Joshua 4

1 And when the people had completely passed over Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,
2 Take men from the people, one of each tribe,
3 and charge them; and ye shall take out of the midst of Jordan twelve fit stones, and having carried them across together with yourselves, place them in your camp, where ye shall encamp for the night.
4 And Joshua having called twelve men of distinction among the children of Israel, one of each tribe,
5 said to them, Advance before me in the presence of the Lord into the midst of Jordan, and each having taken up a stone from thence, let him carry it on his shoulders, according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel:
6 that these may be to you continually for an appointed sign, that when thy son asks thee in future, saying, What are these stones to us?
7 then thou mayest explain to thy son, saying, The river Jordan was dried up from before the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth, when it passed it: and these stones shall be for a memorial for you for the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so, as the Lord commanded Joshua; and they took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, (as the Lord commanded Joshua, when the children of Israel had completely passed over,) and carried these stones with them into the camp, and laid them down there.
9 And Joshua set also other twelve stones in Jordan itself, in the place that was under the feet of the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord; and there they are to this day.
10 And the priests that bore the ark of the covenant stood in Jordan, until Joshua finished all that the Lord commanded him to report to the people; and the people hasted and passed over.
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?
22 Tell your sons, that Israel went over this Jordan on dry land,
23 when the Lord our God had dried up the water of Jordan from before them, until they had passed over; as the Lord our God did to the Red Sea, which the Lord our God dried up from before us, until we passed over.
24 That all the nations of the earth might know, that the power of the Lord is mighty, and that ye might worship the Lord our God in every work.

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!

Footnotes 6

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.

Joshua 4 Commentaries

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.