Joshua 4:10

_FOR THE PRIESTS WHICH BARE THE ARK STOOD IN THE MIDST OF JORDAN, UNTIL EVERYTHING 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._ The priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan. This position was well calculated to animate the people, who, with their wives and children placed in the center, 'as if being afraid for them lest they should be borne away by the stream' (Josephus, 'Antiquities,' b. 5:, ch. 1, sec. 3), probably crossed below the ark, as well as to facilitate Joshua's execution of the minutest instructions respecting the passage (Numbers 27:21). The unfaltering confidence of the priests contrasts strikingly with the conduct of the people who "hasted and passed over." Their faith, like that of many of Gods people, was, through the weakness of n

10._For the priests which bare, _etc If we are ordered to halt while others are hastening, we know how easily a feeling of irksomeness is produced, because we seem to be occupying an inferior position. The priests, therefore, are justly praised for their patience in calmly remaining alone at their post, while the whole people were swiftly hurrying on to the further bank. For they might have begun to feel doubtful lest the heaps of water which were suspended over their heads might suddenly melt away and engulf them. They therefore evinced their piety no less by remaining there than by venturing to proceed into the opposing current. Thus, in the first place, they displayed their ready obedience, and in the second their constancy, making it manifest that they had not obeyed from mere impulse. For their firmness of purpose, which is praised, must have had its origin in a living principle. It...

10-19 The priests with the ark did not stir till ordered to move. Let none be weary of waiting, while they have the tokens of God's presence with them, even the ark of the covenant, though it be in the depths of adversity. Notice is taken of the honour put upon Joshua. Those are feared in the best manner, and to the best purpose, who make it appear that God is with them, and that they set him before them....

Verse Joshua 4:10. _AND THE PEOPLE HASTED AND PASSED OVER._] How very natural is this circumstance! The people seeing the waters divided, and Jordan running back, might be apprehensive that it would soon resume its wonted course; and this would naturally lead them to _hasten_ to get over, with as much _speed_ as possible. The circumstance itself thus marked is a proof that the relater was an eyewitness of this miraculous passage....

EXPOSITION THE MEMORIAL.— JOSHUA 4:2 TWELVE STONES. The commemoration of events by the setting up of huge stones was by no means peculiar to the Jews, though it was often used by them, as, for instance, Genesis 28:18; Genesis 35:14, 1 Samuel 7:12. Almost every nation has adopted it. The Egyptian obelisks, the stones at Hamath, supposed to be of Hittite origin, the dolmens and other megalithic monuments of the Celts, the Logan or rocking stones, are cases in point. The Scandinavians filled their country with them. Our own Stonehenge and the Avebury s

FOR THE PRIESTS WHICH BARE THE ARK STOOD IN THE MIDST OF JORDAN,.... Though on dry ground, the waters being divided: UNTIL EVERYTHING WAS FINISHED THAT THE LORD COMMANDED JOSHUA TO SPEAK UNTO THE PEOPLE, ACCORDING TO ALL THAT MOSES COMMANDED JOSHUA; that is, until all the people had passed over Jordan, as the Lord had ordered Joshua, to encourage them unto, and go over with them, Joshua 1:2; and which Moses, by divine direction, had given Joshua in charge to do, Deuteronomy 31:7; Kimchi interprets this of the setting up of the stones in Jordan, and the removal of the other to Gilgal, of which Moses said nothing to Joshua; and though it may be true of the former, that the priests stood in Jordan till that was done, which is not certain, yet not of the latter; for it is plain,

4. THE MEMORIAL STONES CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The first memorial (Joshua 4:1)_ 2. The second memorial (Joshua 4:9) 3. The return of the priests with the ark (Joshua 4:10) 4. The encampment at Gilgal (Joshua 4:19) Jehovah commanded that the great event should be remembered by a memorial. From the river-bed, where the priest's feet stood firm, twelve men, one from each tribe, were to carry twelve stones and leave them at the first lodging place in the land, that is, at Gilgal. These memorial stones were to tell subsequent generations the story of God's faithfulness and power in bringing His people through Jordan into t

JOSHUA 3:1 TO JOSHUA 5:1. THE CROSSING OF JORDAN. Here we begin to meet with more serious difficulties. The old tradition was that after the Israelites had crossed the Jordan, they commemorated the event by the erection of twelve stones. But this simple narrative existed in two recensions, which differed as to the destination of these memorial stones. According to one account, they were to be placed in the midst of the river; according to the other, they were to be set up on the W. side of the Jordan in the place where the army encamped for the night. Deuteronomic additions have been made to these narratives, _i.e._ additions of a religious colouring as in Joshua 3:7, And Yahweh said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in t

_the priests which bare the ark stood_ Their patient attitude, standing still and motionless, was eminently calculated to impart courage to the people....

_VER._ 10. _ACCORDING TO ALL THAT MOSES COMMANDED JOSHUA_— Some interpreters are of opinion from these words, that Moses, before his death, gave some intimation and orders to Joshua respecting the passage of the Jordan, and the erection of the monuments destined to perpetuate the memory of that event. But the whole meaning of the expression seems to be, that Joshua behaved on this occasion with all that prudence, confidence in God, fidelity and courage, wherewith Moses had wished to inspire him. See Deuteronomy 3:28. _AND THE PEOPLE HASTED AND PASSED OVER_— This may be understood of a certain number of Israelites, who stayed behind to attend the motions of the ark; or of those twelve men who had reared the twelve stones in the bottom of the river. But where is the difficulty of supposing with some, that the Israelites hastened, either to complete their pass