Bibelkommentare

And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,

And it came to pass, when all the people. — Heb., All the nation; Goi, so the Israelites are here and elsewhere called. The Jews, then, have no reason to reproach Christians by that name, calling us Goiim and Mamzer Goiim, bastardly heathens.

Were clean passed over. — Without the least opposition of the Canaanites, who were intimidated and infatuated.

return to '

Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,

Out of every tribe a man. — For the two tribes and half planted beyond Jordan were also concerned, as being of the same body and way of worship. See Joshua 22:30 .

return to '

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.

Twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you. — This is an ancient and commendable practice, by lasting monuments to propagate and perpetuate the memory of special mercies and signal deliverances; to set up some marks and mementoes upon them, that they grow not stale or moth eaten. To this end were those new names of places, Bethel, Penuel, Gilgal, Eben Ezer, Ramath Lehi, Berachah, … This is the best art of memory, and a very good means both to prevent Satan - who striveth to obliterate God’s great works, or else to alienate and translate them upon himself, - to excite ourselves to duty - for it fortifieth faith, feedeth hope, nourisheth joy, - and to do good to posterity. Psalms 48:13 ; Psalms 102:18

return to '

Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:

Then Joshua called, … — See Joshua 4:2 ; Joshua 3:12 .

return to '

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:

Before the ark of the Lord your God. — A God in covenant with you, and who therefore may well expect this or any other service from you.

return to '

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?

That this may be a sign. — We stand in need of all helps. The Israelites had their fringes and phylacteries to immind them; and of all things, God cannot abide to be forgotten. Psalms 9:16-17

return to '

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.

The waters of Jordan were cut off. — And again the waters of Jordan were cut off. Good things must be whetted and inculcated upon our children. Deuteronomy 6:7 See Trapp on " Deuteronomy 6:7 "

return to '

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.

And the children of Israel did so, — i.e., The twelve select men, representing the whole people.

return to '