The Meaning of Joshua 5:4 Explained

Joshua 5:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: And this is the thing for which Joshua circumciseth them: all the people who are coming out of Egypt, who are males, all the men of war have died in the wilderness, in the way, in their coming out of Egypt,

Darby: And this is the cause why Joshua circumcised them: all the people that had come out of Egypt, the males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they came out of Egypt.

ASV: And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: all the people that came forth out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came forth out of Egypt.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Joshua 5:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 5:1-12 - Renewing The Covenant With God
Evidently the people of Canaan realized that they were entering into conflict with God Almighty. This made their bitter resistance less excusable. But before Israel could go forward into the campaign, they must undergo that initial rite which from the days of Abraham had separated them unto God, Genesis 17:1-27. The outbreak at Kadesh had practically annulled that relationship, which now must be renewed, Numbers 14:1-45.
Before we can serve God's high purposes in the world, we must be separated from sin. The old nature must be denied and put away, and the new nature, which is holy, harmless and separate from sin, must become ours. Nothing but death can meet the case, Colossians 2:11; 2 Corinthians 7:1.
The circumcised soul alone may eat of the Passover, which is Christ. We need to feed on Him, keeping the daily feast with joy, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; John 6:51; John 6:54. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 5

1  The Canaanites are afraid
2  Joshua renews circumcision
10  The Passover is kept at Gilgal
12  manna ceases
13  An angel appears to Joshua

What do the individual words in Joshua 5:4 mean?

And this [is] the reason why circumcised them Joshua all the people who came out of Egypt [who were] males all the men of war had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt
וְזֶ֥ה הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־ מָ֣ל יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כָּל־ הָעָ֣ם הַיֹּצֵא֩ מִמִּצְרַ֨יִם הַזְּכָרִ֜ים כֹּ֣ל ׀ אַנְשֵׁ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה מֵ֤תוּ בַמִּדְבָּר֙ בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ בְּצֵאתָ֖ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם

וְזֶ֥ה  And  this  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
הַדָּבָ֖ר  the  reason 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֲשֶׁר־  why 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מָ֣ל  circumcised  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּל 
Sense: to circumcise, let oneself be circumcised, cut, be cut off.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
הָעָ֣ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַיֹּצֵא֩  who  came  out 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מִמִּצְרַ֨יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
הַזְּכָרִ֜ים  [who  were]  males 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: זָכָר  
Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
אַנְשֵׁ֣י  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה  of  war 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
מֵ֤תוּ  had  died 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
בַמִּדְבָּר֙  in  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ  on  the  way 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
בְּצֵאתָ֖ם  after  they  had  come  out 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מִמִּצְרָֽיִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.