Joshua 4
Overview
Joshua 4 continues the story of Israel’s miraculous crossing of the Jordan River, focusing on the establishment of a memorial to commemorate this significant event. The chapter highlights themes of remembrance, God’s faithfulness, and the importance of passing on these stories to future generations. Key aspects include:
Setting Up the Memorial Stones: After the nation finishes crossing the Jordan, God instructs Joshua to choose twelve men, one from each tribe, to take twelve stones from the riverbed where the priests stood. These stones are set up as a memorial at their camp in Gilgal.
Purpose of the Memorial: The stones are to serve as a sign for future generations. When children ask about the stones' meaning, the Israelites are to tell them the story of how the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant and how they crossed on dry ground.
Joshua Sets Up Stones in the Jordan: Joshua also sets up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant stood. These stones are to be a memorial to the Israelites forever.
The Crossing of the Armed Men: About 40,000 armed men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in front of the Israelites, ready for battle as Moses had directed.
The Lord Exalts Joshua: On the day that the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, they revered him as they had revered Moses.
Completion of the Crossing: The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant come up out of the riverbed after everything had been completed. As soon as they set their feet on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan return to their place and flow over all its banks as before.
Joshua 4 is a crucial chapter that not only commemorates Israel’s crossing of the Jordan but also reinforces the importance of remembering and teaching future generations about God’s mighty acts and faithfulness. The memorial of stones serves as a tangible reminder of God’s power and the fulfillment of His promises, ensuring that the memory of this miraculous event would endure for generations to come.
Setting Up the Memorial Stones: After the nation finishes crossing the Jordan, God instructs Joshua to choose twelve men, one from each tribe, to take twelve stones from the riverbed where the priests stood. These stones are set up as a memorial at their camp in Gilgal.
Purpose of the Memorial: The stones are to serve as a sign for future generations. When children ask about the stones' meaning, the Israelites are to tell them the story of how the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant and how they crossed on dry ground.
Joshua Sets Up Stones in the Jordan: Joshua also sets up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant stood. These stones are to be a memorial to the Israelites forever.
The Crossing of the Armed Men: About 40,000 armed men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in front of the Israelites, ready for battle as Moses had directed.
The Lord Exalts Joshua: On the day that the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, they revered him as they had revered Moses.
Completion of the Crossing: The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant come up out of the riverbed after everything had been completed. As soon as they set their feet on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan return to their place and flow over all its banks as before.
Joshua 4 is a crucial chapter that not only commemorates Israel’s crossing of the Jordan but also reinforces the importance of remembering and teaching future generations about God’s mighty acts and faithfulness. The memorial of stones serves as a tangible reminder of God’s power and the fulfillment of His promises, ensuring that the memory of this miraculous event would endure for generations to come.
Joshua 4
1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
🔑 Devotion
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
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7 Then ye shall answer 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 of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, 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, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
18 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, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
End of Joshua 4
1 Year Plan: Mar 31 - Josh 3, Josh 4, Josh 5, Luk 20
2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
🔑 Devotion
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
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7 Then ye shall answer 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 of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, 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, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
18 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, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
End of Joshua 4
1 Year Plan: Mar 31 - Josh 3, Josh 4, Josh 5, Luk 20
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