Joshua 4 5

Joshua 4:5 kjv

And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:

Joshua 4:5 nkjv

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,

Joshua 4:5 niv

and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites,

Joshua 4:5 esv

And Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel,

Joshua 4:5 nlt

He told them, "Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the LORD your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder ? twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Joshua 4 verses

Joshua 4 5 Meaning

Joshua 4:5 describes a specific command from God through Joshua to the twelve men appointed from each tribe of Israel. They are instructed to take up twelve stones from the precise spot in the Jordan River where the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant had stood firm on dry ground. These stones were to be carried across the Jordan and set down as a memorial in the first campsite where they would lodge that night, later identified as Gilgal. The primary purpose was to serve as a lasting witness to God’s miraculous division of the Jordan River, demonstrating His power and faithfulness to future generations of Israel.

Joshua 4 5 Context

Joshua 4:5 takes place immediately after the miraculous parting of the Jordan River. In the preceding chapter (Joshua 3), the Israelites, led by priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant, stepped into the flood-swollen Jordan, and the waters miraculously piled up, allowing the entire nation to cross on dry ground. This act mirrors the crossing of the Red Sea generations earlier and signifies God’s power and presence, validating Joshua's leadership. The instruction in Joshua 4:5 is a direct command from the Lord through Joshua, given to commemorate this specific event. It underscores the importance of physical memorials in ancient Israelite culture, serving as tangible proof of divine intervention and teaching aids for future generations about God's faithfulness and their covenant relationship with Him as they enter the Promised Land. This setting occurs before any battles, establishing God's sovereignty as the foundation for their inheritance.

Joshua 4 5 Word analysis

• And command them, saying, (וְצַוּ֥וּ אוֹתָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר - və-tsav-vu otam le’mor): This opening emphasizes the divine origin of the instruction, passed through Joshua. It signifies a clear, authoritative directive, not a suggestion. It highlights God's initiative in establishing memorials of His works.
• ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones (קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ שְׁתֵּ֣ים עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה אֲבָנִים֙ - qe-khu la-khem sht-teym es-reh a-va-nim):
  • Take up (קְחוּ - qekhu): An imperative verb, denoting an immediate and definite action.
  • for yourselves (לָכֶם֙ - lakhem): Implies not just taking, but appropriating or claiming these stones, indicating personal involvement and ownership in the act of remembrance.
  • twelve (שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה - sht-teym es-reh): This specific number is highly symbolic and significant throughout the Bible. It directly corresponds to the twelve tribes of Israel (Num 1:44), symbolizing the entire nation's collective experience and remembrance. It signifies that the entire covenant people participated in and were recipients of this miraculous event.
  • stones (אֲבָנִים֙ - avaním): Durable, permanent, natural. Stones are commonly used in the ancient Near East as monuments for treaties, boundaries, significant events, and places of worship. Their unyielding nature represents the unchangeable character of God and His covenant promises.
• from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, (מִזֶּה֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן - miz-zeh mi-toḵ ha-yar-den):
  • from here (מִזֶּה֙ - miz-zeh): Points to the exact location of the miracle.
  • midst of the Jordan (מִתּוֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן - mi-toḵ ha-yar-den): Precisely from the riverbed that was miraculously dry, not merely from the banks. This detail links the stones directly to the miraculous event itself, imbuing them with profound significance as tangible evidence. The original Hebrew term implies the innermost part or the very center.
• from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, (מִצַּב֙ רַגְלֵ֤י הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ הֵכֵ֔ן - mi-tsav rag-ley hak-ko-ha-nim he-ḵen):
  • the place where the priests’ feet (מִצַּב רַגְלֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ - mi-tsav rag-ley hak-ko-ha-nim): The priests are central because they carry the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolizes God's presence (Josh 3:3, 6). Their standing firm on dry ground indicated God's sovereign control over nature and His faithfulness in guiding His people. This highlights the sanctity of the ground due to the divine presence.
  • stood firm (הֵכֵ֔ן - he-ḵen): This verb emphasizes stability and steadfastness. It implies the ground beneath their feet became solid and reliable where water previously flowed, reinforcing the extraordinary nature of the miracle. It shows that God's power was active and sustaining throughout the crossing.
• and carry them over with you (וְהַֽעֲבַרְתֶּ֥ם אוֹתָ֖ם עִמָּכֶ֑ם - və-ha-‘a-var-tem o-tam im-ma-khem): Implies physically transporting them as they cross, associating the stones with their own journey of entering the land.
• and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight. (וְהִנַּחְתֶּ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם בַּמָּל֖וֹן אֲשֶׁר־תָּלִ֥ינוּ בּוֹ הַלָּֽיְלָה - və-hin-naḥ-tem o-tam ba-ma-lon asher ta-li-nu bo hal-lay-lah):
  • lay them down (וְהִנַּחְתֶּם֙ - və-hin-naḥ-tem): Indicating a settled and permanent placement for the memorial.
  • in the place where you lodge tonight (בַּמָּלוֹן אֲשֶׁר־תָּלִינוּ בּוֹ הַלָּיְלָה - ba-malon asher ta-li-nu bo hal-lay-lah): Refers to Gilgal, their first encampment in the Promised Land (Josh 4:20). This initial destination for the memorial further rooted the stones in the very beginning of their inheritance and establishment in Canaan, symbolizing the immediate and ongoing nature of God’s fulfilled promises.

Joshua 4 5 Bonus section

• The deliberate placement of the stones from "where the priests' feet stood firm" establishes a strong connection between the divine presence (symbolized by the Ark carried by the priests) and the miracle. It wasn't just any spot in the Jordan, but a consecrated space due to the Ark's presence, signifying that the power emanated directly from God.
• Gilgal, where the stones were laid, became a crucial encampment and early center for Israel, symbolizing their initial foothold in the Promised Land. It was where they performed circumcisions (Jos 5:2-9), celebrated Passover (Jos 5:10), and even renewed their covenant. The memorial stones at Gilgal would thus forever link their entry and initial settlement to God's miraculous intervention.
• This physical memorial served as a crucial antidote to forgetfulness and spiritual apathy. In an oral culture, physical objects reinforced narrative and belief. It presented a visible reminder that Yahweh, the God of Israel, was not merely a tribal deity but the sovereign Lord who could control the very elements, paving the way for His people.

Joshua 4 5 Commentary

Joshua 4:5 lays the foundation for a profoundly significant memorial. God's instruction to select twelve stones, each representing a tribe, from the very spot in the Jordan where the Ark-bearing priests stood firm, serves multiple vital purposes. Firstly, it ensures a tangible, physical testament to an undeniable miracle. The permanence of stone reflects God’s enduring faithfulness and the covenant promises He fulfills. Secondly, placing these stones at their first campsite, Gilgal, signifies the immediate establishment of a marker within the inherited land, demonstrating God's sovereign control over the land from the very first moment they enter it. The act itself emphasizes divine agency and human obedience: God commands, men obey. This memorial would serve not just as a remembrance of the past but as a teaching tool for future generations, inspiring faith and awe in Yahweh. It provided concrete evidence to counter potential skepticism or the fading of memory, demonstrating that the Lord Himself had miraculously opened a path into their inheritance. This echoes the Red Sea crossing, positioning the Jordan event as another pivotal moment in Israel's redemptive history, affirming God's unfailing presence and power as they moved into a new era.