A commentary of M. John Calvin, upon the book of Joshua finished a little…A commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine, vpon the booke of Iosue finished a little…

15 And the captain of the Lords host said unto Joshua, Lose thy shoo off thy foot: for the place whereon thou standest, is holy: and Joshua did so.

15 And the captaine of the Lords host said vnto Ioshua, Lose thy shooe off thy foote: for the place whereon thou standest, is holy: and Ioshua did so.

Here is declared, that the Passover was celebrated upon the day appointed by the law. Although there be some which think, that mention is here made of it, as of a thing unwonted: and thereof they gather, that it was omitted forty years, even as circumcision was left off. Namely, because it had been inconvenient, that men uncircumcised, should celebrate that holy feast: and secondly, for that from the beginning of the second year, we do not read, that any Paschal lamb was slain. Howbeit, it is not like, that it was so suddenly cast off, which GOD so lately had ordained to be perpetual. For it was said unto them: It is a night to be observed of the children of Israel in all their generations. Howe is it then likely, ¹that it grew out of use within two years after, which should have been observed in all ages? And what slackness had it been, in so short time to have buried the remembrance of such a benefit so lately received? But it will be replied, that want of circumcision kept a great part of the people from it, least the mystery should be profaned. For it was likewise said: No uncircumcised person shall come near it. I have answered already, that this was an extraordinary ²privilege, that the children of Israel were discharged of that law. For all that while they used the sacrifices, and exercised them selves in the rest of the ceremonies of the law: which had not been lawful, ⟨p. 25⟩except GOD had remitted somewhat of the precise form of the law. It is certain, that all unclean persons were forbidden to enter into the court of GOD. Yet therein the children of Israel, which were uncircumcised, offered sacrifices, which was as much, as to kill the Passover. Therefore by a toleration, it was permitted unto them, which otherwise was not lawful, according to the rule of the law. And whereas Moses maketh mention of that second Passover, it was for another purpose, namely, that he might covertly reprove the negligence and slackness of the people, which would not have observed a yearly sacrifice, after the end of the first year, if they had not been put in mind of it. For although GOD had commanded, that once a year, through all ages, they should renew the memory of their redemption, before one year was ended, they had forgotten it, so that they failed in doing their duty.