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He argues that God’s words to Joshua (Joshua 5:2) “At that time the LORD said unto Joshua: 'Make thee knives of flint, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time'” refers to scissors, and this is because “knives” (harvot) proves the plural, meaning there was more than one, since the singular is “knife” (harv). And his word “flint” (tsurim) means bound, meaning they are united, connected with a knot and tightness and these are scissors and not another tool, since they are made and created from two sharp pieces and strengthened with a hammer.
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Say to him regarding this that God did not command Joshua to circumcise one or two or three people and thus say “make for yourself a knife,” and the command was not for one person to make one tool. Rather, he was commanded to circumcise a mass number of people, and a group of people to circumcise them, and thus it was needed to create many tools and knives and this is the meaning of the verse’s “knives.” And regarding their argument regarding “flint” (tsurim), that this means bound, this is an example of something we do not find any trace at all in the language, meaning that “flint” means “bound.” “Bound” (tsrurot) is found in the Torah as “bound” such as the verse (Exodus 12:34) “And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up (tsrurot) in their clothes upon their shoulders.” However the verse’s “flint” (tsurim) is simply the plural of “flint” (tsur) and this has three meanings: one of them is the Creator, blessed and exalted, (Deuteronomy 32:18) “Of the Rock (tsur) that begot thee thou wast unmindful, and didst forget God that bore thee.” The second is flint which is a hard place in the earth as in (Exodus 17:6) “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock (tsur) in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.' And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” And the third is something sharp (Psalms 89:44) “Yea, Thou turnest back the edge (tsur) of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.” Some say “sharpen his sword” and some say “pierce the sword” [from the language of completion]. And the verse “knives of flint” means sharp, pierced swords” since thus the tool of circumcision must be very sharp in order that it is done quickly and does not pain the one circumcised.