SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:9
Josué también levantó doce piedras en medio del Jordán, en el lugar donde estuvieron los pies de los sacerdotes que llevaban el arca del pacto; y han estado allí hasta hoy.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 4:9
Verse 9. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan] It seems from this chapter that there were two sets of stones erected as a memorial of this great event; twelve at Gilgal, Joshua iv. 20 and twelve in the bed of Jordan, ver. 9. The twelve stones in the bed of Jordan might have been so placed on a base of strong stone-work so high as always to be visible, and serve to mark the very spot where the priests stood with the ark. The twelve stones set up at Gilgal would stand as a monument of the place of the first encampment after this miraculous passage. Though this appears to me to be the meaning of this place, yet Dr. Kennicott's criticism here should not be passed by. "It is well known," says he, "that when Joshua led the Israelites over Jordan, he was commanded to take twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, to be a memorial that the ground in the very midst of that river had been made dry. But where was this memorial to be set up? The ninth verse says; Joshua set up these stones IN the midst of Jordan. But is it likely that the stones should be placed or set down where they were taken up; and that the memorial should be erected there where, when the river was again united, it would be concealed, and of course could be no memorial at all? This however flatly contradicts the rest of the chapter, which says these stones were pitched in Gilgal, where Israel lodged in Canaan for the first time. The solution of this difficulty is, that ûwtb bethoch IN the midst, should be here ûwtm mittoch, FROM the midst, as in ver. 3, 8, 20, and as the word is here also in the Syrian version. The true rendering therefore is, And Joshua set up the twelve stones (taken) FROM the midst of Jordan," &c. I confess I see no need for this criticism, which is not supported by a single MS. either in his own or Deuteronomy Rossi's collection, though they amount to four hundred and ninety-four in number. Twelve stones might be gathered in different parts of the bed of the Jordan, and be set up as a pillar in another, and be a continual visible memorial of this grand event. And if twelve were set up in Gilgal as a memorial of their first encampment in Canaan, it is still more likely that twelve would be set up in the bed of the river to show where it had been divided, and the place where the whole Israelitish host had passed over dry-shod. The reader may follow the opinion he judges most likely.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan , etc.] Twelve other stones, as the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, and so Jarchi; which he set one upon another, so that they might be seen above the water; or however the water of Jordan being clear, they might easily be discerned by those who either passed over the river, or walked by the side of it, where they were; and perhaps may be the very stones John the Baptist pointed at in ( Matthew 3:9); since it was at Bethabara he was baptizing, supposed to be the very place of the passage of the children of Israel over Jordan, and had its name from thence, ( John 1:28); in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood ; and which was done in commemoration of it: the words will bear to be read “under the station” of the feet of the priests: hence Jarchi fancies these were set, that their feet might not sink in the mud at the bottom of the river; but this, though here recorded, might be done by Joshua immediately after the priests were come out of Jordan, or as they were coming up: hence some think Joshua was the last that came up from it; but Abarbinel observes, that the word signifies “in the room” or “stead of”, (see Gill on “ Exodus 21:24”); so that these stones were placed in the room and stead of the station of the priests, in the midst of the river, and in memory of it: and they are there unto this day ; to the time of the writing of this book, which is no objection to Joshua being the writer of it, though it is by some made one; since it might be wrote by him, as doubtless it was, when such an observation could not be impertinent; and if what has been before observed is true, these stones were in the same place in the times of John the Baptist; and that they were in the order in which they were first set; for that they were in the waters of Jordan, there could scarce be any question of it. This was done to perpetuate the memory of this remarkable event: so Alexander the great set up twelve altars on the borders of India, by the river Oraxes, in commemoration of his exploits f56 .
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - The works of the Lord are so worthy of rememberance, and the heart of man is so prone to forget them, that various methods are needful to refresh our memories, for the glory of God, our advantage, and that of our children. God gave orders for preparing this memorial.
Original Hebrew
ושׁתים 8147 עשׂרה 6240 אבנים 68 הקים 6965 יהושׁע 3091 בתוך 8432 הירדן 3383 תחת 8478 מצב 4673 רגלי 7272 הכהנים 3548 נשׂאי 5375 ארון 727 הברית 1285 ויהיו 1961 שׁם 8033 עד 5704 היום 3117 הזה׃ 2088
