ヨシュア記 4:3 JCB

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 4:1-24

The Double Memorial of the Passage of JordanThe main subject of the chapter is the memorial cairn set up at Gilgal, which is described in two sections, Joshua 4:1-8 and Joshua 4:20-24, separated by the record in a single v. (Joshua 4:9) of another cairn set up in the midst of Jordan, and by a long parenthesis (Joshua 4:10-19) describing in an expanded form the crossing already narrated in Joshua 3:14-17. The repetitions are most satisfactorily explained on the hypothesis that the narrator has... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Joshua 4:3

IV.(3) Out of the midst of Jordan . . . twelve stones—(9) Twelve stones in the midst of Jordan.—It would seem that we are to understand two cairns to have been set up, one on either side the river, to mark the place where the Israelites crossed. The western cairn was in Gilgal, the other on the opposite side, at the edge of the overflow, where the priests had stopped. The only difficulty lies in the words above cited, in the midst of Jordan. The phrase, like many other Hebrew phrases, is used... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:1-24

CHAPTER IX.JORDAN DIVIDED.Joshua Ch. 3-4.AT Joshua’s command the priests carrying the ark are again in motion. Bearing the sacred vessel on their shoulders, they make straight for the bank of the river. "The exact spot is unknown; it certainly cannot be that which the Greek tradition has fixed, where the eastern banks are sheer precipices of ten or fifteen feet high. Probably it was either immediately above or below, where the cliffs break away; above at the fords, or below where the river... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Joshua 4:1-24

4. The Memorial Stones CHAPTER 4 1. The first memorial (Joshua 4:1-8 ) 2. The second memorial (Joshua 4:9 ) 3. The return of the priests with the ark (Joshua 4:10-18 ) 4. The encampment at Gilgal (Joshua 4:19-24 ) Jehovah commanded that the great event should be remembered by a memorial. From the river-bed, where the priest’s feet stood firm, twelve men, one from each tribe, were to carry twelve stones and leave them at the first lodging place in the land, that is, at Gilgal. These... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Joshua 4:3

4:3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood {a} firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the {b} lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.(a) As in Joshua 3:17.(b) Meaning, the place where they would camp. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 4:1-24

STONES OF MEMORIAL (vs.1-24) Only when all were passed over did Joshua, at God's command, instruct that each of the twelve chosen men should carry a stone out of the midst of Jordan, from the place where the priests had stood, and take them to the place where they would encamp that night (vs.4-5). This was to be a sign for Israel when their children would ask the meaning of the stones set as they were (v.6). The spiritual significance is quite simple. The stones taken out of the water (the... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:1-24

JORDAN CROSSED PREPARATION OF THE PEOPLE (3:1-13) The events in this section are the removal to Shittim and the encampment there (Joshua 3:1 ); directions about the leadership of the priests (Joshua 3:2-4 ); sanctification of the people (Joshua 3:5 ); encouragement of Joshua (Joshua 3:7-8 ); encouragement of the people (Joshua 3:9-13 ). There is little requiring explanation, but notice in Joshua 3:4 the care God took for the people’s guidance and the occasion for it. And do not forget the... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Joshua 4:1-14

Memorial Stones Jos 4:1-3 THUS a memorial was to be set up, commemorating the power and goodness of God. The way of life should be full of such cairns. But is it not early in the history to be setting up stones of memory? The battle has not begun. Israel did not march forth to cross a river but to overthrow a city well-walled and hoary with antiquity. Is it not, then, rather early in the day to be building altars and to be setting up signs of triumph? It is in putting such questions as these... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Joshua 4:3-8

No doubt the choice of twelve stones was intended to manifest, that all the twelve tribes of Israel were equally interested in the memorial. And Jesus had his twelve apostles also. And the New Jerusalem, which this Canaan represented, had its twelve gates, with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel upon them, as also the names of the apostles of the Lamb upon the foundations. Revelation 21:12-14 . read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:3

Hard. The Hebrew term is referred by some to the priests, "from the station of the priests, prepared, or standing firm," (chap. iii. 17,) by others to the stones, which were to be prepared, hard, or exactly twelve. (Calmet) --- The Septuagint have take it in the latter sense, "twelve stones ready," or such as they might easily find, in the place where the priests had stood. They were of a flinty nature, (Haydock) that they might perpetuate the memory of this event. (Menochius) read more