Midrasz do Jozuego 5:5

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
There was a time for Adam the first man to enter the Garden of Eden, as it is stated: “He placed him in the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 2:15). And there was a time to depart from there, as it is stated: “He banished the man…” (Genesis 3:24). There was a time for Noah to enter the ark, as it is stated: “Come…to the ark” (Genesis 7:1). And there was a time to emerge from there, as it is stated: “Emerge from the ark” (Genesis 8:16). There was a time for the [mitzva of] circumcision to be given to Abraham, as it is stated: “You shall observe My covenant” (Genesis 17:9). And there was a time for his descendants to be circumcised, [and for many] of them to be circumcised [at once. This occurred] in two places, once in Egypt and once in the wilderness, as it is stated: “All the people who departed were circumcised [and all the people born in the wilderness…were not circumcised]” (Joshua 5:5).¹Joshua saw to their circumcision.
“And a time for every purpose under the heavens” – there was a time for the Torah to be given to Israel. Rav Beivai said: It was time for a certain thing that was located above the heavens to now be given under the heavens. What is that? It is the Torah, as it is stated: “God spoke all these matters, saying” (Exodus 20:1).

Rabbi said: Isaac circumcised Jacob, and Esau; and Esau despised the covenant of circumcision just as he despised the birthright, as it is said, "So Esau despised his birthright" (Gen. 25:34). Jacob clung to the covenant of circumcision, and circumcised his sons and his grandsons. Whence (do we know) that the sons of Jacob were circumcised? Because it is said, "Only on this condition will the men consent unto us to dwell with us… if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised." (Gen. 34:22). Another text says, "Only on this condition will we consent unto you: if ye will be as we be" (Gen. 34:15). Hence thou canst learn that the sons of Jacob were circumcised. The sons of Jacob circumcised their sons and their grandsons. They gave it to them as an inheritance for an everlasting statute, until Pharaoh the Wicked arose and decreed harsh laws concerning them, and withheld from them the covenant of circumcision. And on the day when the children of Israel went forth from Egypt all the people were circumcised, both young and old, as it is said, "For all the people that came out were circumcised" (Josh. 5:5).

There are three afflictions, (namely,) the affliction of the fast, the affliction of the prison, and the affliction of the road. Whence do we know of the affliction of the fast? (Because it is said,) "I afflicted my soul with fasting" (Ps. 35:13). Whence do we know of the affliction of the prison? (Because it is said,) "They hurt his feet with fetters" (Ps. 105:18). Whence do we know of the affliction of the road? (Because it is said,) "He weakened my strength in the way" (Ps. 102:23). On account of the affliction of the road, (the children of Israel) did not circumcise, and when they went forth from Egypt all the people were circumcised, both young and old, as it is said, "For all the people that came out were circumcised" || (Josh. 5:5).

Rabbi Ishmael said: Did the uncircumcised hear the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, on Mount Sinai, saying, "I am the Lord thy God" (Ex. 20:2)? They were circumcised, but not according to its regulation. They had cut off the foreskin, but they had not uncovered the corona. Everyone who has been circumcised, but has not had the corona uncovered, is as though he had not been circumcised, therefore the text says, "Israel was not circumcised of old."

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, etc. It is written, To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven (Eccl. 3:1). There was a season when circumcision should be given to Abraham In the self same day was Abraham circumcised (Gen. 17:26); there was a season when his descendants were to neglect it as it is written, For all the people that came out were circumcised; but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, had not been circumcised (Josh, 5:5). Why should he not have circumcised himself at the age of forty-eight, when he recognised his Creator? In order not to discourage proselytes. Then why not be circumcised at the age of eighty-five, when [God] spoke with him between the pieces? In order that Isaac might issue from a holy source. Then let him be circumcised at the age of eighty-six, when Ishmael was born? Said R. Simeon b. Lakish : [God said] : ' I will set up a cinnamon tree in the world: just as the cinnamon tree yields fruit as long as you manure and hoe around it, so [shall Abraham be] even when his blood runs sluggishly and his passions and desires have ceased.

(Bamidbar 9:5) "And they offered the Pesach in the first (month) on the fourteenth day of the month": Scripture speaks in disparagement of Israel, that all the forty years that they were in the desert they offered only this one Paschal sacrifice. And thus is it written (Amos 5:25) "Did you bring sacrifices and meal-offerings to Me for forty years in the desert?" R. Shimon b. Yochai says: Israel did not sacrifice, and who did sacrifice? The tribe of Levi, as it is written (Devarim 33:10) "They shall place incense before You and a burnt-offering upon Your altar." Israel served idolatry and the Levites did not serve idolatry, as it is written (Ibid. 9) "For they kept Your commandment ("You shall have no other gods"). And it is written (Shemot 32:26) "And Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and he said 'Whoever is for the L-rd, (let him come) to me!' And there gathered unto him all the sons of Levi." Israel did not circumcise themselves (in the desert), as it is written (Joshua 5:5) "and all the people who were born in the desert … were not circumcised," but the Levites were circumcised, viz. (Devarim 33:10) "and Your covenant (of circumcision) they kept." (Bamidbar 9:5) "According to all that the L-rd had commanded Moses": to declare the praise of Israel. Just as Moses told them, "thus did they do."