Joshua 4:11-21

11 And when all the people were finished passing, the ark of the LORD passed, and the priests, in the presence of the people.

12 And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh passed armed before the sons of Israel, as Moses had said unto them.

13 About forty thousand men prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, towards the plains of Jericho.

14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.

15 And the LORD spoke unto Joshua, saying,

16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Jordan.

17 Joshua, therefore, commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of the Jordan.

18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the midst of the Jordan and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned unto their place, flowing as before over all its banks.

19 And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped in Gilgal, on the east side of Jericho.

20 And Joshua raised up in Gilgal the twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan.

21 And he spoke unto the sons of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What do these stones mean unto you?

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.