King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 8 notes
1And 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.
Only God knows the kind of incantations that these pagan nations did for their gods when they heard this.
Only God knows the number of human sacrifices and bloodshed that was done to strengthen themselves for the war they saw coming. And none of them thought to default to the side of Jehovah. Yes, they believed, just as demons believe in God and tremble, yet they did not mix with faith what they had heard, so none defaulted to the side of JEHOVAH save Rahab the prostitute.
2At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
3And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
4And 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.
5Now 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.
6For 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.
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.
Could age also be a factor in the kind of respect the children of Israel had for Joshua?
Joshua at this stage was 80 years, about the same age as when Moses delivered Israel from the hands of Pharaoh.
At this stage, Joshua and Caleb were the only people of that age.
Of course this was not the only reason, in fact not even the main reason, as this people had shown that they could disrespect even God, the Ancient of Days.
Much less an 80-year-old man. But it did play a role somewhat, I believe.
As it served as a grim reminder of what had happened to their fathers, and only two lived this long — because of obedience.
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.
This was a perfect opportunity for their enemies to strike at them, as the sons of Jacob did to Shechem, but they were too scared to dare attack.
They only hid themselves, awaiting their doom.
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.
Oh Lord God, when will you roll away the reproach of our colonial masters from us?
The disorder, division and foolishness of our ways.
10And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
11And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.
12And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
Hmm 🤔
Ah wait oo... so manna was following them everywhere, think of it. When they moved, the manna would rain in the new location, not the old.
They even crossed the Jordan and manna followed them, only to cease the morrow after they ate the old corn of the land.
13And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
14And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
How did Joshua discern that this was God and not man?
Is it not because of his encounters with God under Moses?
God had come to them and sat down to meat 🥩 with them in bodily form.
He knew, as did Abraham, and had EXPERIENCED God to know that this man 👨 is not man, though 💭 he looks like one.
15And the captain of the LORD’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
How do they know when a true angel or spirit appears to them? He paid obeisance to him. How do they know? Same thing with Abraham when God visited him. How did he know?