1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
1 And it came to pass, when all the people H1471 were clean H8552 passed over H5674 Jordan, H3383 that the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Joshua, H3091 saying, H559
2 Take H3947 you twelve H8147 H6240 men H582 out of the people, H5971 out of every H259 tribe H7626 a man, H376
3 And command H6680 ye them, saying, H559 Take H5375 you hence out of the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 out of the place where the priests' H3548 feet H7272 stood H4673 firm, H3559 twelve H8147 H6240 stones, H68 and ye shall carry them over H5674 with you, and leave H3240 them in the lodging place, H4411 where ye shall lodge H3885 this night. H3915
4 Then Joshua H3091 called H7121 the twelve H8147 H6240 men, H376 whom he had prepared H3559 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 out of every H259 tribe H7626 a man: H376
5 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto them, Pass over H5674 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 your God H430 into the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 and take ye up H7311 every H259 man H376 of you a stone H68 upon his shoulder, H7926 according unto the number H4557 of the tribes H7626 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478
6 That this may be a sign H226 among H7130 you, that when your children H1121 ask H7592 their fathers in time to come, H4279 saying, H559 What mean ye by these stones? H68
7 Then ye shall answer H559 them, That the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 were cut off H3772 before H6440 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD; H3068 when it passed over H5674 Jordan, H3383 the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 were cut off: H3772 and these stones H68 shall be for a memorial H2146 unto the children H1121 of Israel H3478 for H5704 ever. H5769
8 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did H6213 so as Joshua H3091 commanded, H6680 and took up H5375 twelve H8147 H6240 stones H68 out of the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 as the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Joshua, H3091 according to the number H4557 of the tribes H7626 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and carried them over H5674 with them unto the place where they lodged, H4411 and laid them down H3240 there.
9 And Joshua H3091 set up H6965 twelve H8147 H6240 stones H68 in the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 in the place where the feet H7272 of the priests H3548 which bare H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 stood: H4673 and they are there unto this day. H3117
10 For the priests H3548 which bare H5375 the ark H727 stood H5975 in the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 until every thing H1697 was finished H8552 that the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Joshua H3091 to speak H1696 unto the people, H5971 according to all that Moses H4872 commanded H6680 Joshua: H3091 and the people H5971 hasted H4116 and passed over. H5674
11 And it came to pass, when all the people H5971 were clean H8552 passed over, H5674 that the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 passed over, H5674 and the priests, H3548 in the presence H6440 of the people. H5971
12 And the children H1121 of Reuben, H7205 and the children H1121 of Gad, H1410 and half H2677 the tribe H7626 of Manasseh, H4519 passed over H5674 armed H2571 before H6440 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 as Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto them:
13 About forty H705 thousand H505 prepared H2502 for war H6635 passed over H5674 before H6440 the LORD H3068 unto battle, H4421 to the plains H6160 of Jericho. H3405
14 On that day H3117 the LORD H3068 magnified H1431 Joshua H3091 in the sight H5869 of all Israel; H3478 and they feared H3372 him, as they feared H3372 Moses, H4872 all the days H3117 of his life. H2416
15 And the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Joshua, H3091 saying, H559
16 Command H6680 the priests H3548 that bear H5375 the ark H727 of the testimony, H5715 that they come up H5927 out of Jordan. H3383
17 Joshua H3091 therefore commanded H6680 the priests, H3548 saying, H559 Come ye up H5927 out of Jordan. H3383
18 And it came to pass, when the priests H3548 that bare H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 were come up H5927 out of the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 and the soles H3709 of the priests' H3548 feet H7272 were lifted up H5423 unto the dry land, H2724 that the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 returned H7725 unto their place, H4725 and flowed H3212 over all his banks, H1415 as H8543 they did before. H8032
19 And the people H5971 came up H5927 out of Jordan H3383 on the tenth H6218 day of the first H7223 month, H2320 and encamped H2583 in Gilgal, H1537 in the east H4217 border H7097 of Jericho. H3405
20 And those twelve H8147 H6240 stones, H68 which they took out H3947 of Jordan, H3383 did Joshua H3091 pitch H6965 in Gilgal. H1537
21 And he spake H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 When your children H1121 shall ask H7592 their fathers H1 in time to come, H4279 saying, H559 What mean these stones? H68
22 Then ye shall let your children H1121 know, H3045 saying, H559 Israel H3478 came over H5674 this Jordan H3383 on dry land. H3004
23 For the LORD H3068 your God H430 dried up H3001 the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 from before H6440 you, until ye were passed over, H5674 as the LORD H3068 your God H430 did H6213 to the Red H5488 sea, H3220 which he dried up H3001 from before H6440 us, until we were gone over: H5674
24 That all the people H5971 of the earth H776 might know H3045 the hand H3027 of the LORD, H3068 that it is mighty: H2389 that ye might fear H3372 the LORD H3068 your God H430 for ever. H3117
1 And it came to pass, when all the nation were clean passed over the Jordan, that Jehovah spake unto Joshua, saying,
2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3 and command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging-place, where ye shall lodge this night.
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5 and Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of Jehovah your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
6 that this may be a sign among you, that, when your children ask in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
7 then ye shall say unto them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as Jehovah spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests that bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
10 For the priests that bare the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished that Jehovah commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of Jehovah passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
13 about forty thousand ready armed for war passed over before Jehovah unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 On that day Jehovah magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 And Jehovah spake unto Joshua, saying,
16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Jordan.
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of the Jordan.
18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah were come up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned unto their place, and went over all its banks, as aforetime.
19 And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, did Joshua set up in Gilgal.
21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 For Jehovah your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as Jehovah your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were passed over;
24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of Jehovah, that it is mighty; that ye may fear Jehovah your God for ever.
1 And it cometh to pass, when all the nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan, that Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua, saying,
2 `Take for you out of the people twelve men, one man -- one man out of a tribe;
3 and command ye them, saying, Take up for you from this `place', from the midst of the Jordan, from the established standing-place of the feet of the priests, twelve stones, and ye have removed them over with you, and placed them in the lodging-place in which ye lodge to-night.'
4 And Joshua calleth unto the twelve men whom he prepared out of the sons of Israel, one man -- one man out of a tribe;
5 and Joshua saith to them, `Pass over before the ark of Jehovah your God unto the midst of the Jordan and lift up for you each, one stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel,
6 so that this is a sign in your midst, when your children ask hereafter, saying, What `are' these stones to you?
7 that ye have said to them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off, at the presence of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; in its passing over into the Jordan were the waters of the Jordan cut off; and these stones have been for a memorial to the sons of Israel -- to the age.'
8 And the sons of Israel do so as Joshua commanded, and take up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as Jehovah hath spoken unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, and remove them over with them unto the lodging-place, and place them there,
9 even the twelve stones hath Joshua raised up out of the midst of the Jordan, the place of the standing of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant, and they are there unto this day.
10 And the priests bearing the ark are standing in the midst of the Jordan till the completion of the whole thing which Jehovah commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, and the people haste and pass over.
11 And it cometh to pass when all the people have completed to pass over, that the ark of Jehovah passeth over, and the priests, in the presence of the people;
12 and the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, pass over, by fifties, before the sons of Israel, as Moses had spoken unto them;
13 about forty thousand, armed ones of the host, passed over before Jehovah for battle, unto the plains of Jericho.
14 On that day hath Jehovah made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel, and they reverence him, as they reverenced Moses, all days of his life.
15 And Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua, saying,
16 `Command the priests bearing the ark of the testimony, and they come up out of the Jordan.'
17 And Joshua commandeth the priests, saying, `Come ye up out of the Jordan.'
18 And it cometh to pass, in the coming up of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the midst of the Jordan -- the soles of the feet of the priests have been drawn up into the dry ground -- and the waters of the Jordan turn back to their place, and go as heretofore over all its banks.
19 And the people have come up out of the Jordan on the tenth of the first month, and encamp in Gilgal, in the extremity east of Jericho;
20 and these twelve stones, which they have taken out of the Jordan, hath Joshua raised up in Gilgal.
21 And he speaketh unto the sons of Israel, saying, `When your sons ask their fathers hereafter, saying, What `are' these stones?
22 then ye have caused your sons to know, saying, On dry land Israel passed over this Jordan;
23 because Jehovah your God dried up the waters of the Jordan at your presence, till your passing over, as Jehovah your God did to the Red Sea which He dried up at our presence till our passing over;
24 so that all the people of the land do know the hand of Jehovah that it `is' strong, so that ye have reverenced Jehovah your God all the days.'
1 And it came to pass when the whole nation had completely gone over the Jordan, that Jehovah spoke to Joshua, saying,
2 Take you twelve men out of the people, one man out of every tribe,
3 and command them, saying, Take up hence out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging-place where ye shall lodge this night.
4 And Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had appointed of the children of Israel, a man out of every tribe;
5 and Joshua said to them, Pass before the ark of Jehovah your God into the midst of the Jordan, and lift up each of you a stone [and put it] upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel,
6 that this may be a sign in your midst. When your children ask hereafter, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
7 then ye shall say to them, That the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; when it went through the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so, as Joshua had commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as Jehovah had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging-place, and laid them down there.
9 And twelve stones did Joshua set up in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant had stood firm; and they are there to this day.
10 And the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished that Jehovah had commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hasted and passed over.
11 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely gone over, that the ark of Jehovah went over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, went over in array before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them.
13 About forty thousand armed for military service passed over before Jehovah to the war, unto the plains of Jericho.
14 On that day Jehovah magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 And Jehovah spoke to Joshua, saying,
16 Command the priests who bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Jordan.
17 And Joshua commanded the priests, saying, Come up out of the Jordan.
18 And it came to pass when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of Jehovah had come up out of the midst of the Jordan, [when] the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up on to the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and they flowed as previously, over all its banks.
19 And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the eastern extremity of Jericho.
20 And those twelve stones which they had taken out of the Jordan did Joshua set up in Gilgal.
21 And he spoke to the children of Israel, saying, When your children hereafter ask their fathers, saying, What [mean] these stones?
22 then ye shall let your children know, saying, On dry land did Israel come over this Jordan;
23 because Jehovah your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until ye had passed over, as Jehovah your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had passed over;
24 that all peoples of the earth might know the hand of Jehovah, that it is mighty; that ye might fear Jehovah your God continually.
1 It happened, when all the nation were clean passed over the Jordan, that Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,
2 Take twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3 and command you them, saying, Take hence out of the midst of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging-place, where you shall lodge this night.
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5 and Joshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of Yahweh your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up every man of you a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
6 that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in time to come, saying, What do you mean by these stones?
7 then you shall tell them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh; when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.
8 The children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as Yahweh spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9 Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there to this day.
10 For the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished that Yahweh commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hurried and passed over.
11 It happened, when all the people had completely passed over, that the ark of Yahweh passed over, with the priests, in the presence of the people.
12 The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them:
13 about forty thousand ready armed for war passed over before Yahweh to battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 On that day Yahweh magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,
16 Command the priests who bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Jordan.
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come up out of the Jordan.
18 It happened, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh were come up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.
19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.
20 Those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, did Joshua set up in Gilgal.
21 He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22 Then you shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 For Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until you were passed over, as Yahweh your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were passed over;
24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of Yahweh, that it is mighty; that you may fear Yahweh your God forever.
1 Now when all the nation had come to the other side of Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua,
2 Take twelve men from the people, a man for every tribe,
3 And say to them, Take up from the middle of Jordan, from the place where the feet of the priests were resting, twelve stones, and take them over with you and put them down in the place where you take your rest tonight.
4 So Joshua sent for the twelve men, whom he had ready, one man out of every tribe of the children of Israel,
5 And he said to them, Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of Jordan, and let every one of you take up a stone on his back, one for every tribe of the children of Israel:
6 So that this may be a sign among you; when your children say to you in time to come, What is the reason for these stones?
7 Then you will say to them, Because the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the Lord's agreement; when it went over Jordan the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones will be a sign for the children of Israel, keeping it in their memory for ever.
8 So the children of Israel did as Joshua gave them orders, and took twelve stones from the middle of Jordan, as the Lord had said to Joshua, one for every tribe of the children of Israel; these they took across with them to their night's resting-place and put them down there.
9 And Joshua put up twelve stones in the middle of Jordan, where the feet of the priests who took up the ark of the agreement had been placed: and there they are to this day.
10 For the priests who took up the ark kept there in the middle of Jordan till all the orders given to Joshua by Moses from the Lord had been done: then the people went over quickly.
11 And when all the people had come to the other side, the ark of the Lord went over, and the priests, before the eyes of the people.
12 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh went over armed before the children of Israel as Moses had said to them:
13 About forty thousand armed for war went over before the Lord to the fight, to the lowlands of Jericho.
14 That day the Lord made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel; and all the days of his life they went in fear of him, as they had gone in fear of Moses.
15 Then the Lord said to Joshua,
16 Give orders to the priests who take up the ark of witness, to come up out of Jordan.
17 So Joshua gave orders to the priests, saying, Come up now out of Jordan.
18 And when the priests who took up the ark of the Lord's agreement came up out of Jordan and their feet came out on to dry land, the waters of Jordan went back to their place, overflowing its edges as before.
19 So on the tenth day of the first month the people came up out of Jordan, and put up their tents in Gilgal, on the east side of Jericho.
20 And the twelve stones which they took out of Jordan, Joshua put up in Gilgal.
21 And he said to the children of Israel, When your children say to their fathers in time to come, What is the reason for these stones?
22 Then give your children the story, and say, Israel came over this river Jordan on dry land.
23 For the Lord your God made the waters of Jordan dry before you till you had gone across, as he did to the Red Sea, drying it up before us till we had gone across:
24 So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the hand of the Lord is strong; and that they may go in fear of the Lord your God for ever.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 4
Commentary on Joshua 4 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Crossing the River . - In the account of the crossing, the main point is their taking twelve stones with them from the bed of the river to the opposite side to serve as a memorial. To set forth the importance of this fact as a divine appointment, the command of God to Joshua is mentioned first of all (Joshua 4:2, Joshua 4:3); then the repetition of this command by Joshua to the men appointed for the work (Joshua 4:4-7); and lastly, the carrying out of the instructions (Joshua 4:8). This makes it appear as though God did not give the command to Joshua till after the people had all crossed over, whereas the twelve men had already been chosen for the purpose (Joshua 3:12). But this appearance, and the discrepancy that seems to arise, vanish as soon as we take the different clauses-which are joined together here by vav consec. , according to the simple form of historical composition adopted by the Hebrews, “ and Jehovah spake, saying ,” etc. (Joshua 4:2, Joshua 4:3); “ and Joshua called the twelve men ,” etc. (Joshua 4:4), - and arrange them in logical order, and with their proper subordination to one another, according to our own modes of thought and conversation, as follows: “Then Joshua called the twelve men-as Jehovah had commanded him, saying, 'Take you twelve men out of the people,' etc. - and said to them,” etc.
(Note: So far as the meaning is concerned, Kimchi, Calvin , and many others, were perfectly correct in taking Joshua 4:1-3 as a parenthesis, and rendering ויּאמר as a pluperfect, though, grammatically considered, and from a Hebrew point of view, the historical sense with vav consec . does not correspond to our pluperfect, but always expresses the succession either of time or thought. This early Hebrew form of thought and narrative is completely overlooked by Knobel , when he pronounces Joshua 4:1-3 an interpolation from a second document, and finds the apodosis to Joshua 4:1 in Joshua 4:4. The supposed discrepancy-namely, that the setting up of the memorial is not described in Joshua 4:5. as a divine command, as in Joshua 4:8, Joshua 4:10 -by which Knobel endeavours to establish his hypothesis, is merely a deduction from the fact that Joshua did not expressly issue his command to the twelve men as a command of Jehovah, and therefore is nothing more than an unmeaning argumentum e silentio .)
Joshua 4:1-5
When all the people had crossed over Jordan,
(Note: The piska in the middle of Joshua 4:1 is an old pre-Masoretic mark, which the Masorites have left, indicating a space in the midst of the verse, and showing that it was the commencement of a : parashah . )
Joshua issued to the twelve men who had been appointed by the twelve tribes the command given to him by God: “ Go before the ark of Jehovah into the midst of Jordan , and take every man a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites ,” or, as it is expressed in the fuller explanation in the divine command in Joshua 4:3, “ from the standing-place of the priests, the setting up of twelve stones ( הכין is an infinitive used as a substantive, or else it should be pointed as a substantive), and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place of encampment where ye shall pass the night.”
Joshua 4:6-7
This (viz., their taking the twelve stones with them and setting them up) was to be a sign in Israel; the stones were to serve as a memorial of the miraculous crossing of the Jordan to all succeeding generations. For the expression “ if your children ask to-morrow (in future),” etc., see Exodus 13:14; Exodus 12:26-27, and Deuteronomy 6:20-21.
Joshua 4:8-9
The children of Israel carried out these instructions. The execution is ascribed to the “children of Israel,” i.e., to the whole nations, because the men selected from the twelve tribes acted in the name of the whole nation, and the memorial was a matter of equal importance to all. ינּחוּם does not signify that they set up the stones as a memorial, but simply that they laid them down in their place of encampment. The setting up at Gilgal is mentioned for the first time in Joshua 4:20. In addition to this, Joshua set up twelve stones for a memorial, on the spot where the feet of the priests had stood as they bore the ark of the covenant, which stones were there “ to this day, ” i.e., the time when the account was written. There is nothing to warrant our calling this statement in question, or setting it aside as a probable gloss, either in the circumstance that nothing is said about any divine command to set up these stones, or in the opinion that such a memorial would have failed of its object, as it could not possibly have remained, but would very speedily have been washed away by the stream. The omission of any reference to a command from God proves nothing, simply because divine commands are frequently hinted at but briefly, so that the substance of them has to be gathered from the account of their execution (compare Joshua 3:7-8, with Joshua 3:9-13, and Joshua 4:2-3, with Joshua 4:4-7); and consequently we may assume without hesitation that such a command was given, as the earlier commentators have done. Moreover, the monument did not fail of its object, even if it only existed for a short time. The account of its erection, which was handed down by tradition, would necessarily help to preserve the remembrance of the miraculous occurrence. But it cannot be so absolutely affirmed that these stones would be carried away at once by the stream, so that they could never be seen any more. As the priests did not stand in the middle or deepest part of the river, but just in the bed of the river, and close to its eastern bank, and it was upon this spot that the stones were set up, and as we neither know their size nor the firmness with which they stood, we cannot pronounce any positive opinion as to the possibility of their remaining. It is not likely that they remained there for centuries; but they were intended rather as a memorial for the existing generation and their children, than for a later age, which would be perpetually reminded of the miraculous help of God by the monument erected in Gilgal.
Joshua 4:10-11
Whilst Joshua was carrying out all that Jehovah had commanded him to say to the people, according to the command of Moses-that is to say, whilst the people were passing through the Jordan before the ark, and the twelve men were carrying over the stones out of the river to the resting-place on the other side, and Joshua himself was setting up twelve stones in Jordan for a memorial-during all this time, the priests stood with the ark in the bed of the river; but after all the people, including the twelve men who took the stones out of the Jordan, had finished crossing, the ark of the Lord passed over, with the priests, before the people: that is to say, it stationed itself again, along with the priests, at the head of the people. The words “ according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua ” do not refer to any special instructions which Moses had given to Joshua with reference to the crossing, for no such instructions are to be found in the Pentateuch, nor can they be inferred from Numbers 27:23; Deuteronomy 3:28, or Deuteronomy 31:23; they simply affirm that Joshua carried out all the commands which the Lord had given him, in accordance with the charge which he received from Moses at the time when he was first called. Moses had called him and instructed him to lead to the people into the promised land, in consequence of a divine command; and had given him the promise, at the same time, that Jehovah would be with him as He had been with Moses. This contained implicite an admonition to Joshua to do only what the Lord should command him. And if this was how Joshua acted, the execution of the commands of God was also an observance of the command of Moses. The remark in Joshua 4:10 , “ and the people hastened and passed over, ” i.e., passed hastily through the bed of the river, is introduced as an explanation of the fact that the priests stood still in the bed of the river the whole time that the crossing continued. As the priests stood in one spot whilst all the people were passing over, it was necessary that the people should hasten over, lest the strength of the priests should be exhausted. This reason for hastening, however, does not preclude the other-namely, that the crossing had to be finished in one day, before night came on. The statement in Joshua 4:11, that when all the people had passed over, the ark of the Lord also passed over with the priests, is so far anticipatory of the actual course of the events, that up to this time nothing has been said about the fighting men belonging to the two tribes and a half having passed over (Joshua 4:12, Joshua 4:13); nor has the command of God for the ark to pass over been mentioned (Joshua 4:15.), though both of these must have preceded the crossing of the ark in order of time. It is to be observed, that, in the words “ the art of the Lord passed over, and the priests ,” the priests are subordinate to the ark, because it was through the medium of the ark of the Lord that the miracle of drying up the river had been effected: it was not by the priests, but by Jehovah the Almighty God, who was enthroned upon the ark, that the waters were commanded to stand still. “Before the people” (Eng. Ver. “in the presence of the people”) has the same signification in Joshua 4:11 as in Joshua 3:6, Joshua 3:14.
Joshua 4:12-14
The account of the fighting men of the tribes on the east of the Jordan passing over along with them, in number about 40,000, is added as a supplement, because there was no place in which it could be appropriately inserted before, and yet it was necessary that it should be expressly mentioned that these tribes performed the promise they had given (Joshua 1:16-17), and in what manner they did so. The words וגו ויּעברוּ do not imply that these 40,000 men crossed over behind the priests with the ark, which would not only be at variance with the fact so expressly stated, that the ark of the covenant was the medium of the miraculous division of the water, but also with the distant statement in Joshua 4:18, that when the priests, with the ark, set their feet upon the dry land, the waters filled the river again as they had done before. The imperfect with vav consec . here expresses simply the order of thought, and not of time. “ Arboth Jericho,” the steppes of Jericho, were that portion of the Arabah or Ghor which formed the environs of Jericho, and which widens here into a low-lying plain of about three and a half or four hours' journey in breadth, on account of the western mountains receding considerably to the south of the opening of the Wady Kelt ( Rob . Pal. ii. pp. 263ff.). - In Joshua 4:14 the writer mentions still further the fact that the Lord fulfilled His promise (in Joshua 3:7), and by means of this miracle so effectually confirmed the authority of Joshua in the eyes of Israel, that the people feared him all the days of his life as they had feared Moses. “This was not the chief end of the miracle, that Joshua increased in power and authority; but since it was a matter of great importance, so far as the public interests were concerned, that the government of Joshua should be established, it is very properly mentioned, as an addition to the benefits that were otherwise conferred, that he was invested as it were with sacred insignia, which produced such a felling of veneration among the people, that no one dared to treat him with disrespect” ( Calvin ) .
Termination of the miraculous Passage through the Jordan. - As soon as the priests left their standing-place in the river with the ark of the covenant, according to the command of God made known to them by Joshua, and the soles of their feet “tore themselves loose upon the dry ground” ( נתּקוּ אל החרבה , constructio praegnans , for they tore themselves loose from the soft soil of the river, and trode upon the dry or firm ground), the waters of the Jordan returned again to their place, and went over all its banks as before (vid., Joshua 3:15). This affirms as clearly as possible that it was the ark which kept back the stream.
The crossing took place on the tenth day of the first month, that is to say, on the same day on which, forty years before, Israel had begun to prepare for going out of Egypt by setting apart the paschal lamb (Exodus 12:3). After crossing the river, the people encamped at Gilgal, on the eastern border of the territory of Jericho. The place of encampment is called Gilgal proleptically in Joshua 4:19 and Joshua 4:20 (see at Joshua 5:9).
There Joshua set up the twelve stones, which they had taken over with them out of the Jordan, and explained to the people at the same time the importance of this memorial to their descendants (Joshua 4:21, Joshua 4:22), and the design of the miracle which had been wrought by God (Joshua 4:24). On Joshua 4:21, Joshua 4:22, see Joshua 4:6, Joshua 4:7. אשׁר (Joshua 4:23), quod , as (see Deuteronomy 2:22). The miracle itself, like the similar one at the Dead Sea, had a double intention, viz., to reveal to the Canaanites the omnipotence of the God of Israel, the strong hand of the Lord (compare Exodus 14:4, Exodus 14:18, with Joshua 6:6; and for the expression “the hand of the Lord is mighty,” see Exodus 3:19; Exodus 6:1, etc.), and to serve as an impulse to the Israelites to fear the Lord their God always (see at Exodus 14:31).