Matthew Henry on Joshua 4:1-9
We may well imagine how busy Joshua and all the men of war were while they were passing over Jordan, when besides their own marching into an enemy's country, and in the face of the enemy, which could not but occasion them many thoughts of hear, they had their wives, and children, and families, their cattle, and tents, and all their effects, bag and baggage, to convey by this strange and untrodden path, which we must suppose either very muddy or very stony, troublesome to the weak and frightful to the timorous, the descent to the bottom of the river and the ascent out of it steep, so that every man must needs have his head full of care and his hands full of business, and Joshua more than any…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Gill on Joshua 4:1
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan,.... As related, Joshua 3:17,
that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying: as follows.
John Calvin on Joshua 4:1-9
Joshua 4:1-9
1. And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spoke unto Joshua, saying,
1. Et fuit, postquam finem fecit tota gens trajiciendi Jordanis; quia loquutus erat Jehova ad Josuam, dicendo.
2. Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
2. Tollite vobis e populo duodecim viros virum unum ex quaque tribu.
3. And command you them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and you shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where you shall lodge this night.
3. Et praecipite illis dicendo: Tollite vobis hinc e medio Jo…
Read the whole note in the consoleKeil & Delitzsch on Joshua 4:1-14
Crossing the River. - In the account of the crossing, the main point is their taking twelve stones with them from the bed of the river to the opposite side to serve as a memorial. To set forth the importance of this fact as a divine appointment, the command of God to Joshua is mentioned first of all (Jos 4:2, Jos 4:3); then the repetition of this command by Joshua to the men appointed for the work (Jos 4:4-7); and lastly, the carrying out of the instructions (Jos 4:8). This makes it appear as though God did not give the command to Joshua till after the people had all crossed over, whereas the twelve men had already been chosen for the purpose (Jos 3:12). But this appearance, and the discrepa…
