Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the children whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised,.... Who were born to them in the wilderness, and succeeded them, some of which might be near forty years of age; as for those that were born before, of which there might be many now living, they had been circumcised already, but others, were not:

for they were circumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way; or while journeying the forty years in the wilderness; which, as before observed, seems to be the true reason of the omission of circumcision.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Circumcised - Which God would have done, As a testimony of God's reconciliation to the people, and that he would not farther impute their parents rebellion to them. Because the great impediment of circumcision was now removed, their continued travels, and frequent and uncertain removal. To prepare them for the approaching passover. To distinguish them from the Canaanites, into whose land they were now come. To ratify the covenant between God and them, whereof circumcision was a sign and seal, to assure them that God would now make good his covenant, in giving them this land; and to oblige them to perform all the duties to which that covenant bound them, as soon as they came into Canaan, Exodus 12:25 ; Leviticus 23:10 ; Numbers 15:2 .

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 7. And their children—Joshua circumcised— Putting together the chief arguments for the renewal of this ceremony, God may be said to have subjected the Israelites to it, 1. To take from them the reproach of Egypt, as it is expressed, ver. 9. 2. To enable them to celebrate the passover. 3. To confirm to them the near accomplishment of the promises made to Abraham, by that operation which was to be the seal of those promises. 4. To try the faith of the Israelites, by their submission to a command, the performance of which exposed them to be treated by their enemies as the Schechemites had been formerly by Levi and Simeon in a similar circumstance, and, perhaps, also, 5. To shew them, by his permission to administer this rite to their children, that the time of his anger had elapsed, and that he permitted them to enter into his rest.

See commentary on Joshua 5:4

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Them Joshua circumcised; which God would have now done,

1. As a testimony of God’s reconciliation to the people, of which circumcision was a sign, and that God would not further impute their parents’ rebellions to them.

2. Because the great impediment of circumcision was now removed, to wit, their continued travels, and frequent and uncertain removal.

3. To prepare them for the approaching passover.

4. To distinguish them from the Canaanites, into whose land they were now come.

5. To ratify the covenant between God and them, where of circumcision was a sign and seal, to assure them that God would now make good his covenant, in giving them this land; and to oblige them to perform all the duties and services to which that covenant bound them, of which circumcision was the beginning and foundation, all which they were expressly joined to do, as soon as ever they came into Canaan, Exodus 12:25 Leviticus 23:10 Numbers 15:2.

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

‘And their children whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised, for they were circumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.’

Here it is specifically stated that those who were now to be circumcised were those born ‘by the way’ i.e. on the journey, those who replaced the condemned generation and had not been circumcised.

These rather complicated verses were trying to explain briefly, to those who assumed circumcision as practised on the eighth day after birth, the reason why a circumcision ceremony was necessary, . They were trying to present succintly a very complicated situation. We must not overpress the detail.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 5:7. Their children — them Joshua circumcised — This God now required to be done, 1st, As a testimony of his reconciliation to the people, and that he would not further impute their parents’ rebellion to them, but now permit them to enter into his rest. See Numbers 14:29 to Numbers 35:2 d, Because one great impediment of circumcision was now removed, their continued travels, and frequent and uncertain removes. 3d, To prepare them for the approaching passover. 4th, To distinguish them from the Canaanites, into whose land they were now come. 5th, To try their faith, by their submission to a command, the performance of which exposed them to be treated by their enemies as the Shechemites had been formerly by Simeon and Levi in a similar circumstance. 6th, To ratify the covenant between God and them, whereof circumcision was a sign and seal, to assure them that he would now make good his covenant, in giving them this land; and to oblige them to perform all the duties to which that covenant bound them, as soon as they came into Canaan, Exodus 12:25; Leviticus 23:10; Numbers 15:2.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And 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.

their children

Numbers 14:31; Deuteronomy 1:39