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Joshua Chapter
Four
New King James Version (NKJV)
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
Joshua 4:1; and how
Joshua set up twelve other stones in the river itself
Joshua 4:9; and how
many of the tribes of Reuben
Gad
and Manasseh
went before the Israelites
when they passed over
Joshua 4:10; which
being done
the priests were ordered to come out of Jordan
when the waters
returned to their place
Joshua 4:15; The
time when this miracle was wrought is observed
Joshua 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
Joshua 4:20.
Joshua 4:1 And
it came to pass
when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan
that the Lord
spoke to Joshua
saying:
YLT
1And it cometh to pass
when
all the nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan
that Jehovah speaketh
unto Joshua
saying
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.
Joshua 4:2 2 “Take for yourselves
twelve men from the people
one man from every tribe
YLT
2`Take for you out of the
people twelve men
one man -- one man out of a tribe;
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.
Joshua 4:3 3 and command them
saying
‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here
out of the midst of the Jordan
from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over
with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’”
YLT
3and command ye them
saying
Take up for you from this [place]
from the midst of the Jordan
from
the established standing-place of the feet of the priests
twelve stones
and
ye have removed them over with you
and placed them in the lodging-place in
which ye lodge to-night.'
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 necessary to understand it that
they were to take
and did take
the stones from under their feet
but those
that lay about the place where they stood:
twelve stones; each man a stone; and
according to the
Samaritan ChronicleF6Apud Hottinger. Smegma Oriental. p. 500
503.
every man inscribed his name on the stone:
and ye shall carry them over with you; from the place
they took them up
to the place they should next stop at:
and leave them in the lodging place where you shall lodge this
night: which was in the place afterwards called Gilgal
Joshua 4:19.
Joshua 4:4 4 Then Joshua called the
twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel
one man from
every tribe;
YLT
4And Joshua calleth unto the
twelve men whom he prepared out of the sons of Israel
one man -- one man out
of a tribe;
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.
Joshua 4:5 5 and Joshua said to them:
“Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst
of the Jordan
and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder
according
to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel
YLT
5and Joshua saith to them
`Pass over before the ark of Jehovah your God unto the midst of the Jordan and
lift up for you each
one stone on his shoulder
according to the number of the
tribes of the sons of Israel
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 you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder; by which it
appears they were large stones they were to take
not what they could carry in
their hands
but what they were obliged to take upon their shoulders:
according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; who had that
day passed over Jordan
of which these stones were to be a memorial.
Joshua 4:6 6 that this may be a sign
among you when your children ask in time to come
saying
‘What do these stones
mean to you?’
YLT
6so that this is a sign in
your midst
when your children ask hereafter
saying
What [are] these stones
to you?
That this may be a sign among you
.... A commemorative one:
that when your
children ask their fathers in time to come; or
"tomorrow"F7מחר 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?
Joshua 4:7 7 Then you shall answer them
that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of
the Lord;
when it crossed over the Jordan
the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And
these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”
YLT
7that ye have said to them
Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off
at the presence of the ark of
the covenant of Jehovah; in its passing over into the Jordan were the waters of
the Jordan cut off; and these stones have been for a memorial to the sons of
Israel -- to the age.'
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 power of God
of whose presence the
ark was a symbol:
the waters of Jordan were cut off; which is repeated for
the confirmation of it
and that it might be taken notice of as a very
marvellous event
and to be ascribed to the divine omnipotence and goodness:
and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of
Israel for ever; which
whenever seen and observed by them
would put them in
mind of this wonderful appearance of God for them; and JeromF8Epitaph.
Paulae in tom. 1. Oper. fol. 59. K. speaks of them as if seen by Paula in his
time
whose life and travels in those parts are written by him.
Joshua 4:8 8 And the children of Israel
did so
just as Joshua commanded
and took up twelve stones from the midst of
the Jordan
as the Lord
had spoken to Joshua
according to the number of the tribes of the children of
Israel
and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged
and
laid them down there.
YLT
8And the sons of Israel do
so as Joshua commanded
and take up twelve stones out of the midst of the
Jordan
as Jehovah hath spoken unto Joshua
according to the number of the
tribes of the sons of Israel
and remove them over with them unto the
lodging-place
and place them there
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 lodged: which
as Josephus
saysF9Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 4.
was fifty furlongs from Jordan
which was above six miles; so far they carried these stones on their shoulders:
and laid them down there; which afterwards were
put in proper order by Joshua
or at least by his direction.
Joshua 4:9 9 Then 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 to this day.
YLT
9even the twelve stones hath
Joshua raised up out of the midst of the Jordan
the place of the standing of
the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant
and they are there
unto this day.
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 baptizing
supposed to be the very place of the
passage of the children of Israel over Jordan
and had its name from thence
John 1:28
in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of
the covenant stood; and which was done in commemoration of it: the words will bear
to be read "under the station" of the feet of the priests: hence
Jarchi fancies these were set
that their feet might not sink in the mud at the
bottom of the river; but this
though here recorded
might be done by Joshua
immediately after the priests were come out of Jordan
or as they were coming
up: hence some think Joshua was the last that came up from it; but Abarbinel
observes
that the word signifies "in the room" or "stead
of"; see Gill on Exodus 21:24; so
that these stones were placed in the room and stead of the station of the
priests
in the midst of the river
and in memory of it:
and they are there unto this day; to the time of the
writing of this book
which is no objection to Joshua being the writer of it
though it is by some made one; since it might be wrote by him
as doubtless it
was
when such an observation could not be impertinent; and if what has been
before observed is true
these stones were in the same place in the times of
John the Baptist; and that they were in the order in which they were first set;
for that they were in the waters of Jordan
there could scarce be any question
of it. This was done to perpetuate the memory of this remarkable event: so
Alexander the great set up twelve altars on the borders of India
by the river
Oraxes
in commemoration of his exploitsF11Arrian. Expedit. Alex. l.
5. Curtius
l. 9. sect. 3. .
Joshua 4:10 10 So the priests who bore
the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the
Lord had commanded
Joshua to speak to the people
according to all that Moses had commanded
Joshua; and the people hurried and crossed over.
YLT
10And the priests bearing the
ark are standing in the midst of the Jordan till the completion of the whole
thing which Jehovah commanded Joshua to speak unto the people
according to all
that Moses commanded Joshua
and the people haste and pass over.
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan
.... Though on
dry ground
the waters being divided:
until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to
speak unto the people
according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; that is
until all the people had passed over Jordan
as the Lord had ordered Joshua
to
encourage them unto
and go over with them
Joshua 1:2; and
which Moses
by divine direction
had given Joshua in charge to do
Deuteronomy 31:7;
Kimchi interprets this of the setting up of the stones in Jordan
and the
removal of the other to Gilgal
of which Moses said nothing to Joshua; and
though it may be true of the former
that the priests stood in Jordan till that
was done
which is not certain
yet not of the latter; for it is plain
and it
is most reasonable to conclude
that the priests were come up from the midst of
Jordan before Israel marched to Gilgal
or even began their march
see Joshua 4:18; and
much less is this to be understood of the stones at Ebal
as others
and so
referred to Deuteronomy 27:2;
which was not done until after Ai was taken
Joshua 8:24. And it
is not reasonable to imagine that the priests should continue in Jordan to that
time; Abarbinel thinks it refers to the words in Joshua 1:3; which
had been spoken by the Lord to Joshua
and had been expressed by Moses
Deuteronomy 11:24;
and which he supposes were now repeated by Joshua
and the priests continued in
their station until he had made an end of rehearsing them; the last clause
relating to Moses is left out in the Septuagint version:
and the people hasted and passed over; not stood in
fear of the waters of the river returning upon them; rather through an eager
desire of setting their feet on the land of Canaan
and it may be to relieve
the priests from their station as soon as might be.
Joshua 4:11 11 Then it came to pass
when
all the people had completely crossed over
that the ark of the Lord and the
priests crossed over in the presence of the people.
YLT
11And it cometh to pass when
all the people have completed to pass over
that the ark of Jehovah passeth
over
and the priests
in the presence of the people;
And it came to pass
when the people were clean passed over
.... Every one
of them
as in Joshua 3:17
that the ark of the Lord passed over
and the priests
in the
presence of the people; that is
the priests bearing the ark came out of the midst of
Jordan in the sight of all the people
who were on the banks of it
on the
other side
where they had been stationed during the passage of the people;
though this motion of them was not until they received an order for it
of
which there is an after mention. The Septuagint version reads
"and the
stones before them"; see Joshua 4:8.
Joshua 4:12 12 And the men of Reuben
the
men of Gad
and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the
children of Israel
as Moses had spoken to them.
YLT
12and the sons of Reuben
and
the sons of Gad
and the half of the tribe of Manasseh
pass over
by fifties
before the sons of Israel
as Moses had spoken unto them;
And the children of Reuben
and the children of Gad
and half the
tribe of Manasseh
.... Who were settled on the other side Jordan
in the countries
taken from Sihon and Og:
passed over armed before the children of Israel; the rest of
the tribes:
as Moses spake unto them; or ordered them
and as
they promised they would
Numbers 32:17.
Joshua 4:13 13 About forty thousand
prepared for war crossed over before the Lord for battle
to the plains
of Jericho.
YLT
13about forty thousand
armed
ones of the host
passed over before Jehovah for battle
unto the plains of
Jericho.
About forty thousand prepared for war
.... Accoutred
with proper armour to defend themselves
and their brethren
and annoy their
enemies: this is to be understood of such a number of the above mentioned
tribes; otherwise the number of all Israel that went over Jordan
even armed or
fighting men
besides women and children
were five hundred thousand or more.
Now though the number of men fit for war
of these tribes
were an hundred
thirty thousand
who were all
according to the original agreement
under
obligation to go with their brethren over Jordan into Canaan's land
and
continue with them until it was subdued
and they had rest in it; yet Joshua
took no more than about forty thousand of them
who we may suppose were select
men
and fit for his purpose; the rest were left to look after their flocks
their families
and their lands: these
passed over before the Lord unto battle; over Jordan
before the ark of the Lord
as that stood in Jordan
bore by the priests there
being ready to engage in battle whenever it was necessary: and they went on
with their brethren
to the plains of Jericho; to a place afterwards
called Gilgal; see Joshua 4:19. The
Septuagint version is
to the city Jericho.
Joshua 4:14 14 On that day the Lord exalted Joshua
in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him
as they had feared Moses
all
the days of his life.
YLT
14On that day hath Jehovah
made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel
and they reverence him
as they
reverenced Moses
all days of his life.
On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of Israel
.... Made him
great and honourable in their esteem
by doing what he foretold would be done
dividing the waters of Jordan
drying up the river to make a passage for them
through it
as on dry land:
and they feared him
as they feared Moses
all the days of his
life; had a reverend esteem of him
and affection for him
and yielded
obedience to him all his days; see Exodus 14:31.
Joshua 4:15 15 Then the Lord spoke to
Joshua
saying
YLT
15And Jehovah speaketh unto
Joshua
saying
And the Lord spake unto Joshua
.... When all the people
had passed over jordan:
saying; as follows.
Joshua 4:16 16 “Command the priests who
bear the ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan.”
YLT
16`Command the priests
bearing the ark of the testimony
and they come up out of the Jordan.'
Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony
.... In all
places before
in this history
the ark is called the ark of the covenant
here
the ark of the testimony
which signifies the same thing
the law; which was
both the covenant between God and the people
and a testimony of his will unto
them; the Septuagint version has both words:
that they come up out of Jordan; where they stayed until
all the people passed over
for the encouragement of them
and until they
received this order.
Joshua 4:17 17 Joshua therefore commanded
the priests
saying
“Come up from the Jordan.”
YLT
17And Joshua commandeth the
priests
saying
`Come ye up out of the Jordan.'
Joshua therefore commanded the priests
.... In
obedience to the Lord
and sent them an order:
saying; as follows:
come ye up out of Jordan; from the midst of the
river to the bank of it
which was properly an ascent.
Joshua 4:18 18 And it came to pass
when
the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come from
the midst of the Jordan
and the soles of the priests’ feet touched the
dry land
that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed
all its banks as before.
YLT
18And it cometh to pass
in
the coming up of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of
the midst of the Jordan -- the soles of the feet of the priests have been drawn
up into the dry ground -- and the waters of the Jordan turn back to their
place
and go as heretofore over all its banks.
And it came to pass
when the priests that bare the ark of the
covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan
.... According
to the command of Joshua in the name of the Lord:
and the soles of the priests'
feet were lift up upon the dry land; and set upon it
on the
bank of Jordan
and shores of the land of Canaan:
that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place; those that
came from above
and had stood on an heap
gradually came down into the
channel
and those below that were cut off returned:
and flowed over all his banks
as they did before; and usually
did at this time of the year
see Joshua 3:15; so
that there was no decrease or loss of the waters by their failing
and being
cut off.
Joshua 4:19 19 Now the people came up
from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month
and they camped in
Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.
YLT
19And the people have come up
out of the Jordan on the tenth of the first month
and encamp in Gilgal
in the
extremity east of Jericho;
And the people came up out of Jordan
.... The
channel of it
to the shore:
on the tenth day of the first month; the month
Nisan or Abib
which from the time of Israel's coming out of Egypt was
appointed the first month of the year
Exodus 12:2; on the
fifteenth of which month they came out of Egypt
having kept the passover on
the fourteenth at even; so that their coming out of Egypt
to their entrance
into Canaan
was just forty years
wanting five days. This tenth day was the
day in which the passover was taken from the flock
and kept till the
fourteenth
on which day the children of Israel kept their first passover in
Canaan
in the plains of Jericho
Joshua 5:10
and encamped in Gilgal
in the east border of Jericho; it has its
name here by anticipation
for it was so named after this for a reason given
Joshua 5:9; It was
according to JosephusF12Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 4.)
ten furlongs
or a mile and a quarter
from Jericho. Jerom saysF13De
loc. Heb. fol. 91. M.
there was shown in his time a desert place two miles
from Jericho
had in wonderful esteem by men of that country
which he suggests
was this place; as it was had in great veneration
both by the worshippers of
the true God
and by idolaters
for many ages.
Joshua 4:20 20 And those twelve stones
which they took out of the Jordan
Joshua set up in Gilgal.
YLT
20and these twelve stones
which they have taken out of the Jordan
hath Joshua raised up in Gilgal.
And those twelve stones which they took out of Jordan
.... The
twelve men who were sent there for that purpose
and took them from thence
and
brought them hither
Joshua 4:3
did Joshua pitch in Gilgal; set them in rows
or one
upon another
and made a pillar of them commemorative of their passage over
Jordan into the land of Canaan: according to JosephusF14Ut supra.
(Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 4.)
he made an altar of these stones; and Ben
Gersom is of opinion
that they were placed in the sanctuary by the ark
though
not in it; which yet was the sentiment of TertullianF15Contr.
Marcion. l. 4. c. 13.
but very improbable; since that ark was not capable of
such a number of large stones; and it must be a very large ark or chest
if one
could be supposed to be made on purpose for them; but it is most likely they
were erected in form of a pillar or statue
in memory of this wonderful event
the passage of Israel over Jordan
see Joshua 4:7; they
may be considered as emblems of the twelve apostles of Christ
and their
ministrations and writings; their number agrees
and so does the time of their
appointment to go into all the world
and preach the Gospel
which was after
the resurrection of Christ
typified by the passage of Joshua over Jordan
and
out of it; the name of one of them
and he a principal one
was Peter or
Cephas
which signifies a stone; and all of them in a spiritual sense were
lively stones
chosen and selected from others
and called by grace
and were
very probably most
if not all of them
baptized in this very place
Bethabara
from whence these stones were taken; and were like them unpolished
as to
external qualifications
not having an education
and being illiterate
but
wonderfully fitted by Christ for his service; and were not only pillars
as
James
Cephas
and John
but in some sense foundation stones; as they were the
instruments of laying Christ ministerially
as the foundation of salvation
and
of preaching the fundamental truths of the Gospel
in which they were constant
and immovable; and their ministry and writings
their Gospels and epistles
are
so many memorials of what Christ
our antitypical Joshua
has done for us in
passing over Jordan's river
or through death; finishing thereby transgression
and sin
obtaining peace
pardon
righteousness
and salvation
opening the way
to the heavenly Canaan
abolishing death
and bringing life and immortality to
light.
Joshua 4:21 21 Then he spoke to the
children of Israel
saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to
come
saying
‘What are these stones?’
YLT
21And he speaketh unto the
sons of Israel
saying
`When your sons ask their fathers hereafter
saying
What [are] these stones?
And he spoke unto the children of Israel
saying
.... At the
same time he set up the stones:
when you children shall ask their fathers in time to come
saying
What mean these stones? See Gill on Joshua 4:6.
Joshua 4:22 22 then you shall let your
children know
saying
‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’;
YLT
22then ye have caused your
sons to know
saying
On dry land Israel passed over this Jordan;
Then ye shall let your children know
.... The
meaning of the erection of these stones
acquaint them with the whole history
the meaning of which they are designed to perpetuate:
saying
Israel came over this Jordan on dry land; and if they
should ask how that could possibly be done
or if they did not
they were to
inform them by what means it was brought about
as follows.
Joshua 4:23 23 for the Lord your God dried
up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over
as the Lord your God did
to the Red Sea
which He dried up before us until we had crossed over
YLT
23because Jehovah your God
dried up the waters of the Jordan at your presence
till your passing over
as
Jehovah your God did to the Red Sea which He dried up at our presence till our
passing over;
For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before
you
until ye were passed over
.... As this is supposed to be said in
future time
and to persons who were not upon the spot when this was done
and
so entirely ignorant of the affair; it is not to be understood of them personally
but of the same people they were of
the people of Israel in former times
of
their ancestors
and of them in them; the benefits of which they enjoyed by
possessing the land of Canaan their fathers were at this time introduced into:
as the Lord your God did to the Red sea
which he dried up from
before us
until we were gone over; for though the
generation of men
for the most part
was dead
that passed through the Red
sea; yet as Joshua himself
and Caleb and Eleazar
and it may be some others that
were not among the murmurers
were still living
for whom that miracle was
wrought
this way of speaking is very properly made use of; and especially when
it is observed
that there were many of the present generation then young
which passed over
and even those unborn were in and represented by their
ancestors
and who enjoyed the advantages of that wonderful mercy; so these two
strange events are joined together
as instances of divine power and goodness
in Psalm 114:3.
Joshua 4:24 24 that all the peoples of
the earth may know the hand of the Lord
that it is
mighty
that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”
YLT
24so that all the people of
the land do know the hand of Jehovah that it [is] strong
so that ye have
reverenced Jehovah your God all the days.'
That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord
that it is mighty
.... Even almighty
and can do that which is marvellous and surprising
and above the power of nature to effect; things unsearchable and past finding
out
which cannot be expressed
or conceived how and by what means they are
brought about; this the very Heathens would own and acknowledge when they
should see these stones
and be told the meaning of them
or should hear of
this amazing event:
that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever; as the above
mentioned end was to be answered among the people of the earth by these stones
this among the people of Israel; who upon sight of them would call to mind the
power and goodness of God
which would serve to keep an awe of his majesty on
their mind
a due reverence of him and his greatness
and engage them to fear
serve
and worship him; who by such acts as these had abundantly showed himself
to be the only true and living God
and the covenant God of them his people
Israel; the Septuagint version is
"that ye may worship the Lord your God
in every work.'
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》