Joshua 5:10

5:10-12 A solemn passover was kept, at the time appointed by the law, in the plains of Jericho, in defiance of the Canaanites round about them. It was a performance of the promise, that when they went up to keep the feasts, their land should be under the special protection of the Divine providence, Ex 34:24. Notice is taken of the ceasing of the manna as soon as they had eaten the old corn of the land. For as it came just when they needed, so it continued as long as they needed it. This teaches us not to expect supplies by miracles, when they may be had in a common way. The word and ordinances of God are spiritual manna, with which God nourishes his people in this wilderness. Though often forfeited, yet they are continued while we are here; but when we come to the heavenly Canaan, this manna will cease, for we shall no longer need it.

And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal,.... Not after their circumcision, but before, and where they continued encamped during that, and until the passover had been kept by them; this was little more than a mile from Jericho; see Gill on Joshua 4:19 , and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even; exactly as it was ordered to be observed, and was observed when first kept, Exodus 12:6, in the plains of Jericho: a proper place both for their encampment, and the celebration of the passover, and where very likely they met with lambs enough for their purpose, which belonged to the inhabitants of Jericho; or however being now got into the good land, they needed not, and were under no temptation of sparing their own: historians agree, as Strabo (e), Josephus (f), and others, that Jericho was seated in a plain. (e) Geograph. l. 16. p. 525. (f) De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 2.

(10) The passover. —This is the third Passover in Israel’s history. The first two were kept under Moses—(1) in Egypt, when the Lord delivered them; (2) the second at Sinai, when He had “brought them unto Himself.” (3) The third is on the other side Jordan under Joshua. Two belong to the Exodus, or going out; one to the Eisodus, or coming in. Compare Luke 22:16 : “I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Observe the connection between the Passover and circumcision. The law in Exodus 12:48 is, “no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.” Hence, while they wandered in the wilderness, this uncircumcised generation could not keep the Passover.

Joshua 5:10 . The children of Israel kept the passover — Which was their third passover: the first was in Egypt, Exodus 12.; the second at mount Sinai, Numbers 9.; the third here; for in their wilderness travels, these and several other sacrifices were neglected, Amos 5:25 . While they were in the wilderness, they were denied the comfort of this ordinance, as a further token of God’s displeasure. But now God comforted them again, after the time that he had afflicted them.

10–12. Celebration of the Passover Cessation of the Manna 10 . And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal ] The camp became permanent, and probably in grateful memorial of the many associations connected with the place, the people made it for centuries the great gathering-place of the tribes ( Joshua 9:6 ; Joshua 10:6 ; Joshua 10:43 ). The following notices of its subsequent history are deserving of attention. ( a ) It was the site of the Tabernacle during the continuance of the wars and until its removal to Shiloh; ( b ) It was one of the three assize towns, where Samuel administered justice ( 1 Samuel 7:16 ); ( c ) It was here that Samuel and Saul held solemn assemblies, as also David on his return from exile (comp. 1 Samuel 10:8 ; 1 Samuel 11:14 ; 1 Samuel 15:12 ; 2 Samuel 19:15 ); ( d ) after the building of the Temple, it became more and more neglected, but was the site of a school of the prophets, who remained there till a late period ( 2 Kings 2:5 ). and kept the passover ] Their “reproach” having been “rolled away,” the people of God would renew the festive remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt. on the fourteenth day ] Comp. Exodus 12:6 ; Exodus 12:18 ; Deuteronomy 16:6 .

As the night of the first Passover was one of terror and judgment to Egypt, so now, while within view of the camp at Gilgal, Israel was keeping the first Passover on the soil of Palestine, “Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel, none went out, and none came in.” ( Joshua 6:1 .)

The reproach of Egypt - i. e. "reproach proceeding from Egypt." The expression probably refers to taunts actually uttered by the Egyptians against Israel, because of their long wanderings in the desert and failures to acquire a settlement in Canaan (compare Exodus 32:12 ; Numbers 14:13-16 ; Deuteronomy 9:28 ; Deuteronomy 32:27 ). These reproaches were now to end, for they had actually entered Canaan, and the restoration of the covenant was a pledge from God to accomplish what was begun for them.

Verse 10. - And kept the passover. In reference to the question which has been discussed above, whether the passover was kept after the rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea, Keil notices, as a remarkable fact, that not only no mention of a passover as having been kept is found in the Pentateuch, after Numbers 9:1 , but there is not even any instance given of the law of sacrifice having been observed in the plains of Jericho; see above, Joshua 4:13 . "Vides ergo quia nemo immundus facit pascha, nemo incircumcisus sed quicumque mundus fuerit et circumcisus, sicut et apostolus interpretatur dicens etenim pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus. Itaque diem festum celebremus non in fermento veteri, sed in azymis sinceritatis et veritatis" (Origen, Horn. 5, on Joshua). "When soldiers take the field, they are apt to think themselves excused from religious exercises (they have not time nor thought to attend to them); yet Joshua opens the campaign with one act of devotion after another" (Matthew Henry). Joshua 5:10

The Passover at Gilgal. - When the whole nation had been received again into covenant with the Lord by circumcision, they kept the passover, which had no doubt been suspended from the time that they left Sinai ( Numbers 9:1 .), on the 14th of the month (Nisan), in the evening (according to the law in Exodus 12:6 , Exodus 12:18 ; Leviticus 23:5 ; Numbers 28:16 ; Deuteronomy 16:6 ). The next day, i.e., on the 16th, or the day after the first feast-day, they ate unleavened loaves and parched corn ("roasted grains," see at Leviticus 2:14 ) of the produce of the land (עבוּר, (Note: Rendered "old corn" in the Eng. version.) which only occurs in Joshua 5:11 and Joshua 5:12, is synonymous with תּבוּאה (Note: Rendered fruit in our version.) in Joshua 5:12), i.e., corn that had grown in the land of Canaan, as the manna entirely ceased from this day forwards. "The morrow after the passover" is used in Numbers 33:3 for the 15th Nisan; but here it must be understood as signifying the 16th, as the produce of the land, of which they ate not only on that day, but, according to Joshua 5:12, throughout that year, cannot mean the corn of the previous year, but the produce of this same year, i.e., the new corn, and they were not allowed to eat any of that till it had been sanctified to the Lord by the presentation of the wave sheaf on the second day of the passover (Leviticus 23:11).