1Quando as nações da banda ocidental do Jordão, os amorreus e os cananeus que viviam, estes últimos, na costa do Mediterrâneo, ouviram que o SENHOR tinha secado o rio Jordão para que o povo de Israel pudesse passar, perderam completamente o alento e ficaram paralisados de terror.2-3O SENHOR disse a Josué que reservasse um dia para circuncidar a população masculina de Israel. O SENHOR deu-lhes instruções para fazerem facas de pedra, próprias para esse fim e o local onde o rito da circuncisão teve lugar ficou a chamar-se Colina dos Prepúcios.4-5A razão da cerimónia da circuncisão foi a seguinte: apesar de todos os homens que saíram do Egito, com idade para pegar em armas, terem sido circuncidados, toda essa geração morrera durante a travessia do deserto e nenhum dos rapazes entretanto nascidos tinha passado por esse rito.6Porque a nação de Israel percorrera o deserto, andando em várias direções, durante 40 anos, até que todos os homens com idade para o combate, na altura em que deixaram o Egito, morreram, visto não terem obedecido ao SENHOR que lhes dissera que não haveriam de entrar na terra que prometera a Israel, uma terra onde jorra leite e mel.7Foi pois essa a razão por que Josué circuncidou os filhos deles, os homens que tinham crescido para tomarem o lugar dos pais.8-9E o SENHOR disse a Josué: “Hoje coloquei fim[1] à vergonha de não serem cicuncidados.” O local onde isto foi feito chamou-se Gilgal (retirar) e é assim chamado até hoje. Após a cerimónia, a nação inteira repousou no acampamento até que as feridas sarassem.10Enquanto estavam acampados ali em Gilgal, nas planícies de Jericó, celebraram a Páscoa na noite do dia 14 do mês.11No dia seguinte começaram a comer dos frutos e dos cereais dos campos que invadiram, tendo feito pães sem fermento.12Nesse dia, o maná deixou de cair e nunca mais ninguém o achou. Portanto, a partir dessa altura passaram a comer das searas de Canaã.
A conquista de Jericó
13Numa ocasião em que Josué estava perto da cidade de Jericó, apareceu-lhe um homem com uma espada desembainhada. Josué avançou para ele e perguntou: “És amigo ou inimigo?”14Ele respondeu: “Não. Sou o comandante do exército do SENHOR e acabo de chegar.” Josué prostou-se diante dele, adorou-o e disse: “Dá-me as tuas ordens.”15“Descalça-te, porque este terreno é santo.” E Josué obedeceu.
1As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel. (Ex 15:14; Nm 13:29; Js 2:11; 1 Rs 10:5)2At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” (Ex 4:25)3So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.[1]4And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. (Nm 14:29; Nm 26:64; Dt 2:16; Sl 106:26; 1 Co 10:5; Hb 3:17)5Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised.6For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. (Ex 3:8; Nm 14:23; Nm 14:33; Dt 1:3; Dt 2:7; Dt 2:14; Dt 8:4; Sl 95:10; Sl 95:11; Hb 3:11)7So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way. (Nm 14:31; Dt 1:39)8When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed.9And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal[2] to this day. (Gn 34:14; Js 4:19)
First Passover in Canaan
10While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. (Ex 12:6; Nm 9:5)11And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.12And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. (Ex 16:35)
The Commander of the Lord’s Army
13When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” (Gn 18:2; Gn 32:24; Ex 23:20; Ex 23:23; Nm 22:23; Nm 22:31; At 1:10)14And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped[3] and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” (Gn 17:3)15And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. (Ex 3:5; At 7:33)