Joshua 4:20-24

Stones at Gilgal

20 Joshua set up at Gilgal those twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.
21 He said to the Israelites, "In the future your children will ask their parents, ‘What about these stones?'
22 Then you will let your children know: ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.'
23 This was because the LORD your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you until you crossed over. This was exactly what the LORD your God did to the Reed Sea. He dried it up before us until we crossed over.
24 This happened so that all the earth's peoples might know that the LORD's power is great and that you may always revere the LORD your God."

Joshua 4:20-24 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 1

Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible