John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. Now all the people that came out were circumcised , etc.] All that came out of Egypt, and males, were circumcised, whether under or above twenty years of age; for though it is possible all were circumcised before they came out of Egypt, which favours the opinion of Dr. Lightfoot, that they might be circumcised during the three nights’ darkness of the Egyptians, when they could take no advantage of it, as Levi and Simeon did of the Shechemites; and which seems more probable than that it should be on the night they came out of Egypt, when many must have been unfit for travelling, and seems preferable to that of their being circumcised at Mount Sinai, which was a year after their coming out of Egypt: but all the people [that were] born in the wilderness by the way, as they came forth out of Egypt, [them] they had not circumcised ; the reasons of which neglect; (see Gill on “ Joshua 5:2”). The phrase, “by the way”, seems to point at the true reason of it, at least to countenance the reason there given, which was on account of their journey; that is, their stay at any place being uncertain and precarious; so the Jews say f70 , because of the affliction or trouble of journeying, the Israelites did not circumcise their children. This is to be understood of all males only born in the wilderness, they only being the subjects of circumcision.
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 כי3588 מלים4135 היו1961 כל3605 העם5971 היצאים3318 וכל3605 העם5971 הילדים3209 במדבר4057 בדרך1870 בצאתם3318 ממצרים4714 לא3808 מלו׃4135
