Joshua 4:15 Komentář

This chapter gives a further account of the miraculous passage of Israel through Jordan. I. The provision that was made at that time to preserve the memorial of it, by twelve stones set up in Jordan (Jos 4:9) and other twelve stones taken up out of Jordan (Jos 4:1-8). II. The march of the people through Jordan's channel, the two tribes first, then all the people, and the priests that bore the ark last (Jos 4:10-14). III. The closing of the waters again upon their coming up with the ark (Jos 4:15-19). IV. The erecting of the monument in Gilgal, to preserve the remembrance of this work of wonder to posterity (Jos 4:20-24).

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, Jos 4:1; and how Joshua set up twelve other stones in the river itself, Jos 4:9; and how many of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, went before the Israelites when they passed over, Jos 4:10; which being done, the priests were ordered to come out of Jordan, when the waters returned to their place, Jos 4:15; The time when this miracle was wrought is observed, Jos 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, Jos 4:20.

And the Lord spake unto Joshua,.... When all the people had passed over jordan: saying; as follows.

When the people are passed over, Joshua commands twelve men, one taken out of each tribe, to take up a stone on his shoulder out of the midst of the river, and carry it to the other side, to be set up as a memorial of this miraculous passage, Jos 4:1-7. They do so, and set up the stones in the place where they encamp the first night, Jos 4:8, Jos 4:9. The priests stand in the river, till all the people are passed over, Jos 4:10, Jos 4:11. Of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 40,000 fighting men pass over with the other tribes, Jos 4:12, Jos 4:13. Joshua is magnified in the sight of the people, and they fear him as they did Moses, Jos 4:14. The priests are commanded to come up out of the river, which, on their leaving it, immediately returns, and overflows its banks as before, Jos 4:15-18. This miraculous passage takes place the tenth day of the first month, Jos 4:19. The stones are set up in Gilgal, and Joshua teaches the people what use they are to make of them, Jos 4:20-24.

TWELVE STONES TAKEN FOR A MEMORIAL OUT OF JORDAN. (Jos 4:1-8) the Lord spake unto Joshua, Take you twelve men--each representing a tribe. They had been previously chosen for this service (Jos 3:12), and the repetition of the command is made here solely to introduce the account of its execution. Though Joshua had been divinely instructed to erect a commemorative pile, the representatives were not apprised of the work they were to do till the time of the passage.

Termination of the miraculous Passage through the Jordan. - As soon as the priests left their standing-place in the river with the ark of the covenant, according to the command of God made known to them by Joshua, and the soles of their feet "tore themselves loose upon the dry ground" (נתּקוּ אל החרבה, constructio praegnans, for they tore themselves loose from the soft soil of the river, and trode upon the dry or firm ground), the waters of the Jordan returned again to their place, and went over all its banks as before (vid., Jos 3:15). This affirms as clearly as possible that it was the ark which kept back the stream.