Joshua 5 records Israel’s renewal at Gilgal, where a new generation is circumcised, the Passover is kept in the land, the manna stops, and Joshua meets a commander who tells him to remove his sandals. These questions are written for a small group, a Sunday class, or personal study, and they follow the chapter in order so a leader can move from what the text says, to what it means, to how it should shape daily life.
Joshua 5 at a Glance
The chapter opens with the Canaanite kings hearing that the Jordan has been dried up, and their courage collapsing. The LORD then instructs Joshua to circumcise the people again, and the narrator explains why: the generation that left Egypt had died in the wilderness, and their sons had not been circumcised on the way. After the healing, the name Gilgal is tied to God’s word that the reproach of Egypt has been rolled away.
Israel keeps the Passover in the plains of Jericho, eats the produce of the land, and the manna ceases. The chapter closes with Joshua meeting a man with a drawn sword, who identifies himself as commander of the LORD’s army and tells Joshua that the ground is holy.
Observation Questions
Use these questions first, before anyone offers an interpretation. Ask the group to point to the exact words in the text, and let several people answer before you add anything. The goal is to build an accurate picture of the chapter before moving on.
Joshua 5:1
When all the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we had crossed over, their heart melted, and there was no more spirit in them, because of the children of Israel.
(WEB)
This verse sets the scene by showing the surrounding kings losing their courage after hearing what the LORD has done. It gives the group a reason to see the chapter as a moment of divine action rather than simply human effort.
Joshua 5:6-7
6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, even the men of war who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they didn’t listen to the LORD’s voice. The LORD swore to them that he wouldn’t let them see the land which the LORD swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 Their children, whom he raised up in their place, were circumcised by Joshua; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the way.
(WEB)
These verses explain why a second circumcision is needed, tying the story back to the wilderness generation. Reading them aloud helps the group hold the weight of the past alongside the hope of the present.
Joshua 5:9
The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal, to this day.
(WEB)
This is the LORD’s declaration that the reproach of Egypt has been rolled away. Reading it in the session lets the group hear the naming of Gilgal in its own words and consider what it means to be freed from a lasting shame.
Joshua 5:12
The manna ceased on the next day, after they had eaten of the produce of the land. The children of Israel didn’t have manna any more; but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
(WEB)
The verse marks the end of the manna and the beginning of eating from the land, a transition that many people recognize from their own lives. Reading it prompts reflection on how God leads people through changes in provision.
Joshua 5:13-15
13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood in front of him with his sword drawn in his hand. Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our enemies?” 14 He said, “No; but I have come now as commander of the LORD’s army.” Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshiped, and asked him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 The prince of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your shoes; for the place on which you stand is holy.” Joshua did so.
(WEB)
This passage gives the climax of the chapter, where Joshua meets the commander and is told that the ground is holy. Reading it together invites the group to end on a note of awe rather than analysis.
Memory Verse for Joshua 5
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we come before you as a people who have walked through wilderness seasons and seen your faithfulness meet us at the edge of new ground. Thank you for rolling away the reproach that once defined us and for giving us a place to remember your goodness. Help us to honor the covenant signs that mark our lives, to receive the provision you give in each season, and to approach you with reverence as we stand on holy ground. Teach us to trust you when old sources fall away and new ones have not yet fully taken shape. May our time together shape us into people who listen to your voice and walk in your ways. Amen.
