toute la nation des hommes de guerre qui étaient sortis d’ Égypte et qui n’ avaient point écouté la voix de l’ Éternel; l’ Éternel leur jura de ne pas leur faire voir le pays qu’ il avait juré à leurs pères de nous donner, pays où coulent le lait et le miel.
Denn die Kinder Israel wandelten vierzig Jahre in der Wüste, bis daß das ganze Volk der Kriegsmänner, die aus Ägypten gezogen waren, umkamen, darum daß sie der Stimme des HERRN nicht gehorcht hatten; wie denn der HERR ihnen geschworen hatte uns zu geben, ein Land, darin Milch und Honig fließt.
Want de kinderen Israels wandelden veertig jaren in de woestijn, totdat vergaan was het ganse volk der krijgslieden, die uit Egypte gegaan waren; die de stem des HEEREN niet gehoorzaam geweest waren, denwelken de HEERE gezworen had, dat Hij hun niet zoude laten zien het land, hetwelk de HEERE hun vaderen gezworen had ons te zullen geven, een land vloeiende van melk en honig.
Poiché i figliuoli d’Israele avean camminato per quarant’anni nel deserto finché tutta la nazione, cioè tutti gli uomini di guerra ch’erano usciti dall’Egitto, furon distrutti, perché non aveano ubbidito alla voce dell’Eterno. L’Eterno avea loro giurato che non farebbe loro vedere il paese che avea promesso con giuramento ai loro padri di darci: paese ove scorre il latte e il miele;
(Albowiem przez czterdzieści lat chodzili synowie Izraelscy po puszczy, aż poginął wszystek on naród mężów wojennych, którzy byli wyszli z Egiptu, którzy nie słuchali głosu Pańskiego, którym przysiągł Pan, iż im nie miał okazać ziemi, o którą przysiągł Pan ojcom ich, iż nam ją dać miał, ziemię opływającą mlekiem i miodem.)
ибо сыны Израилевы сорок [два] года ходили в пустыне [потому многие и не были обрезаны], доколе не перемер весь народ, способный к войне, вышедший из Египта, которые не слушали гласа Господня, и которым Господь клялся, что они не увидят земли, которую Господь с клятвою обещал отцам их, дать нам землю, где течет молоко и мед,
以色列 人 在曠野 走了 四十 年，等到 國民，就是出 埃及 的兵丁，都 消滅了，因為 他們沒有 聽從 耶和華 的話。 耶和華 曾向他們 起誓，必不容 他們看見 耶和華 向他們列祖 起誓、應許賜 給我們 的地，就是 流 奶 與蜜 之地。
For the children of Israel were wandering in the waste land for forty years, till all the nation, that is, all the fighting-men, who had come out of Egypt, were dead, because they did not give ear to the voice of the Lord: to whom the Lord said, with an oath, that he would not let them see the land which the Lord had given his word to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 5:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Joshua 5:6 recaps the judgment pronounced at Kadesh Barnea (Numbers 14:23). The forty years of wilderness wandering was a direct consequence of Israel’s refusal to trust God and enter the land. As Gill notes, all men over twenty years old except Joshua and Caleb were consumed because they “obeyed not the voice of the Lord.” Barnes adds that the forty years is a round number, and that the omission of circumcision during the wilderness marked a period of covenant disapproval. The purpose of the verse in context is to explain why Joshua had to circumcise the new generation: the old generation that had refused God’s promise was gone, and the children who would inherit the land needed to bear the sign of the covenant.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse clearly states that the entire generation of men of war died in the wilderness because they did not obey Yahweh, and that God swore they would not see the promised land.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Length of the forty years | It includes the years from the Exodus to the crossing of the Jordan. | Barnes sees it as a round number; other interpreters take it literally. |
| Omission of circumcision | Circumcision was not practiced on males born in the wilderness. | Barnes suggests it was due to a divine ban; others attribute it to neglect or unsettled conditions. |
| The men of war who died | All males over twenty years old at the time of Kadesh except Joshua and Caleb. | The exact number of survivors and the status of the Levites are discussed by some commentators. |
| The land flowing with milk and honey | This is a standard biblical description of Canaan’s fertility. | Some see it as literal abundance; others as a poetic hyperbole for God’s provision. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The verse sits in the narrative immediately after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan (Joshua 3, 4). Israel is now encamped at Gilgal, on the west side of the river, just east of Jericho. God commands Joshua to circumcise all the males born during the wilderness years (Joshua 5:2, 5). This verse provides the theological reason: the entire generation that came out of Egypt as fighting men had died because they refused to listen to Yahweh’s voice. The reference is to the rebellion at Kadesh Barnea (Numbers 13, 14), where the people believed the spies’ bad report and wanted to return to Egypt.
In response, God swore that none of them would enter the land (Numbers 14:23, 29). The phrase “land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8, 17) appears frequently in the Pentateuch as a description of Canaan’s abundance. It is a promise that the old generation forfeited. The forty years of wandering (Deuteronomy 2:7) served as a period of punishment and preparation for the children. Now, with the crossing of the Jordan, the new generation is ready to receive the promised land.
Circumcision, the sign of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17), had been neglected during the wilderness. Barnes suggests this was because the nation was under a ban. At Gilgal, the covenant is renewed, and the “reproach of Egypt” is rolled away (Joshua 5:9). The historical context shows that this is a moment of fresh start: the old sinful generation is gone, and the new generation is consecrated to God before battle.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Joshua 5:6. The verse is consistent across the Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions included in this study.
Reception History
Across church history, Joshua 5:6 has been read as a warning against unbelief. Early Christian writers saw the wilderness generation as a type of those who fail to enter God’s rest (Hebrews 3, 4). Reformation commentators emphasized God’s justice in punishing disobedience and His mercy in preserving a remnant. In modern preaching, the verse is often used to illustrate that God’s promises are sure, but unbelief blocks their reception. The circumcision at Gilgal is seen as a renewal of covenant before the conquest of Canaan.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Judgment of Unbelief. The men of war died because they did not listen to God’s voice. This is a sobering reminder of the consequences of refusing His promises.
- The Faithfulness of God. Despite human failure, God preserved a new generation and brought them to the border of the land. His oath to the fathers remained standing.
- The Covenant Renewed. Circumcision at Gilgal marks a new beginning. The sign that had been absent is restored, symbolizing a fresh relationship with God.
Five-point outline
- Why the forty years? (Numbers 14:28-35).
- Who died? The men of war who came out of Egypt (Joshua 5:6).
- What was the cause? They did not obey Yahweh’s voice.
- What was God’s oath? They would not see the land flowing with milk and honey.
- What happened next? Their children were circumcised and entered the land.
Illustration hooks
- A team that misses the playoffs because of poor decisions; the next year a new roster steps in and achieves what the old team could not.
- A family that forfeited an inheritance through stubbornness; later their children receive the same promise but must first accept the terms.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God let an entire generation die before entering the land? Was that fair?
- Does this mean God was angry and unforgiving, or was there a purpose in the delay?
- What does circumcision have to do with us today? How do we apply a physical covenant sign?
Leading a Discussion
This verse explains why the Israelites were uncircumcised for forty years and why Joshua had to circumcise the new generation. It connects disobedience, judgment, and covenant renewal. The old generation died because they did not obey; the new generation receives the sign of the covenant before entering the land.
Discussion questions
- What does the verse say about the men of war who came out of Egypt? (Observation)
- Why did God swear they would not see the land? Read Numbers 14:23, 29. (Interpretation)
- How does the phrase “land flowing with milk and honey” shape your understanding of what the people lost? (Interpretation)
- What connection do you see between the death of the old generation and the circumcision of the new? (Interpretation)
- How does God deal with disobedience across generations? What hope do you see for the children? (Application)
- In what ways might we, like the wilderness generation, fail to listen to God’s voice and miss out on His promises? (Application)
- What “reproach” might God need to roll away from us before we can move forward in faith? (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)
| Exodus 3:8 | I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. |
| Exodus 3:17 | I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ |
| Numbers 14:23 | surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised me see it. |
| Numbers 14:29 | Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all who were counted of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have complained against me, |
| Numbers 14:32 | But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. |
| Numbers 14:35 | I, Yahweh, have spoken. I will surely do this to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.” |
| Deuteronomy 1:3 | In the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that Yahweh had given him in commandment to them, |
| Deuteronomy 2:7 | For Yahweh your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has known your walking through this great wilderness. These forty years, Yahweh your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing. |
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
8 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.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator focuses on the literal meaning of "milk and honey" as everyday foods from a land rich in grass and flowers. Milk from cows, goats, and sheep was a staple of the Hebrew diet, and wild honey was abundant in Canaan even when the land was neglected.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that Israel's forty years in the wilderness served as a direct judgment: the entire generation of fighting men who came out of Egypt perished because they refused to obey God's voice. God had sworn they would not see the land He promised their fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the forty years in the wilderness served a specific purpose: to consume every man of war who came out of Egypt, except Joshua and Caleb, because they disobeyed by murmuring against the Lord and His servants. This fulfilled God's sworn oath that they would not see the promised land.
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 notes that the Hebrew word translated "people" usually means Gentiles, suggesting these Israelites were unworthy of the name. He further observes that "shew them" means they would not even see the land, a privilege granted to Moses, let alone possess it.