IV. (3) OUT OF THE MIDST OF JORDAN... TWELVE STONES — (9) TWELVE STONES IN THE MIDST OF JORDAN. — It would seem that we are to understand two cairns to have been set up, one on either side the river, to mark the place where the Israelites crossed. The western cairn was in Gilgal, the other on the op... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WATERS OF JORDAN WERE CUT OFF BEFORE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT. — Observe that the act is indirectly ascribed to the _ark of the covenant: _... [ Continue Reading ]
(8-9) ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THE TRIBES.... — Every tribe was represented by a stone on either side Jordan. The two cairns represent a complete Israel in the wilderness, and a complete Israel in the promised land. “Thou shalt remember all the way that the Lord thy God led thee.” “By the grace of... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO ALL THAT MOSES COMMANDED JOSHUA. — It would seem that the passage of Jordan had been made the subject of some directions by Moses, though nothing is written concerning the manner of it in the Pentateuch. It is noticeable that if Israel had gone into the land when Moses brought them to t... [ Continue Reading ]
ABOUT FORTY THOUSAND. — The totals of these three tribes at the last census (Numbers 26) were: — Reuben (Numbers 26:7), 43,730; Gad (Numbers 26:18), 40,500; Manasseh (Numbers 26:34), 52,700, or for the exact half, 26, 350. Thus the entire force of the two and a half tribes might amount to 110,580. T... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE. — This ends the section, as appears by comparison with Joshua 3:7. Observe that Joshua’s position, as equal to Moses in the respect of the people, dates from the passage of Jordan, a fact not to be forgotten in considering his Antitype.... [ Continue Reading ]
COMMAND THE PRIESTS... THAT THEY COME UP OUT OF JORDAN. — Observe that the removal of the priests and the ark of the covenant from their station in Jordan is made the subject of a distinct section, and treated as a distinct event. It _need_ not have been so for the purpose of the mere historical nar... [ Continue Reading ]
EVENTS AT GILGAL (Joshua 4:19 to Joshua 5:12, inclusive). (19) ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH. — Of the forty-first year after they left Egypt. Exactly forty years before, on the tenth day of the first month, (Exodus 12:5), they had been commanded to take them “a lamb for an house,” that they... [ Continue Reading ]
(20 — 5:9) It would seem that these verses all belong to one section. The use of the first person in Joshua 5:1, “until _we_ were passed over,” is most naturally explained by taking the verse as part of what the Israelites were to say to their children by the command of Joshua. The difficulty has be... [ Continue Reading ]