Joshua 5:6

4 Now this is why Joshua circumcised them: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of war—had died on the journey in the wilderness after they had left Egypt.

5 Though all who had come out were circumcised, none of those born in the wilderness on the journey from Egypt had been circumcised.

For the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years, until all the nation’s men of war who had come out of Egypt had died, since they did not obey the LORD. So the LORD vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

7 And Joshua raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones he circumcised. Until this time they were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way.

8 And after all the nation had been circumcised, they stayed there in the camp until they were healed.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
For the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years, until all the nation’s men of war who had come out of Egypt had died, since they did not obey the LORD. So the LORD vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
KJV
For 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.
WEB
For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness until all the nation, even the men of war who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they didn’t listen to the LORD’s voice. The LORD swore to them that he wouldn’t let them see the land which the LORD swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
ASV
For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the nation, even the men of war that came forth out of Egypt, were consumed, because they hearkened not unto the voice of Jehovah: unto whom Jehovah sware that he would not let them see the land which Jehovah sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
DARBY
For the children of Israel had walked forty years in the wilderness, till the whole nation of men of war had perished who had come out of Egypt, who had not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah; to whom Jehovah had sworn that he would not show them the land which Jehovah had sworn unto their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
BLB
For forty years the sons of Israel walked in the wilderness, until all the people of the men of war who came out of Egypt were consumed because they did not obey the voice of YHWH, whom YHWH swore to them that He would not show the land that YHWH had sworn to their fathers that He would give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
ÅB
For i førti år vandret Israels barn i ørkenen, inntil alt folket - krigsfolkene som dro ut av Egypt - var utdød; de hørte ikke på Herrens røst, derfor svor Herren at han ikke ville la dem se det land Herren hadde tilsvoret deres fedre å ville gi oss, et land som flyter med melk og honning.
OTB
Israelittene vandret i ørkenen i førti år til alle krigsmennene som hadde kommet ut av Egypt omkom fordi de ikke adlød Herren. Herren hadde sverget at de ikke skulle se landet Han hadde lovet deres forfedre, et land som flyter av melk og honning.
B1930
For i firti år vandret Israels barn i ørkenen, inntil alt folket - krigsfolkene som drog ut av Egypten - var utdød; de hørte ikke på Herrens røst, derfor svor Herren at han ikke vilde la dem se det land Herren hadde tilsvoret deres fedre å ville gi oss, et land som flyter med melk og honning.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Numbers 14:23

    not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 2:14

    The time we spent traveling from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the Brook of Zered was thirty-eight years, until that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them.

    Read in context
  • Hebrews 3:11

    So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’”

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 1:3

    In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the LORD had commanded him concerning them.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 3:8

    I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 14:29–35

    Your bodies will fall in this wilderness—all who were numbered in the census, everyone twenty years of age or older—because you have grumbled against Me.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 95:10–11

    For forty years I was angry with that generation, and I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known My ways.”

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 2:7

    Indeed, the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. The LORD your God has been with you these forty years, and you have lacked nothing.

    Read in context