Joshua 5:7-9 · Bible study
Joshua 5:7-9 Commentary: Circumcision at Gilgal
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why was circumcision omitted in the wilderness? What did its resumption at Gilgal mean for Israel? Explore the meaning of rolling away the reproach of Egypt.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God renews His covenant with the new generation through circumcision, signifying entry into the land and removal of the shame of Egypt.
- Key words: “reproach” (ḥerpâ, scorn/shame), “rolled away” (galal, to roll), “Gilgal” (place of rolling).
- Main debate: What exactly is “the reproach of Egypt”? Options: the shame of uncircumcision, Egyptian taunts about Israel’s failure, or the stigma of slavery.
- Theological theme: Covenant renewal requires humility, vulnerability, and trust in God’s protection before entering His promises.
- Best use: A text for seasons of new start, post-failure re‑dedication, or preparatory pain before blessing.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
7And Joshua raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones he circumcised. Until this time they were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way.
8And after all the nation had been circumcised, they stayed there in the camp until they were healed.
9Then 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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
7Their children, whom he raised up in their place, were circumcised by Joshua, for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the way.
8When they were done circumcising the whole nation, they stayed in their places in the camp until they were healed.
9Yahweh said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal to this day.
KJV King James Version 1769
7And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
8And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
9And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
7And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them did Joshua circumcise: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
8And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the nation, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
9And Jehovah said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of that place was called Gilgal, unto this day.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
7and their sons He raised up in their stead, them hath Joshua circumcised, for they have been uncircumcised, for they have not circumcised them in the way.
8And it cometh to pass when all the nation have completed to be circumcised, that they abide in their places in the camp till their recovering;
9and Jehovah saith unto Joshua, `To-day I have rolled the reproach of Egypt from off you;' and one calleth the name of that place Gilgal unto this day.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
7And their sons [whom] he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised, for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the way.
8And it came to pass when the whole nation had finished being circumcised, that they abode in their place in the camp, till they were whole.
9And Jehovah said to Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. And the name of the place was called Gilgal to this day.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
7The children of these succeeded in the place of their fathers, and were circumcised by Joshua: for they were uncircumcised even as they were born, and no one had circumcised them in the way.
8Now after they were all circumcised, they remained in the same place of the camp, until they were healed.
9And the Lord said to Joshua: This day have I taken away from you the reproach of Egypt. And the name of that place was called Galgal, until this present day.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 5:7
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 circumcision at Gilgal was a deliberate act of covenant renewal after a generation-long pause. The generation that left Egypt was circumcised; their children, born during the wilderness years, were not. Clarke, Barnes, and Keil all note that the difficult conditions of the journey, frequent moves and unsettled life, made the practice impracticable for the forty years, though the deeper reason was that the disobedient generation was under God's judgment and would not inherit the land (Numbers 14:31; Deuteronomy 1:39). Wesley adds that the rite was postponed until now because the people were finally settled and ready to receive the land. The resumption of circumcision also prepared them for the coming Passover, as Barnes and Keil point out. On the phrase “the reproach of Egypt” (v.9), opinions divide but share a common core: the removal of a shame that had clung to Israel from their time in Egypt. Calvin documents the major views, that it was the disgrace of being uncircumcised like the Egyptians, the taunts of the Egyptians that God had abandoned them, or the stigma of their former slavery. The point of agreement is that the act of circumcision publicly restored Israel's covenant standing. The place was renamed Gilgal (“rolling”) because God “rolled away” that reproach.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Reproach as uncircumcision: The people were uncircumcised like the Egyptians, which was considered a state of impurity (Clarke, Wesley, Calvin notes this as a common view).
- Reproach as Egyptian taunts: The Egyptians mocked Israel for their wanderings and failure to enter Canaan (Barnes, Cambridge, Keil; cf. Exodus 32:12, Numbers 14:13-16).
- Reproach as the stigma of slavery: The shame of having been slaves in Egypt was rolled away when Israel entered the land as free people (Gill, Calvin mentions this interpretation).
What is clear: Circumcision at Gilgal signified a fresh start for the new generation: the covenant was restored, the people were consecrated for the land, and God publicly removed a shame that had clung to them since Egypt.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Reason for the omission of circumcision in the wilderness | All traditions note that the generation born in the wilderness was not circumcised due to the unsettled conditions of the journey. | Some (Clarke, Wesley, Keil) see the omission as providential, tied to the judgment on the disobedient generation; others (Barnes, Calvin) emphasize practical difficulty without disputing the divine purpose behind it. |
| Meaning of 'the reproach of Egypt' | All agree that God removed a shame associated with Egypt at Gilgal, hence the place name 'rolling off.' | Views differ on whether it refers to the disgrace of being uncircumcised like the Egyptians (Clarke, Wesley), the taunts of the Egyptians about Israel's failure to enter the land (Barnes, Cambridge), or the stigma of slavery (Calvin, Gill). |
| The role of faith in the circumcision at Gilgal | The act required great trust in God, since the men were temporarily disabled and vulnerable. | Some (Clarke, Matthew Henry) stress the miraculous protection during the healing period; others (Keil, Barnes) note the panic of the Canaanites as a natural factor, while still seeing the timing as a divine test. |
| The relation between circumcision and the Passover (v.10 in context) | Circumcision was a prerequisite for participating in the Passover (Exodus 12:48). | Some commentators (Wesley, Keil) emphasize that the restoration of the covenant sign made the feast possible; others focus on the practical timing, since the healing period ended just before the fourteenth day of the month. |
Historical & Cultural Context
These verses sit within a dramatic sequence of events. The Israelites had just crossed the Jordan River on dry ground (Joshua 4), camped at Gilgal east of Jericho (Joshua 4:19), and were about to celebrate the Passover in the Promised Land for the first time (Joshua 5:10). The setting matters: the people had entered Canaan, but before they could receive its bounty or fight its battles, they needed to restore the sign of the covenant that had lapsed. Two generations stand in view. The older generation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, had been circumcised, but their unbelief at Kadesh-barnea led God to swear they would not enter the land (Joshua 5:6). They all died in the wilderness. Their sons, the new generation, were born during those forty years and had never received the rite. Now, on the threshold of their inheritance, God commanded Joshua to circumcise them, a painful and risky procedure for adults. The timing was intentional. The miracle at the Jordan had terrified the Canaanite kings (Joshua 5:1), so the camp was temporarily secure. Still, as Clarke marvels, Israel’s army was rendered helpless for days. The men rested in their tents “until they were healed” (ḥayotām, literally “they lived”, H2421), a recovery period that Jewish tradition and Calvin note lasted about three days, just in time for the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month. The act was a test of faith. Joshua obeyed, trusting God’s protection while his warriors lay vulnerable. Gilgal means “rolling,” and the name already existed at this site (Deuteronomy 11:30), but here it received new meaning: God had rolled away the reproach of Egypt.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries and sources note no significant textual variants for Joshua 5:7-9. The main phrase “reproach of Egypt” is stable across manuscripts. The name Gilgal is consistently spelled and interpreted as “rolling.” One minor textual point outside the passage: in Joshua 5:6 some manuscripts have “until we were passed over” (first-person) while others have “until they were passed over” (third-person); this does not affect the meaning of verses 7-9.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, this passage has been read as the renewal of the covenant after a period of suspension, linking it to the Passover and the beginning of the conquest. Early Christian interpreters saw in the circumcision at Gilgal a type of Christian baptism, a “circumcision of the heart” that separates God’s people from the world (Colossians 2:11-12). During the Reformation, both Catholic and Protestant exegetes (e.g., Calvin, the Geneva Bible) used the episode to discuss the nature of sacraments: outward signs that depend on divine command and faith for their efficacy. The act of adult circumcision raised pastoral questions about pain, vulnerability, and obedience that have been applied to other contexts of costly discipleship. Throughout church history, the name Gilgal has often been invoked in hymns and sermons as a symbol of God’s power to “roll away” shame and give a new beginning.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Pause That Pointed Forward, Circumcision was omitted during the wilderness years not from neglect, but because the generation that had rejected God’s promise was barred from receiving its sign. The pause served judgment and grace.
- The Pain That Preceded Feast, The people submitted to a painful act of consecration before they could celebrate the Passover. The wound came before the meal, the healing before the harvest.
- The Reproach That Was Rolled Away, What God removed at Gilgal was more than physical foreskin. He took away the shame of slavery, the taunts of the nations, the identity of being a people without a home.
Five-Point Outline
- A New Generation, a New Start, God raised up children to replace the disobedient (v.7; cf. Numbers 14:31). The covenant was not destroyed, only delayed.
- Obedience Before Battle, Joshua circumcised the whole nation before facing Jericho. Spiritual preparation preceded military action.
- Vulnerability and Trust, The entire male population lay helpless for days. Israel put its safety in God’s hands, not its own strength.
- Healing for the Task, The people stayed in camp “until they were healed” (v.8). God restored their bodies and their identity together.
- A Permanent Name for a Decisive Act, Gilgal became a monument to what God did: roll away the reproach of Egypt. The place reminded Israel that shame had no permanent hold on them.
Illustration Hooks
- A fresh start after failure: A student who transfers schools halfway through the year has to remake their name. The slate is clean, but the transition comes with its own pain.
- A risky choice that pays off: A small business owner decides to go all-in on an ethical practice that costs short-term profit, trusting the long-term reputation it builds.
- Healing before the next step: After surgery, a patient cannot rush back to normal life. Rest and recovery are necessary, and part of the treatment, not wasted time.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why didn’t God command circumcision sooner? Was He punishing Israel by letting the practice lapse?
- What exactly is “the reproach of Egypt”? Am I still carrying old shame that God wants to remove?
- Why would God ask His people to do something that made them vulnerable to attack?
Leading a Discussion
These three verses mark a turning point. The people have crossed into the land, but before they can take possession, God stops them for a painful, healing act of covenant renewal. The wilderness years are over; the time of preparation is not.
Discussion Questions
- Why had circumcision been neglected for forty years? What does the narrative suggest about the wilderness as a time of judgment and formation?
- Read verse 7. God “raised up” the children of the rebellious generation. What does this tell you about God’s faithfulness across generations?
- Joshua performed the circumcision “a second time” (v.2, context). In what sense do we ever need a “second time” of commitment in our own spiritual lives?
- The men stayed in camp “until they were healed” (v.8). Why is healing an important part of preparation for the next stage? Have you experienced a season when God made you rest before moving forward?
- Verse 9 says God “rolled away the reproach of Egypt.” What did that reproach consist of? Shame, failure, slavery, accusation? Which aspect resonates most with your life?
- Gilgal became a memorial. What “Gilgal” moments, places where God removed shame, have marked your faith journey?
- How does this passage connect to baptism in Christian understanding? (In what sense is baptism a “rolling away” of an old identity?)
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)
| Numbers 14:31 | But I will bring in your little ones that you said should be captured or killed, and they shall know the land which you have rejected. |
| Deuteronomy 1:39 | Moreover your little ones, whom you said would be captured or killed, your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, shall go in there. I will give it to them, and they shall possess it. |
| Genesis 34:25 | On the third day, when they were sore, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword, came upon the unsuspecting city, and killed all the males. |
| Genesis 34:14 | and said to them, “We can’t do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised; for that is a reproach to us. |
| Leviticus 24:14 | “Bring him who cursed out of the camp; and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. |
| Joshua 4:19 | The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho. |
| Joshua 24:14 | “Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, in Egypt; and serve Yahweh. |
| I Samuel 14:6 | Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come! Let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Yahweh will work for us, for there is no restraint on Yahweh to save by many or by few.” |
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
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What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights Joshua's remarkable faith in obeying God's command to circumcise the army while surrounded by enemies, leaving them utterly helpless for days. Against all military logic, Joshua trusted God's protection rather than human strength, and God honored that trust by keeping their enemies at bay.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that circumcision was omitted in the wilderness because a divine ban had suspended the covenant until the rebellious generation died. Now, standing on Canaan's soil, the people recommit to God, and the circumcision, followed by the Passover, formally restores that broken bond. He sees the "reproach of Egypt" as taunts from the Egyptians about Israel's failed wandering.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin understands the "reproach of Egypt" as the charge that the Israelites were fugitives and rebels who had unjustly fled their rightful ruler. Circumcision rolled off that disgrace by sealing in their flesh that God had long ago claimed them as His own, proving their departure was by His authority.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes that the place called Gilgal already bore that name before the events at the Jordan. Its meaning shifted, however: what was simply a geographical name now took on a new significance as "rolling away," referring to the removal of Israel's reproach. No new name was given; the old name received a fresh meaning.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight that the shame of Egypt was the reproach of being uncircumcised, a condition that marked Israel's time in bondage. By circumcising the new generation at Gilgal, the Lord removed that disgrace and renewed their covenant identity in the Promised Land.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the remarkable timing of the circumcision, performed right after crossing the Jordan in enemy territory. He sees God's providence in protecting the incapacitated Israelites and Joshua's faith in the risky act. The "reproach of Egypt" he interprets primarily as the reproach of uncircumcision, since Egyptians at that time did not practice it.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that God postponed circumcision until Israel entered Canaan so the people, stirred by the recent miracle at the Jordan, would be ready to obey this difficult command. The renewal of the rite publicly announced the restoration of the covenant, rolling away Egypt's taunts that God had rejected His people.
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 lists several reasons God commanded circumcision at this moment: to confirm His reconciliation with Israel, prepare them for the Passover, and seal the covenant after their wandering ended. He explains that the reproach of Egypt refers to the disgrace of uncircumcision, which marked them as Egyptians or scorned them for neglecting this duty.