Joshua 4

1 It happened, when all the nation were clean passed over the Yarden, that the LORD spoke to Yehoshua, 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 Yarden, out of the place where the Kohanim' 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 Yehoshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Yisra'el, out of every tribe a man:

5 and Yehoshua said to them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Yarden, and take up every man of you a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Yisra'el;

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 Yarden were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over the Yarden, the waters of the Yarden were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Yisra'el forever.

8 The children of Yisra'el did so as Yehoshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Yarden, as the LORD spoke to Yehoshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Yisra'el; and they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

9 Yehoshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Yarden, in the place where the feet of the Kohanim who bore the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there to this day.

10 For the Kohanim who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Yarden, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Yehoshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moshe commanded Yehoshua: and the people hurried and passed over.

11 It happened, when all the people had completely passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, with the Kohanim, in the presence of the people.

12 The children of Re'uven, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Menashsheh, passed over armed before the children of Yisra'el, as Moshe spoke to them:

13 about forty thousand ready armed for war passed over before the LORD to battle, to the plains of Yericho.

14 On that day the LORD magnified Yehoshua in the sight of all Yisra'el; and they feared him, as they feared Moshe, all the days of his life.

15 The LORD spoke to Yehoshua, saying,

16 Command the Kohanim who bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Yarden.

17 Yehoshua therefore commanded the Kohanim, saying, Come up out of the Yarden.

18 It happened, when the Kohanim who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of the Yarden, and the soles of the Kohanim' feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Yarden returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.

19 The people came up out of the Yarden on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Yericho.

20 Those twelve stones, which they took out of the Yarden, did Yehoshua set up in Gilgal.

21 He spoke to the children of Yisra'el, 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, Yisra'el came over this Yarden on dry land.

23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Yarden from before you, until you were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Sea of Suf, which he dried up from before us, until we were passed over;

24 that all the peoples of the eretz may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty; that you may fear the LORD your God forever.

Joshua 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

Stones taken out of Jordan. (1-9) The people pass through Jordan. (10-19) The twelve stones placed in Gilgal. (20-24)

Verses 1-9 The works of the Lord are so worthy of rememberance, and the heart of man is so prone to forget them, that various methods are needful to refresh our memories, for the glory of God, our advantage, and that of our children. God gave orders for preparing this memorial.

Verses 10-19 The priests with the ark did not stir till ordered to move. Let none be weary of waiting, while they have the tokens of God's presence with them, even the ark of the covenant, though it be in the depths of adversity. Notice is taken of the honour put upon Joshua. Those are feared in the best manner, and to the best purpose, who make it appear that God is with them, and that they set him before them.

Verses 20-24 It is the duty of parents to tell their children betimes of the words and works of God, that they may be trained up in the way they should go. In all the instruction parents give their children, they should teach them to fear God. Serious godliness is the best learning. Are we not called, as much as the Israelites, to praise the loving-kindness of our God? Shall we not raise a pillar to our God, who has brought us through dangers and distresses in so wonderful a way? For hitherto the Lord hath helped us, as much as he did his saints of old. How great the stupidity and ingratitude of men, who perceive not His hand, and will not acknowledge his goodness, in their frequent deliverances!

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 4

This chapter relates an order, that is men, should take twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, and carry them to the first place they lodged at as a memorial of their passage over it, Jos 4:1-8; and how Joshua set up twelve other stones in the river itself, Jos 4:9; and how many of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, went before the Israelites when they passed over, Jos 4:10-14; which being done, the priests were ordered to come out of Jordan, when the waters returned to their place, Jos 4:15-18; The time when this miracle was wrought is observed, Jos 4:19; and an account is given of Joshua's pitching the twelve stones taken out of Jordan in Gilgal, and the use they were to be of in future time, Jos 4:20-24.