King James Version

What Does Joshua 5:2 Mean?

“At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. sharp: or, knives of flints”

Context

And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. sharp: or, knives of flints

And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. sharp: or, knives of flints the hill: or, Gibeah-haaraloth

And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

**THE CIRCUMCISION OF ISRAEL BY JOSHUA** (Joshua 5:2-9). (2) **Make thee sharp knives.**—Authorities are divided between the rendering “sharp knives” and “knives of flint.” The first seems best supported, as far as the meaning of the *words *is concerned. The expression is “knives of *tsurim.” *The word *tsûr *does not seem anywhere to be connected with the material of the tool, but rather with the edge of it. *Knives of keen edge *is, therefore, the better translation. At the same time they may have been stone knives in this instance. The idea that they were so is supported by an addition in the LXX. to Joshua 24:30 : “They put with him (Joshua) into the tomb . . . the knives of stone with which he circumcised the children of Israel . . . and there they are to this day.” The ceremony being a kind of special consecration, it is not unlikely to have been performed with special instruments, which were not used before or after. Comp. Psalm 89:43, “Thou hast turned the *tsûr *(keen edge) of his sword;” 2Samuel 2:16, “Helkath Hazzurim”—i.e., the field of keen blades; Exodus 4:25, “Zipporah took a *tzôr *“; Ezekiel 3:9, “an adamant harder than *tzôr.”*

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Joshua. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Joshua 5:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.