John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. And this [is] the cause why Joshua did circumcise , etc.] Or the reason of the command given him to circumcise the children of Israel at this time, namely, what follows: all the people that came out of Egypt [that were] males, [even] all the men of war ; meaning such that were twenty years old, and upwards: died in the wilderness, by the way, after they came out of Egypt ; not directly, but in a course of forty years, as they journeyed through the wilderness; this is to be understood with an exception of Joshua, Caleb, Eleazar, etc. but then there was a large number who were under twenty years of age, that came out of Egypt, and were now living.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - How dreadful is their case, who see the wrath of God advancing toward them, without being able to turn it aside, or escape it! Such will be the horrible situation of the wicked; nor can words express the anguis of their feelings, or the greatness of their terror. Oh that they woul now take warning, and before it be too late, flee for refuge to la hold upon that hope set before them in the gospel! God impressed thes fears on the Canaanites, and dispirited them. This gave a short rest to the Israelites, and circumcision rolled away the reproach of Egypt They were hereby owned to be the free-born children of God, having the seal of the covenant. When God glorifies himself in perfecting the salvation of his people, he not only silences all enemies, but roll back their reproaches upon themselves.
Original Hebrew וזה2088 הדבר1697 אשׁר834 מל4135 יהושׁע3091 כל3605 העם5971 היצא3318 ממצרים4714 הזכרים2145 כל3605 אנשׁי582 המלחמה4421 מתו4191 במדבר4057 בדרך1870 בצאתם3318 ממצרים׃4714
