Joshua 4:1-9 · Bible study
Joshua 4:1-9 Commentary: Memorial Stones and Their
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God command twelve stones after crossing the Jordan? A study of Joshua 4:1-9, the two memorials, and the meaning for faith today.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The twelve stones were a physical memorial to remind future generations of God’s miraculous provision in bringing Israel across the Jordan.
- Key words: ot (sign, miraculous) and zikkaron (memorial, reminder). The stones serve both functions: a sign of divine power and a call to remember.
- Main debate: Whether the command to take twelve men in 4:2 contradicts the earlier selection in 3:12, or whether it explains the purpose of the selection after the crossing. Most commentators see it as a logical repetition.
- Theological theme: God actively works through memory and material objects to teach His people and future generations about His covenant faithfulness.
- Best use: This passage is ideal for a sermon or lesson on passing faith to children, the value of physical reminders in worship, and the corporate nature of God’s salvation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua,
2“Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe,
3and command them: ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests were standing, carry them with you, and set them down in the place where you spend the night.’”
4So Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe,
5and said to them, “Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of Israel,
6to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
7you are to tell them, ‘The waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters were cut off.’ Therefore these stones will be a memorial to the Israelites forever.”
8Thus the Israelites did as Joshua had commanded them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each tribe of Israel, just as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them to the camp, where they set them down.
9Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood. And the stones are there to this day.
WEB World English Bible 2000
1When all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,
2“Take twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe,
3and command them, saying, ‘Take from out of the middle of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you’ll camp tonight.’”
4Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, a man out of every tribe.
5Joshua said to them, “Cross before the ark of Yahweh your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
6that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’
7then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of Yahweh’s covenant. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.’”
8The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as Yahweh spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel. They carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there.
9Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle 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.
KJV King James Version 1769
1And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
2Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3And 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.
4Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5And 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:
6That 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?
7Then 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.
8And 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.
9And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1And it came to pass, when all the nation were clean passed over the Jordan, that Jehovah spake unto Joshua, saying,
2Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3and command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging-place, where ye shall lodge this night.
4Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5and Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of Jehovah your God into the midst of the 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;
6that this may be a sign among you, that, when your children ask in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
7then ye shall say unto them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as Jehovah spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests that bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And it cometh to pass, when all the nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan, that Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua, saying,
2`Take for you out of the people twelve men, one man--one man out of a tribe;
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.'
4And Joshua calleth unto the twelve men whom he prepared out of the sons of Israel, one man--one man out of a tribe;
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,
6so that this is a sign in your midst, when your children ask hereafter, saying, What are these stones to you?
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.'
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,
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.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And it came to pass when the whole nation had completely gone over the Jordan, that Jehovah spoke to Joshua, saying,
2Take you twelve men out of the people, one man out of every tribe,
3and command them, saying, Take up hence out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging-place where ye shall lodge this night.
4And Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had appointed of the children of Israel, a man out of every tribe;
5and Joshua said to them, Pass before the ark of Jehovah your God into the midst of the Jordan, and lift up each of you a stone [and put it] upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel,
6that this may be a sign in your midst. When your children ask hereafter, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
7then ye shall say to them, That the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; when it went through the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8And the children of Israel did so, as Joshua had commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as Jehovah had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging-place, and laid them down there.
9And twelve stones did Joshua set up in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant had stood firm; and they are there to this day.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1And when they were passed over, the Lord said to Joshua:
2Choose twelve men, one of every tribe:
3And command them to take out of the midst of the Jordan, where the feet of the priests stood, twelve very hard stones, which you shall set in the place of the camp, where you shall pitch your tents this night.
4And Joshua called twelve men, whom he had chosen out of the children of Israel, one out of every tribe,
5And he said to them: Go before the ark of the Lord your God to the midst of the Jordan, and carry from thence every man a stone on your shoulders, according to the number of the children of Israel,
6That it may be a sign among you: and when your children shall ask you tomorrow, saying: What means these stones?
7You shall answer them: The waters of the Jordan ran off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord when it passed over the same: therefore were these stones set for a monument of the children of Israel forever.
8The children of Israel therefore did as Joshua commanded them, carrying out of the channel of the Jordan twelve stones, as the Lord had commanded him according to the number of the children of Israel unto the place wherein they camped, and there they set them.
9And Joshua put other twelve stones in the midst of the channel of the Jordan, where the priests stood that carried the ark of the covenant: and they are there until this present day.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 4:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this passage describes two sets of twelve stones set up to commemorate Israel’s crossing of the Jordan. The first set, carried from the riverbed to Gilgal, was a public memorial for future generations. The second set, erected by Joshua in the middle of the Jordan, marked the exact spot where the priests had stood with the ark. Keil and Delitzsch note that the command in verses 2-3 is not a new revelation but a repetition of the earlier selection in Joshua 3:12, placed here for logical emphasis: the stones could only be taken after the crossing was complete. Calvin calls the stones a “well marked memorial” that provided parents material for teaching their children. All agree the number twelve represented the full unity of the twelve tribes, and the purpose was to provoke questions from children so that the story of God’s deliverance would be told from generation to generation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Chronological repetition: The command in 4:2 repeats 3:12 for narrative clarity; no contradiction, just logical ordering.
- Two distinct commands: The selection in 3:12 was for a general purpose; the command in 4:2 specifies the stone memorial.
- Literary parenthesis: Calvin and Keil argue that 4:1-3 is a parenthesis, and the chronological flow is pluperfect ('had spoken').
What is clear: The stones were set as a permanent memorial to mark the miraculous crossing of the Jordan, and their purpose was to prompt future generations to ask about God's saving acts.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The timing of God's command | All traditions agree that the command to take stones was given after the crossing was complete. | Some see a contradiction with Joshua 3:12, where men were already chosen. Others, like Keil and Calvin, argue the command is a logical repetition for narrative emphasis. |
| Two sets of stones | Most commentators agree there are two stone memorials: one at Gilgal and one in the Jordan. | A few early interpreters suggested the stones in the river were the same as those carried to Gilgal. The majority view, supported by the Septuagint and Vulgate, is that they are distinct. |
| Visibility of stones in the river | The stones were intended as a lasting memorial. | Calvin questioned how submerged stones could serve a purpose, while Barnes argued they would be visible in normal water levels. Gill suggested they might have been set up as a visible cairn. |
| Purpose of the memorial | The primary purpose was to prompt future questions and teach God’s deliverance. | Some emphasize the stones as a sign of God’s power (miraculous), others as a pedagogical tool (memorial). The Hebrew word <em>ot</em> encompasses both. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Jordan River was a natural barrier between the wilderness and the Promised Land. At flood stage (Joshua 3:15), it was impassable by normal means. The miracle of the waters being “cut off” (Hebrew nikhretu) echoed the parting of the Red Sea and established Joshua’s leadership. Setting up memorial stones was a common practice in the ancient Near East; such stone piles (cairns) marked significant events and places. Jacob had set up stones at Bethel (Genesis 28:18), and Samuel would later raise an Ebenezer stone (1 Samuel 7:12). The stones carried from the Jordan were taken from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, emphasizing the connection to the ark and God’s presence.
The first encampment after crossing was Gilgal, which became a key site in Israel’s early history, it was where circumcision was renewed and the Passover kept (Joshua 5). The twelve stones there served as a permanent witness. The second set, placed in the river itself, is described as still visible at the time the text was written (“they are there to this day”). Barnes suggests these stones would have been visible in normal water levels, marking the crossing point. Some commentators, like Gill, note that the two memorials together created a double witness: one on dry land for public teaching, one in the water to mark the spot of divine intervention.
The command to take twelve men, one from each tribe, underscores the corporate identity of Israel. Each tribe had a direct stake in the memorial, and the stones represented the unified nation that God had brought into the land.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Joshua 4:1-9. The Masoretic Text is well preserved, and the ancient versions (Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac) attest the same content. The main interpretive issue is not textual but literary: the relationship between the command here and the earlier mention of twelve men in Joshua 3:12.
Reception History
Early Christian writers saw the crossing of the Jordan as a type of baptism, with the stones representing the apostles or the faithful who bear witness to Christ. In the Reformation, Calvin used the passage to highlight the importance of teaching children and the role of external signs in nurturing faith. Matthew Henry emphasized the stones as a “standing monument” of God’s goodness. Anglican commentators like the Cambridge Bible connected the memorial to the broader biblical pattern of stone-raising as covenant renewal. Across traditions, the passage has been prized for its practical wisdom about passing faith from one generation to the next, and for its affirmation that God provides tangible aids to memory.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- God commands a visible sign. The stones were not an afterthought; they were part of God’s plan to make the miracle memorable. God knows we forget, so He gives us tangible reminders.
- Parents are called to tell the story. The stones provoke children’s questions: “What do these stones mean?” (v.6). The memorial becomes a teaching moment about God’s faithfulness.
- Memory leads to worship. The phrase “forever” (v.7) shows that remembering God’s acts is not just for one generation but for all who come after.
Five-Point Outline
- Preparation: Joshua had already chosen twelve men (Joshua 3:12). God’s command in chapter 4 activates that selection for a specific purpose.
- Participation: Each tribe contributed one stone. No one was left out; the memorial belonged to all Israel.
- Place: Two memorials, at Gilgal for everyday visibility, and in the river to mark the spot of the miracle itself.
- Provocation: The sign generates questions from future generations. It invites curiosity and opens the door for testimony.
- Proclamation: The answer connects the stones to God’s act: the waters were cut off before the ark of the covenant.
Illustration Hooks
- Family heirlooms: A wedding ring, a worn Bible, a photograph, objects that carry a story. The stones were Israel’s family heirloom.
- Landmarks on a road trip: A historical marker on a highway. Without the sign, travelers pass by unaware. The stones made sure no one would miss God’s story.
- Child’s persistent “Why?” Any parent knows children ask “why” repeatedly. The text anticipates that and gives a ready answer.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why are there two sets of stones? Doesn’t that seem redundant?
- If the stones in the Jordan are under water, how can they serve as a memorial?
- What does this story teach us about how to pass faith to the next generation?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows God providing a physical reminder of a spiritual reality. The stones were not magic; they were tools to prompt conversation. As you read Joshua 4:1-9, consider how God uses tangible signs, even today, to keep His works fresh in our minds.
Discussion Questions
- Read the passage aloud. What details stand out to you about the way the stones are collected and placed?
- Why do you think God gave such specific instructions about where the stones should come from and where they should be placed?
- The word for “sign” in Hebrew is ot (v.6). It can mean a miraculous sign or a memorial. How does that double meaning enrich your understanding of the stones?
- What does it tell us about God’s character that He wants us to build memorials to His faithfulness?
- In what ways do you “build memorials” in your own life, habits, objects, traditions, that help you remember what God has done?
- The stones were meant to prompt children’s questions. How can we create spaces where younger believers feel free to ask about our faith?
- Why do you think Joshua also set up stones in the middle of the river, where they could not be easily seen? What message does that send about God’s hidden work?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 27:2 | It shall be on the day when you shall pass over the Jordan to the land which Yahweh your God gives you, that you shall set yourself up great stones, and coat them with plaster. |
| Joshua 3:17 | The priests who bore the ark of Yahweh’s covenant stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the nation had passed completely over the Jordan. |
| Numbers 1:4 | With you there shall be a man of every tribe, each one head of his fathers’ house. |
| Numbers 1:15 | Of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan.” |
| Numbers 13:2 | “Send men, that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel. Of every tribe of their fathers, you shall send a man, every one a prince among them.” |
| Numbers 34:18 | You shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance. |
| Deuteronomy 1:23 | The thing pleased me well. I took twelve of your men, one man for every tribe. |
| Joshua 3:12 | Now therefore take twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues there were two separate memorials: twelve stones set up in the riverbed itself, likely on a raised stone base to mark exactly where the priests stood, and twelve stones carried to Gilgal for the first encampment. He sees no contradiction requiring textual correction, defending the plain meaning that both monuments served distinct purposes.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes points out that two separate sets of stones were set up, each with a different purpose. One pile marked the camp where Israel lodged after crossing, while the other marked the exact spot where the priests stood with the ark in the riverbed during the crossing.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that Joshua placed these stones by direct divine command, not human initiative, which gives the monument authority. The buried stones in the riverbed, though hidden, still served faith by becoming a topic of conversation and prompting parents to tell their children what God had done.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible commentary highlights two distinct sets of memorial stones. One set was commanded by God and placed at the night’s camping site, but Joshua also erected a separate set on his own initiative in the riverbed where the priests’ feet had rested, marking the exact place of the miracle.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight that God commanded two sets of twelve stones: one carried to the lodging and another set up in the riverbed where the priests stood. The stones are a concrete sign so that children will ask their fathers about the miracle of the Jordan being cut off, making the event a permanent memorial for Israel.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that the twelve stones were carried from the exact spot where the priests’ feet stood in the riverbed, each tribe represented by one man bearing a large stone on his shoulder. This physical act, done by God’s direct command, made the memorial a tangible sign of the miraculous crossing for future generations.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown note that the twelve representatives were not told their specific task until the time of the crossing itself. They also emphasize that such stone piles were common ancient monuments, relying on oral tradition rather than any inscription to preserve their meaning across generations.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch defend the harmony of Joshua 4 by explaining that the apparent discrepancy over when God gave the command to take stones is resolved through the Hebrew narrative style. The vav consecutive joins events in logical rather than strict chronological order. They also affirm the separate memorial stones set up in the riverbed as a genuine tradition, not a later gloss.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
For Lange, the Jordan crossing reveals God not as an impersonal natural order but as the living, personal Lord who acts in history. He stresses that the ark symbolizes this active divine presence, replacing the pillar of cloud. The miracle affirms God’s freedom to intervene, countering materialist and deist
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that the stones were taken from the exact spot where the priests stood with the ark, making the memorial directly tied to the miracle itself. God designed this sign so children would ask questions and fathers would recount how the Jordan was cut off, preserving the memory of his power for all generations.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley distinguishes the twelve memorial stones set up in the Jordan from the smaller stones carried on men's shoulders. He argues these were much larger, arranged in two rows, and would remain visible for years, especially in the river's clear shallow waters or from passing boats.