John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. And the Lord said unto Joshua , etc.] Out of the tabernacle: this day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you ; either the reproach of being reckoned office same religion with the Egyptians, they now having observed the command of the Lord, and thereby declared themselves to be his servants and worshippers, which sense Ben Gersom mentions; or else the reproach with which the Egyptians reproached them, that they were brought out from them into the wilderness for evil, to be destroyed there, they now being safely arrived in the land of Canaan; which tense he seems to approve of, and so Abarbinel: or rather by it is meant the reproach of being bondmen, and slaves, as they were in Egypt, having now entered upon their inheritance, they as free men, the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were heirs unto; and perhaps it was this sense of the phrase led Josephus to give a wrong interpretation of the word “Gilgal”, which he says signifies “liberty”: and adds, “for, having passed the river, they knew they were free from the Egyptians, and from troubles in the wilderness;” though the more commonly received sense is, that this reproach is to be understood of uncircumcision, which was the reproach of the Egyptians, they at this time not using circumcision they afterwards did, when some of the nations thereabout used it, who descended, from Abraham, as the Midianites, Ishmaelites, Arabians, and Edomites: wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day ; which signifies “rolling” f74 ; so that when it is met with before, it is so called by anticipation.
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 ויאמר559 יהוה3068 אל413 יהושׁע3091 היום3117 גלותי1556 את853 חרפת2781 מצרים4714 מעליכם5921 ויקרא7121 שׁם8034 המקום4725 ההוא1931 גלגל1537 עד5704 היום3117 הזה׃2088
