Joshua 4:20
New International Version
And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan.

New Living Translation
It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River.

English Standard Version
And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.

Berean Standard Bible
And there at Gilgal Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.

King James Bible
And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.

New King James Version
And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal.

New American Standard Bible
As for those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set them up at Gilgal.

NASB 1995
Those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.

NASB 1977
And those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.

Legacy Standard Bible
And those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.

Amplified Bible
And those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal.

Christian Standard Bible
Then Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Joshua set up in Gilgal the 12 stones they had taken from the Jordan,

American Standard Version
And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, did Joshua set up in Gilgal.

Contemporary English Version
The men who had carried the twelve rocks from the Jordan brought them to Joshua, and they made them into a monument.

English Revised Version
And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua set up in Gilgal.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
At Gilgal Joshua set up the 12 stones they had taken from the Jordan.

Good News Translation
There Joshua set up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan.

International Standard Version
Joshua set up the twelve stones that they had removed from the Jordan River at Gilgal.

Majority Standard Bible
And there at Gilgal Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.

NET Bible
Now Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.

New Heart English Bible
Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.

Webster's Bible Translation
And those twelve stones which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua set up in Gilgal.

World English Bible
Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and these twelve stones, which they have taken out of the Jordan, Joshua has raised up in Gilgal.

Young's Literal Translation
and these twelve stones, which they have taken out of the Jordan, hath Joshua raised up in Gilgal.

Smith's Literal Translation
And these twelve stones which they took out of Jordan, Joshua set in Gilgal.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the twelve stones which they had taken out of the channel of the Jordan, Josue pitched in Galgal,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Likewise, the twelve stones that they had taken up from the channel of the Jordan, Joshua stationed at Gilgal.

New American Bible
At Gilgal Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been taken from the Jordan,

New Revised Standard Version
Those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan. Joshua set up at Gilgal.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they took twelve stones from within the Jordan; Yeshua set them in Galgala
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, did Joshua set up in Gilgal.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joshua set these twelve stones which he took out of Jordan, in Galgala,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Camp at Gilgal
19On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 20And there at Gilgal Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. 21Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’…

Cross References
Joshua 3:12-17
Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. / When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.” / So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them. ...

Joshua 5:9
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So that place has been called Gilgal to this day.

Exodus 12:14
And this day will be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD, as a permanent statute for the generations to come.

Deuteronomy 27:2-3
And on the day you cross the Jordan into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, set up large stones and coat them with plaster. / Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you.

1 Samuel 7:12
Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

1 Kings 18:31-32
And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.” / And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.

2 Kings 3:16-17
and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’ / For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’

Psalm 78:4-7
We will not hide them from their children but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might and the wonders He has performed. / For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children, / that the coming generation would know them—even children yet to be born—to arise and tell their own children ...

Psalm 105:5
Remember the wonders He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced,

Isaiah 43:16-17
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the surging waters, / who brings out the chariots and horses, the armies and warriors together, to lie down, never to rise again; to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

Isaiah 46:9
Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.

Matthew 3:9
And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Luke 3:8
Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

John 1:28
All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.


Treasury of Scripture

And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.

Joshua 4:3,8
And 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…

Jump to Previous
Jordan Joshua Pitch Raised Stones Twelve
Jump to Next
Jordan Joshua Pitch Raised Stones Twelve
Joshua 4
1. Twelve men are appointed to take twelve memorial stones from Jordan
9. Twelve other stones are set up in the midst of Jordan
10. The people pass over
14. God magnifies Joshua
15. The priests commanded to come out of Jordan
20. The twelve stones are pitched in Gilgal














And there at Gilgal
The word "Gilgal" is derived from the Hebrew root "galal," meaning "to roll." This location holds significant historical and spiritual importance as it represents the place where the Israelites camped after crossing the Jordan River. Gilgal becomes a symbol of new beginnings and the rolling away of the past, particularly the reproach of Egypt (Joshua 5:9). It is a place of consecration and renewal, where the Israelites reaffirm their covenant with God. Archaeologically, Gilgal is identified with several sites, but its exact location remains debated. Spiritually, it serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the transition from wilderness wandering to the Promised Land.

Joshua set up
The act of setting up the stones is deliberate and purposeful. The Hebrew verb "qum" implies establishing or making something stand. Joshua's action is not merely physical but deeply symbolic, serving as a memorial for future generations. It underscores the importance of remembering God's mighty acts and the leadership role Joshua plays in guiding the Israelites. This act of setting up stones is a common biblical motif for creating memorials, seen also in Genesis 28:18 with Jacob's stone at Bethel.

the twelve stones
The number twelve is significant throughout Scripture, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. These stones are not just random rocks but are carefully chosen to symbolize the unity and collective identity of the nation. Each stone represents a tribe, emphasizing that all of Israel participated in the crossing and shares in the covenant promises. The stones serve as a tangible reminder of God's provision and the fulfillment of His promises to the patriarchs.

they had taken from the Jordan
The Jordan River is a critical geographical and spiritual boundary. The stones taken from its midst signify a miraculous event—the stopping of the river's flow to allow the Israelites to cross on dry ground. This act echoes the parting of the Red Sea and reinforces God's power and presence with His people. The Jordan represents a transition from the old life of slavery and wandering to a new life in the Promised Land. The stones, therefore, are not just historical markers but spiritual testimonies of God's deliverance and faithfulness.

(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 been met in the Hebrew Bible by a Masoretic reading, in which "they" is substituted for "we." But the more difficult reading is to be preferred. There is nothing else in the section that creates any difficulty. The twenty-third verse authorises a comparison between the passage of Jordan and the passage of the Red Sea. As the one is called a "baptising unto Moses," in the New Testament, we may call the other a baptising unto Joshua. (Comp. the "us" in Joshua 4:23, with the "we" of Joshua 5:1.) The first person also appears in Joshua 4:6, "that he would give us." It would appear that, besides explaining the erection of the stones, the Israelites were also to explain to their children the meaning of Gilgal, the place where the stones were, and this explanation is not completed until the end of Joshua 4:9.

. . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And
וְאֵת֩ (wə·’êṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

there at Gilgal
בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃ (bag·gil·gāl)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1537: Gilgal -- 'circle (of stones)', the name of several places in Palestine

Joshua
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

set up
הֵקִ֥ים (hê·qîm)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

the
הָאֵ֔לֶּה (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

twelve
שְׁתֵּ֨ים (šə·têm)
Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

stones
הָֽאֲבָנִים֙ (hā·’ă·ḇā·nîm)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 68: A stone

they had taken
לָקְח֖וּ (lā·qə·ḥū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3947: To take

from
מִן־ (min-)
Preposition
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

the Jordan.
הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן (hay·yar·dên)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3383: Jordan -- the principal river of Palestine


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OT History: Joshua 4:20 Joshua set up those twelve stones which (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 4:19
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