1 Quando as nações da banda ocidental do Jordão - os amorreus, mais os cananeus, que viviam, estes últimos, na costa do Mediterrâneo - ouviram que o Senhor tinha secado o rio Jordão para que o povo de Israel pudesse passar, foi-se-lhes o alento, completamente, e ficaram paralisados de terror.2 O Senhor disse a Josué que reservasse um dia para circuncidar a população masculina de Israel. O Senhor deu-lhes instruções para fazerem facas de pedra, próprias para esse fim. O local onde o rito da circuncisão teve lugar foi chamado A Colina dos Prepúcios.4 A razão desta segunda cerimónia da circuncisão foi a seguinte: é que apesar de todos os homens que saíram do Egipto com idade de pegarem em arma terem sido circuncidados, toda essa geração morrera durante a travessia do deserto e nenhum dos rapazes nascidos depois tinha passado por esse rito. Porque a nação de Israel percorrera o deserto, andando em várias direcções durante quarenta anos até que todos os homens em idade de serviço de combate na altura em que deixaram o Egipto morreram; visto que não tinham obedecido ao Senhor, o qual lhes dissera que não haveriam de entrar na terra que prometera a Israel - uma terra onde brotam o leite e o mel. Foi pois essa a razão porque Josué circuncidou os filhos deles- os homens que tinham crescido para tomarem o lugar dos seus pais.8 E o Senhor disse a Josué: Hoje pus fim à vergonha de não serem cicuncidados. Assim, o local em que isto foi feito chamou-se Gilgal , e assim é chamado até hoje. Após a cerimónia, a nação inteira repousou no acampamento até que as feridas sarassem.10 Enquanto estavam acampados ali em Gilgal nas campinas do Jordão, celebraram a Páscoa durante a noite do dia catorze do mês. No dia seguinte começaram a comer da fruta e dos cereais dos campos que invadiram, tendo feito pães sem fermento. Passado mais um dia, o maná deixou de cair e nunca mais ninguém o achou. Portanto, a partir dessa altura eles passaram a comer das searas de Canaã.13 Numa ocasião em que Josué estava perto da cidade de Jericó apareceu-lhe um homem junto dele com uma espada desembainhada. Josué avançou para ele e perguntou: És amigo ou inimigo?14 Sou o comandante do exército do Senhor.Josué caiu por terra perante ele, adorou-o e disse-lhe: Dá-me as tuas ordens.15 Descalça-te porque este solo é santo. E Josué obedeceu.

1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we had passed over, that their heart melted; neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised; but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth from Egypt, them they had not circumcised.6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war who came out of Egypt were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: to whom the LORD swore that he would not show them the land which the LORD swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.8 And it came to pass when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.9 And the LORD said to Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you: Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho.11 And they ate of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the same day.12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.13 And it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went to him, and said to him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?14 And he said, No; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshiped, and said to him, What saith my lord to his servant?15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said to Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place on which thou standest is holy: and Joshua did so.