Joshua 4:8

8 Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve * stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to 1the lodging place and put them down there.

Joshua 4:8 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 4:8

And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded
That is, the twelve men taken out of the twelve tribes of Israel, and who were the representatives of them in this action;

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;
they took the exact number, and out of the very place Joshua was ordered to direct them to do:

and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged:
which, as Josephus says F9, was fifty furlongs from Jordan, which was above six miles; so far they carried these stones on their shoulders:

and laid them down there;
which afterwards were put in proper order by Joshua, or at least by his direction.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 4.

Joshua 4:8 In-Context

6 "Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?'
7 then you shall say to them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD ; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.' So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever ."
8 Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there.
9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.
10 For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed;

Cross References 1

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