Joshua 5:3 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

Ver. 3. And Joshua—circumcised the children of Israel He caused the commands of God to be performed by all the people, whether on this or on the other side of Jordan, and, as it appears, by all on the same day, that every Israelite might be enabled to celebrate the passover. The matter was no way difficult, as it did not signify by what hand it was effected. Father, mother, relations, friends, might all perform the operation, as well as the priests and Levites. The hill of the foreskin is, in the Hebrew, Gibeath-haaraloth, which some take to be the name of a place, as it probably was, but a place deriving its name from that ceremony.

Joshua 5:3

3 And Joshua made him sharpb knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.