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
Joshua 4:1-9 Niv
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
John Gill
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:6
That this may be a sign among you ,.... A commemorative one: that when your children ask their fathers in time to come ; or "tomorrow" F7 מחר αυριον , Sept. "eras", Pagninus, Montanus. and so in all time, or any time hereafter: saying, what mean you by these stones ? what is the reason of setting them up, and in this place, and being just of such a number? read more
John Gill
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:7
Then ye shall answer them ,.... By informing them of the design and use of them: that the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord when it passed over Jordan ; the waters below from those that were, above, which stood up on an heap; so that they were divided and separated from each other, and made dry land for a passage of the children of Israel; and this was done before, and in the presence of the ark of the covenant, to show that is was owing to the... read more
John Gill
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:8
And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded ,.... That is, the twelve men taken out of the twelve tribes of Israel, and who were the representatives of them in this action: and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel ; they took the exact number, and out of the very place Joshua was ordered to direct them to do: and carried them over with them unto the place where they... read more
John Gill
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:9
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan ,.... Twelve other stones, as the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, and so Jarchi; which he set one upon another, so that they might be seen above the water; or however the water of Jordan being clear, they might easily be discerned by those who either passed over the river, or walked by the side of it, where they were; and perhaps may be the very stones John the Baptist pointed at in Matthew 3:9 ; since it was at Bethabara he was... read more
Subscribe
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Most Searched
Group of Brands
© 2024 Bibleportal.com All rights reserved.
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