Joshua 4:8-9

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Joshua 4:9

Joshua 4:9. Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan These stones are not the same with those mentioned Joshua 4:5, which a man might carry upon his shoulder. They were undoubtedly very much larger, and probably appeared above the surface of the water, when it was low; or, if not, might be seen in it, either from the shore, the river not being broad, or in crossing it by boats, the waters of Jordan being generally very clear. At least they were so placed as to show that they were... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:1-24

Crossing the Jordan River (3:1-5:1)Israel’s conquest of Jericho was more than just a military exercise. It had religious meaning. The Israelites were to cleanse themselves before God, because he was the one who would lead them against their enemies. His presence was symbolized in the ark of the covenant (GNB: covenant box), which the priests carried ahead of the procession in full view of the people (3:1-6).As God had worked through Moses, so he would work through Joshua. Just as the waters of... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Joshua 4:8

as = according as. took up. Four things said of these memorial stones in Joshua 4:8 and Joshua 4:9 , (1) taken up; (2) carried over; (3) laid down; (4) set up. there. See note on Joshua 8:30 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Joshua 4:9

twelve . Septuagint has "other twelve". There were two twelves. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Joshua 4:8-14

"And the children of Israel did so, as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as Jehovah spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests that bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day. For the priests... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Joshua 4:9

Ver. 9. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan— Beside the monument which was erected in the lodging-place or camp, Joshua caused other twelve large stones to be placed in the channel of the river, exactly on the spot where the ark had stopped while the people crossed over; and the design of this was the same as of that in the camp. It may be asked, To what purpose was this invisible monument, for ever concealed under the waters of Jordan? We answer, perhaps these twelve stones... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Joshua 4:8

8. the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded—that is, it was done by their twelve representatives. :-. TWELVE STONES SET UP IN THE MIDST OF JORDAN. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Joshua 4:9

9. Joshua set up twelve stones . . . in the place where the feet of the priests . . . stood—In addition to the memorial just described, there was another memento of the miraculous event, a duplicate of the former, set up in the river itself, on the very spot where the ark had rested. This heap of stones might have been a large and compactly built one and visible in the ordinary state of the river. As nothing is said where these stones were obtained, some have imagined that they might have been... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Joshua 4:1-14

Piling up stones was often a covenant ritual in the ancient Near East. [Note: G. Herbert Livingston, The Pentateuch in its Cultural Environment, p. 157.] It was a common method of preserving the memory of important events (cf. Genesis 8:20; Genesis 12:7; Genesis 35:7; et al.).There were apparently two piles of 12 stones each, one at Gilgal (Joshua 4:3-8; Joshua 4:20) and one in the Jordan River bed (Joshua 4:9). Some scholars believe there was only one pile of stones, which the NIV translation... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Joshua 4:1-24

The memorial of the crossing ch. 4The main point in the story of the crossing recorded in this chapter is the removal of the stones from the riverbed. They served as a memorial of this event for generations to come (Joshua 4:6-7). [Note: For a discussion of the supposed contradictions in chapters 3 and 4 and a solution based on literary analysis, see Brian Peckham, "The Composition of Joshua 3-4," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 46:3 (July 1984):413-31.] read more

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