As the Israelites cross into Canaan, standing on the precipice of their conquest and preparing for their first Passover in the Promised Land, God issues a sudden directive for a mass circumcision. This requirement serves as a vital step of purification and a reaffirmation of their covenant, mirroring the circumcision of Abraham just before he received the promise of inheriting the land [רלב״ג].
The timing of this command appears counterintuitive. The people are weary from their long journey and face imminent, grueling wars; weakening their bodies at this exact moment seems perilous. However, God chooses this specific time because a paralyzing dread has already fallen upon the Canaanite kings, melting their resolve and eliminating any threat that they might exploit the Israelites' physical vulnerability [אלשיך]. Furthermore, fulfilling the commandment under such precarious conditions emphasizes that military victory relies entirely on God's assistance rather than human physical strength. It also highlights the Israelites' profound devotion, as they obey immediately without hesitation [נחל שורק, חומת אנך, אהבת יהונתן]. On a practical level, this timing is essential for the upcoming Passover sacrifice. Because an uncircumcised person is forbidden from partaking in the offering, the procedure has to be completed with enough time for the men to heal before the fourteenth of Nisan [רד״ק].
Although the directive is given directly to Joshua, he is not expected to personally circumcise the entire nation. As their leader, he bears the responsibility to organize, command, and oversee the massive operation, and through this leadership, the ultimate success of the endeavor is credited to him as if he performed it with his own hands [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. To execute the procedure, Joshua is instructed to prepare specific tools. The primary approach among commentators is that these are exceptionally sharp knives or scalpels, specifically chosen to minimize the pain for the adult men and to allow the massive undertaking to be completed in a single day [רלב״ג, אלשיך, אברבנאל]. Alternatively, the emphasis is on the material of the tools, suggesting they are made of flint stone rather than metal. Because metal vessels are susceptible to ritual impurity, and the people still carry the impurity of the dead from their time in the desert, using stone knives prevents the tools from becoming defiled during the process [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
The instruction to circumcise the nation a second time raises questions about why the ritual was abandoned during their forty years in the desert. The primary historical explanation is that the first mass circumcision took place on the night of the Exodus from Egypt, making this the second time a national circumcision is required, now for the new generation. The practice was suspended in the desert due to severe environmental and logistical dangers. The northern wind, which was considered essential for healing wounds and stopping bleeding, did not blow in the desert because it would have scattered the protective Clouds of Glory. God chose to wait until they entered the land rather than alter the laws of nature to facilitate the healing process [רש״י, רד״ק, צאינה וראינה]. Additionally, the Israelites traveled by sudden divine command, and embarking on a journey immediately after surgery would have been life-threatening [רד״ק]. The tribe of Levi, however, strictly maintained the practice throughout the desert years, meaning this new command only applies to the rest of the nation [מלבי״ם].
Beyond the historical context, there are other ways to understand the concept of a second circumcision. Some interpret it not as a second generation, but as the second stage of the circumcision procedure itself, which involves the uncovering of the corona. According to this view, the Israelites in Egypt only performed the initial cut, and they are now commanded to complete the ritual properly [רש״י, אלשיך, צאינה וראינה]. Others disagree, noting that the complete procedure was already established by Abraham; therefore, the command simply means repeating the action to correct any circumcisions that were performed improperly, or working continuously until every last man is circumcised [רד״ק]. A more unique perspective suggests that the desert generation was actually born miraculously circumcised. However, following their sinful encounters with the women of Moab, their foreskins physically returned, creating a literal need to circumcise them a second time [אהבת יהונתן].