Joshua 4:11-21

11 And it came to pass when all the people had passed over, that the ark of the covenant of the Lord passed over, and the stones before them.

12 And the sons of Ruben, and the sons of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses commanded them.

13 Forty thousand armed for battle went over before the Lord to war, to the city of Jericho.

14 In that day the Lord magnified Joshua before all the people of Israel; and they feared him, as Moses, as long as he lived.

15 And the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,

16 Charge the priests that bear the ark of the covenant of the testimony of the Lord, to go up out of Jordan.

17 And Joshua charged the priests, saying, Go up out of Jordan.

18 And it came to pass when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were gone up out of Jordan, and set their feet upon the land, the water of Jordan returned impetuously to its place, and went as before over all its banks.

19 And the people went up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month; and the children of Israel encamped in Galgala in the region eastward from Jericho.

20 And Joshua set these twelve stones which he took out of Jordan, in Galgala,

21 saying, When your sons ask you, saying, What are these stones?

Joshua 4:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. equipped.
• [b]. in good order.