Joshua 4:7

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.

Joshua 4:7 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 4:7

Then ye shall answer them
By informing them of the design and use of 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 below from those that were, above, which stood up on an heap; so that they were divided and separated from each other, and made dry land for a passage of the children of Israel; and this was done before, and in the presence of the ark of the covenant, to show that is was owing to the power of God, of whose presence the ark was a symbol:

the waters of Jordan were cut off;
which is repeated for the confirmation of it, and that it might be taken notice of as a very marvellous event, and to be ascribed to the divine omnipotence and goodness:

and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel
for ever;
which, whenever seen and observed by them, would put them in mind of this wonderful appearance of God for them; and Jerom ^F8 speaks of them as if seen by Paula in his time, whose life and travels in those parts are written by him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Epitaph. Paulae in tom. 1. Oper. fol. 59. K.

Joshua 4:7 In-Context

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.