John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:1
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan ,.... As related, Joshua 3:17 , that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying : as follows. read more
約書亞記 4:1-5 Rcuvts
John Gill
John Gill
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:2
Take you twelve men out of the people ,.... Joshua had before this ordered twelve men to be taken from among them, which seems to have been done of himself; and now he has a direction from God for it, and what to employ them in: out of every tribe a man ; so that what they did was in the name of the several tribes, and as representing them. read more
John Gill
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:3
And command you them, saying ,.... As follows: take you hence out of the midst of Jordan ; so that they were obliged to go back into the midst of Jordan, having already passed over it, as appears from Joshua 4:1 , out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm ; where being stones, they chose to stand upon them, and which were a firm standing for them; and which secured them from the slime and mud at the bottom of the river the waters left behind; though it is not absolutely... read more
John Gill
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:4
Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had prepared of the children of Israel ,.... It may be for some other purpose, Joshua 3:12 ; but this was the destination of them eventually, and as by divine direction: out of every tribe a man : as he had before ordered, and was now directed to. read more
John Gill
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:5
And Joshua said unto them ,.... The twelve men: pass ye over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan ; that is, they were to go back to Jordan again, which they had passed over, and go into the midst of it, where were the priests bearing the ark; for it is not to be imagined that the ark went along with them, or followed them, they going before it; but they went where that was, just before it, from whence they were to take the stones, as next directed: and take... read more
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 4:2
Take you twelve men - From Joshua 3:12 , it appears that the twelve men had been before appointed, one taken out of each of the twelve tribes; and now they are employed for that purpose for which they had been before selected. read more
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 4:3
Where ye shall lodge this night - This was in the place that was afterwards called Gilgal. See Joshua 4:19 . read more
Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 4:4
Twelve men , whom he had prepared - This must refer to their appointment, Joshua 3:12 . read more
John Calvin
John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 4:1
Verse 1 l.And it came to pass, etc The brief and obscure allusion previously made with regard to the twelve men he now explains more at length. He had said that they were chosen by the order of God, one each from his own tribe; but breaking off his discourse, he had not mentioned for what purpose. He now says, that by command of Joshua (47) they took up twelve stones and placed them in Gilgal, that a well marked memorial might exist among posterity. Moreover, as he only relates what was done... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 4:1-9
We may well imagine how busy Joshua and all the men of war were while they were passing over Jordan, when besides their own marching into an enemy's country, and in the face of the enemy, which could not but occasion them many thoughts of hear, they had their wives, and children, and families, their cattle, and tents, and all their effects, bag and baggage, to convey by this strange and untrodden path, which we must suppose either very muddy or very stony, troublesome to the weak and frightful... read more