February 09, 2008

Breadcrumb: All at once, now

In Josh. 5:1-9, we read that all the Israelites were circumcised before they entered Canaan. It seems that, while the men leaving Egypt had been circumcised, no one had thought to circumcise their sons in the desert. This left a great many Israelite men who needed to be circumcised in order to fulfill the covenant with God. They do it all at once at Gilgal, before facing Jericho. More specifically, it happened at Gilbeath Haaraloth, or "The Hill of Foreskins." Let's hope that particular translation isn't too literal.

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