Joshua 4

1 And it came to pass, when all the people had clean passed over the Jordan, that the LORD spoke unto Joshua, saying,

2 "Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,

3 and command ye them, saying, `Take you hence out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones; and ye shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where ye shall lodge this night.'"

4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

5 And Joshua said unto them, "Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel,

6 that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, `What mean ye by these stones?'

7 then ye shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD: when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever."

8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as the LORD spoke unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there unto this day.

10 For the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hastened and passed over.

11 And it came to pass, when all the people had clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.

12 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke unto them.

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

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

15 And the LORD spoke unto Joshua, saying,

16 "Command the priests who 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 who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come 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 and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.

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

20 And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan did Joshua set up in Gilgal.

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

22 then ye shall let your children know, saying, `Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.'

23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you until ye had passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up from before us until we had gone over,

24 that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever."

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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!

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

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.