1. Joshua 5:9 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What was the reproach of Egypt that was rolled away?

Joshua 5:9 (ESV)

9 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

The reproach of Egypt refers to the scorn of the Egyptians. They saw the Israelites wandering the desert aimlessly for forty years after being slaves. They would have concluded that the Lord had abandoned the Israelites, that he was unable to bring them into the land of promise, and they would have mocked them because of this (Exodus 32:12; Numbers 14:13–16; Deuteronomy 9:28).1