Tanach
Yehoshua 5:2-8 יהושע ה׳:ב׳-ח׳
Part of: Chapter 5
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
בָּעֵת הַהִיא אָמַר יְהֹוָה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ עֲשֵׂה לְךָ חַֽרְבוֹת צֻרִים וְשׁוּב מֹל אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל שֵׁנִֽית׃
At that time the Lord said to Yehoshua, Make flint knives, and circumcise again the children of Yisra᾽el the second time.
At that time the Lord said to Yehoshua, Make flint knives, and circumcise again the children of Yisra᾽el the second time.
Rashi
שנית. שמלו כבר בליל יציאתם ממצרים קהל גדול יחד, וזו פעם שנית, שכל הארבעים שנה שהיו במדבר לא נשבה להם רוח צפונית, ולא היה להם יום נוח למול, כמו ששנינו ביבמות (עא ב) ורבותינו אמרו (שם): שנית, זו פריעת מילה, שלא נתנה לאברהם אבינו:
The second time. For there had already been a circumcision— on the night of their departure from Egypt a large assembly were collectively circumcised, and this was the second time; because during the entire forty years that they were in the wilderness the north wind did not blow for them, and they did not have a suitable day to circumcise themselves, as we learned in Maseches Yevamos.3Yevomos 71b. Certain atmospheric conditions were beneficial for the healing of the wound caused by circumcision. The north wind created this condition. These winds were withheld during the forty years in the wilderners in order that the “Clouds of Glory” that led and protected the people would not disperse. Our Sages said, “The second time refers to exposing the corona at circumcision. [This particular aspect of circumcision] was not commanded to our Patriarch, Avrohom.
וַיַּעַשׂ־לוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ חַֽרְבוֹת צֻרִים וַיָּמׇל אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־גִּבְעַת הָעֲרָלֽוֹת׃
And Yehoshua made flint knives, and circumcised the children of Yisra᾽el at the hill of ῾Aralot.
And Yehoshua made flint knives, and circumcised the children of Yisra᾽el at the hill of ῾Aralot.
Rashi
גבעת הערלות. על שם המאורע נקרא, שנעשה כמין גבעה:
Gival Ha-orlos. [Lit. Hill of the foreskins] It was so called, because of the event, [i.e., the mass of foreskins that were circumcised] which were made into a hill.
וְזֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־מָל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כׇּל־הָעָם הַיֹּצֵא מִמִּצְרַיִם הַזְּכָרִים כֹּל ׀ אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה מֵתוּ בַמִּדְבָּר בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּצֵאתָם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃
And this is the cause why Yehoshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Miżrayim, that were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Miżrayim.
And this is the cause why Yehoshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Miżrayim, that were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Miżrayim.
Rashi
וזה הדבר. על ידי דבור מל אותם, אמר להם סבורים אתם לירש את הארץ ערלים, לא כך נאמר לאברהם (בראשית יז ט): ואתה את בריתי תשמור וגו', (שם שם ח): ונתתי לך ולזרעך אחריך את ארץ מגוריך:
And this is the reason. [Lit. and this is the thing] After this speech he circumcised them. He said to them. “Do you think you will inherit this land while you are yet uncircumcised? Was it not said to Avrohom, ‘And you will preserve My covenant etc.’ ‘and I will give you and your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings.’”4Bereishis 17:8,9. Thus the inheritance of the land was dependent on their preserving the covenant, which was the rite of circumcision.
כל העם היוצא. לא היה אחד מהם כאן, שכלם מתו והם היו מולים, שנאמר: כי מולים היו:
All the people that went out. Not one of them was here for they had all died, and they had all been circumcised, as it is said, ‘for they were circumcised.’5Next verse.
כִּֽי־מֻלִים הָיוּ כׇּל־הָעָם הַיֹּצְאִים וְכׇל־הָעָם הַיִּלֹּדִים בַּמִּדְבָּר בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּצֵאתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם לֹא־מָֽלוּ׃
Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came out of Miżrayim, them they had not circumcised.
Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came out of Miżrayim, them they had not circumcised.
Rashi
לא מלו. כמו שפירשתי שלא נשבה רוח צפונית, והם שמלו עכשיו:
Were not circumcised. As I have previously explained, the north wind had not blown.6See Rashi to verse 2. It was these who were now to be circumcised.
כִּי ׀ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה הָלְכוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר עַד־תֹּם כׇּל־הַגּוֹי אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה הַיֹּצְאִים מִמִּצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־שָׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹל יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהֹוָה לָהֶם לְבִלְתִּי הַרְאוֹתָם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהֹוָה לַֽאֲבוֹתָם לָתֶת לָנוּ אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃
For the children of Yisra᾽el walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, who came out of Miżrayim, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: to whom the Lord swore that he would not show them the land, which the Lord swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
For the children of Yisra᾽el walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, who came out of Miżrayim, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: to whom the Lord swore that he would not show them the land, which the Lord swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם הֵקִים תַּחְתָּם אֹתָם מָל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כִּֽי־עֲרֵלִים הָיוּ כִּי לֹֽא־מָלוּ אוֹתָם בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃
And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Yehoshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the road.
And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Yehoshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the road.
Rashi
ואת בניהם הקים תחתם. ואת בניהם שהקים תחתיהם הם הילודים במדבר, אותם מל יהושע:
And their children whom He brought up in place of them. And their children whom He brought up in place of them, they were born in the wilderness it was them whom Yehoshua circumcised.
וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר־תַּמּוּ כׇל־הַגּוֹי לְהִמּוֹל וַיֵּשְׁבוּ תַחְתָּם בַּֽמַּחֲנֶה עַד חֲיוֹתָֽם׃ {פ}
And it came to pass, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were recovered.
And it came to pass, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were recovered.
Rashi
וישבו תחתם. באתרהון, ולא צרו על העיר:
They remained in their places. They remained in their places and they did not besiege the city.
עד חיותם. מן המכה:
Until they were healed from their wounds.
חרבות צורים. כתרגומו: אזמלון חריפין, וכן (תהלים פט מד): אף תשיב צור חרבו, כשהחריפות נהפך לצדדין ואינו חותך יפה, וכן (ישעיהו נד יז): כל כלי יוצר עליך:
Sharp knives. As translated by Targum, sharp knives. Similarly, ‘You also turned back the sharp edge of his sword.’1Tehillim 89:44. When the sharp edge is turned sideways it does not cut well. ‘Similarly, ‘Every weapon that is sharpened against you?’2Yeshayahu 54.