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 וַיְהִ֗י בִּֽהְי֣וֹת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ֮ בִּירִיחוֹ֒ וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ֙ עֹמֵ֣ד לְנֶגְדּ֔וֹ וְחַרְבּ֥וֹ שְׁלוּפָ֖ה בְּיָד֑וֹ וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ הֲלָ֥נוּ אַתָּ֖ה אִם־לְצָרֵֽינוּ׃ 14 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ לֹ֗א כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י שַׂר־צְבָֽא־יְהוָ֖ה עַתָּ֣ה בָ֑אתִי וַיִּפֹּל֩ יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ אֶל־פָּנָ֥יו אַ֙רְצָה֙ וַיִּשְׁתָּ֔חוּ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ מָ֥ה אֲדֹנִ֖י מְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ 15 וַיֹּאמֶר֩ שַׂר־צְבָ֨א יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ שַׁל־נַֽעַלְךָ֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֶ֔ךָ כִּ֣י הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה עֹמֵ֥ד עָלָ֖יו קֹ֣דֶשׁ ה֑וּא וַיַּ֥עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ כֵּֽן׃ 

Vocabulary

Verse 13

            יריחו name: “Jericho”

            לנגד  “before (him)” (BDB, 617)

            שׁלף  verb (Qal passive participle fs): “draw out” (BDB, 1025)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The beth preposition is used as a temporal marker “when,” and Joshua is the subject of the infinitive, בִּֽהְי֣וֹת.
• Notice the interrogative he attached to the first word of the quotation, הֲלָ֥נוּ.
• The idiomatic expression, הֲלָ֥נוּ אַתָּ֖ה אִם־לְצָרֵֽינו, can be understood as “Are you with us or with our enemies?”

Vocabulary

Verse 14

            שֹר  noun: “chief, ruler, prince”

            השׁתחוה  verb (waw-consecutive imperfect 3mpl): “bow down, worship”

            דבר  verb (Piel participle ms): “speak”

Verse 15

            נשׁל  verb (Qal imperative ms): “draw out, remove” (BDB, 675)

            נעל  “sandal” (BDB, 653)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 14

• The introduction, לֹ֗א כִּ֛י, can be understood as “no rather.”
• The three member construct phrase שַׂר־צְבָֽא־יְהוָ֖ה “chief of the army of the Lord” is in apposition to the 1cs pronoun.
• The final he of אַ֙רְצָה֙ is a directional he.

Verse 15

• The clause, קֹ֣דֶשׁ ה֑וּא, is a verbless clause of typology P-S; where the subject clause, הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה עֹמֵ֥ד עָלָ֖יו, is fronted.
• Notice the clear allusion to Moses’ vision of the Lord at Horeb (Exodus 3:5).

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ הַיּ֗וֹם גַּלּ֛וֹתִי אֶת־חֶרְפַּ֥ת מִצְרַ֖יִם מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֞א שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ גִּלְגָּ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ 10 וַיַּחֲנ֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּגִּלְגָּ֑ל וַיַּעֲשׂ֣וּ אֶת־הַפֶּ֡סַח בְּאַרְבָּעָה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֥וֹם לַחֹ֛דֶשׁ בָּעֶ֖רֶב בְּעַֽרְב֥וֹת יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ 11 וַיֹּ֨אכְל֜וּ מֵעֲב֥וּר הָאָ֛רֶץ מִמָּֽחֳרַ֥ת הַפֶּ֖סַח מַצּ֣וֹת וְקָל֑וּי בְּעֶ֖צֶם הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ 12 וַיִּשְׁבֹּ֨ת הַמָּ֜ן מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת בְּאָכְלָם֙ מֵעֲב֣וּר הָאָ֔רֶץ וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה ע֛וֹד לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מָ֑ן וַיֹּאכְל֗וּ מִתְּבוּאַת֙ אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הַהִֽיא׃ ס

Vocabulary

Verse 9

            גלל  verb: “roll away” (BDB, 164)

            חרפה noun (construct fs): “reproach”

            גלגל  name: “Gilgal”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The article attached to the word for day, הַיּ֗וֹם, means “today.”
• When following a noun and agreeing in gender, number and definiteness, the third person pronoun functions as a demonstrative, “that place” (הַמָּק֤וֹם הַהוּא֙) or “this day” (הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה).

Vocabulary

Verse 10

            חנה verb: “camp”

            פסח  noun: “Passover” (BDB, 820)

            ערבה  “desert”

            יריחו  name: “Jericho”

Verse 11

            עבור  noun: “produce” (BDB, 721)

            מחרת  “morrow” (BDB, 564)

            פסח  “Passover” (BDB, 820)

            מצה  “unleavened bread”

            קלה  verb: “roast, parch” (BDB, 885)

            עצם  “same” (BDB, 783)

Verse 12

            מן  noun: “manna” (BDB, 557)

            מחרת  “morrow” (BDB, 564)

            עבור  noun: “produce” (BDB, 721)

            תבואה  noun: “produce” (BDB, 100)

            כנען  name: “Canaan”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 10

• Three beth prepositions are used for (1) designation of a day (בְּאַרְבָּעָה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֥וֹם לַחֹ֛דֶשׁ “on the fourteenth day of the month”), (2) a time (בָּעֶ֖רֶב “in the evening”) and (3) a location (בְּעַֽרְב֥וֹת יְרִיחֽוֹ “in the desert plain of Jericho”).

Verse 11

• The common idiom, בְּעֶ֖צֶם הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה, means “in that very same (self-same) day.”

Verse 12

• The beth preposition marks a temporal clause “when,” and pronominal suffix denotes the subject of the infinitive construct, בְּאָכְלָם֙.

בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ עֲשֵׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ חַֽרְב֣וֹת צֻרִ֑ים וְשׁ֛וּב מֹ֥ל אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שֵׁנִֽית׃ 3 וַיַּעַשׂ־ל֥וֹ יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ חַֽרְב֣וֹת צֻרִ֑ים וַיָּ֙מָל֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶל־גִּבְעַ֖ת הָעֲרָלֽוֹת׃ 4 וְזֶ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־מָ֣ל יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַיֹּצֵא֩ מִמִּצְרַ֨יִם הַזְּכָרִ֜ים כֹּ֣ל ׀ אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה מֵ֤תוּ בַמִּדְבָּר֙ בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ בְּצֵאתָ֖ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ 5 כִּֽי־מֻלִ֣ים הָי֔וּ כָּל־הָעָ֖ם הַיֹּֽצְאִ֑ים וְכָל־הָ֠עָם הַיִּלֹּדִ֨ים בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר בַּדֶּ֛רֶךְ בְּצֵאתָ֥ם מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם לֹא־מָֽלוּ׃ 6 כִּ֣י ׀ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה הָלְכ֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ בַּמִּדְבָּר֒ עַד־תֹּ֨ם כָּל־הַגּ֜וֹי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ הַיֹּצְאִ֣ים מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֤ע יְהוָה֙ לָהֶ֔ם לְבִלְתִּ֞י הַרְאוֹתָ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨ע יְהוָ֤ה לַֽאֲבוֹתָם֙ לָ֣תֶת לָ֔נוּ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ׃ 7 וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם֙ הֵקִ֣ים תַּחְתָּ֔ם אֹתָ֖ם מָ֣ל יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּי־עֲרֵלִ֣ים הָי֔וּ כִּ֛י לֹא־מָ֥לוּ אוֹתָ֖ם בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃ 8 וַיְהִ֛י כַּאֲשֶׁר־תַּ֥מּוּ כָל־הַגּ֖וֹי לְהִמּ֑וֹל וַיֵּשְׁב֥וּ תַחְתָּ֛ם בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה עַ֥ד חֲיוֹתָֽם׃ פ         

Vocabulary

Verse 2

            עת  noun (fs with beth preposition): “time”

            צר  noun: “flint (knives)” (BDB, 866)

            מול  verb (Qal imperative ms): “circumcise” (BDB, 557)

            שׁנית  ordinal number: “secondly, second (time)”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• Hebrew attributive adjectives must agree in gender, number and definiteness.  Thus, the demonstrative, הַהִ֗יא “that,” is feminine singular with the definite article to agree with the object of the preposition בָּעֵ֣ת.
• For the uninflected third he (III-ה) forms, the verbal endings are regular regardless of stem:  qames he (perfect עָשָֹה), segol he (imperfect יִעֲשֶֹה & cohortative אֶעֲשֶֹה & active participle עֹשֶֹה), sere he (imperative עֲשֵׂה), holem-waw taw (infinitive עֲשֹות) and “zero” ending (jussive יֵעָשֹ).  For vocalic suffixes, the final he is replaced by the ending (occasionally, replaced by original third yod, י).  With consonantal suffixes, the final he (III-ה) is replaced with sere, hireq or segol and a quiescent original third yod (III-י) with.
• A verb sequenced with שׁוּב should be understood as repetitious; therefore, שׁ֛וּב מֹ֥ל means “circumcise again” (GKC 120g).  This verbal coordination is very common with command forms.

Vocabulary

Verse 3

            צר  noun: “flint” (BDB, 866)

            מול  verb: “circumcise” (BDB, 557)

            גבלה  “hill”

            ערלה  noun: “foreskin” (BDB, 790)

Verse 4

            מול  verb: “circumcise” (BDB, 557)

            מצרים  name: “Egypt”

Verse 5

            מול  verb (Qal passive participle mpl): “circumcise” (BDB, 557)

            ילוד  noun: “born” (BDB, 409)

Verse 6

            ארבעים  number: “forty”

            תמם  verb: “finish, complete”

            בלתי  negative used with oaths/swearing: “surely not”

            זוב  verb (Qal participle ms): “flow” (BDB, 264)

            חלב  “milk” (BDB, 316)

            דבשׁ  “honey”

Verse 7

            מול  verb: “circumcise” (BDB, 557)

            ערל  noun: “uncircumcised” (BDB, 790)

Verse 8

            מול  verb: “circumcise” (BDB, 557)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 3

• In the genre of Hebrew narrative, commands of God are repeated to demonstrate obedience.
• The final construct phrase, גִּבְעַ֖ת הָעֲרָלֽוֹת, could be considered a place name and thus transliterated as such, “Gibeath-Haaraloth.”

Verse 4

• Clause initial waw plus non-verb indicates a disjunctive sequence, in this case a parenthetical comment (explaining why the men needed to be circumcised).
• The verbless clause, וְזֶ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר, has the typology of S-P.
• The noun דבר has a wide semantic domain from “word” and “deed” to “matter” and “reason.”
• The word, הַיֹּצֵא֩, is a substantive participle.
• The beth preposition attached to the infinitive, בְּצֵאתָ֖ם, marks a temporal clause, i.e. “when/after.”

Verse 5

• The first clause, מֻלִ֣ים הָי֔וּ כָּל־הָעָ֖ם הַיֹּֽצְאִ֑ים, has the typology P-S.
• Notice the supra-clause level chiasm: P-S (clause 1); S-P (clause 2).

Verse 6

• Be careful to connect each relative clause.
• An infinitive can take a different subject than that of the finite verb.  One way to mark the new subject is to use a pronominal suffix— הַרְאוֹתָ֣ם “They will (not) see.”

Verse 7

• The clause, הֵקִ֣ים תַּחְתָּ֔ם אֹתָ֖ם, is an asyndetic relative clause (i.e. a relative clause without an explicit relative particle/marker, אשׁר).
• The broader matrix sentence with a fronted direct object clause is וְאֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם֙ מָ֣ל יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ “Their children, Joshua circumcised.”
• This clause is followed by two explanative clauses marked by כי:  Joshua circumcised them because עֲרֵלִ֣ים הָי֔וּ “They were uncircumcised” for לֹא־מָ֥לוּ אוֹתָ֖ם בַּדָּֽרֶךְ “They (i.e. their parents) did not circumcise them (i.e. the present generation) along the way.”

Verse 8

• The infinitive, חיה, denotes “healing (from the circumcision).”

וַיְהִ֣י כִשְׁמֹ֣עַ כָּל־מַלְכֵ֣י הָאֱמֹרִ֡י אֲשֶׁר֩ בְּעֵ֨בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֜ן יָ֗מָּה וְכָל־מַלְכֵ֤י הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַיָּ֔ם אֵ֠ת אֲשֶׁר־הוֹבִ֨ישׁ יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־מֵ֧י הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן מִפְּנֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־[עָבְרָנוּ] וַיִּמַּ֣ס לְבָבָ֗ם וְלֹא־הָ֨יָה בָ֥ם עוֹד֙ ר֔וּחַ מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס          

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            האמרי  name: “Amorites”

        עבר  “beyond”

            כנעני  name: “Canaanites”

            יבשׁ  verb (Hiphil perfect 3ms): “dried up”

נמס  verb (Niphal waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “grow fearful, melt” (BDB, 587)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The formula ויהי כ is temporal “and it happened when.”
• The compass direction ימה “to the sea” is the “west.”
• The direct object marker, את אשׁר, marks the object clause.
• The word, מפני, marks the idiomatic phrase “before the face of” or “before.”
• Qere: עָבְרָ֑ם.  The difference is between pronominal suffixes, Kethib witnesses 1cpl while Qere is 3mpl.  Since the pronominal suffix is attached to an infinitive it is serving as the subject of the verbal idea.

וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר אֲשֶׁר֩ יִשְׁאָל֨וּן בְּנֵיכֶ֤ם מָחָר֙ אֶת־אֲבוֹתָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֖ה הָאֲבָנִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ 22 וְהוֹדַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּיַּבָּשָׁה֙ עָבַ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן הַזֶּֽה׃ 23 אֲשֶׁר־הוֹבִישׁ֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֜ם אֶת־מֵ֧י הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן מִפְּנֵיכֶ֖ם עַֽד־עָבְרְכֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂה֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֧ם לְיַם־ס֛וּף אֲשֶׁר־הוֹבִ֥ישׁ מִפָּנֵ֖ינוּ עַד־עָבְרֵֽנוּ׃ 24 לְ֠מַעַן דַּ֜עַת כָּל־עַמֵּ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶת־יַ֣ד יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י חֲזָקָ֖ה הִ֑יא לְמַ֧עַן יְרָאתֶ֛ם אֶת־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ ס  

Vocabulary

Verse 21

            מחר  “in time to come”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The relative marker, אשׁר, is functioning as a temporal interrogative, “when?”
• The last clause is a verbless clause.
• The demonstrative, האלה, is in attributive position.

Vocabulary

Verse 22

            יבשׁה  “dry ground” (BDB, 387)

Verse 23

            יבשׁ  verb: “dry up”

            סוף  “reeds ”

Verse 24

            חזק  adjective: “strong, mighty”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 22

• The Hiphil of ידע means to “declare.”
• The use of the demonstrative with the name Jordan occurs several times in the MT (Genesis 32:11; Deuteronomy 3:27; 31:2; Joshua 1:2, 11).

Verse 23

• The relative marker, אשׁר, is used as a conjunction or explanative.

Verse 24

• The adjective, חזקה, is a predicative, thus the clause is verbless.