Joshua 4:9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood. And the stones are there to this day.

◄ Joshua 4:9 ►

New International Version
Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

New Living Translation
Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.

English Standard Version
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.

Berean Standard Bible
Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood. And the stones are there to this day.

King James Bible
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.

New King James Version
Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.

New American Standard Bible
Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.

NASB 1995
Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.

NASB 1977
Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.

Legacy Standard Bible
But Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.

Amplified Bible
Then Joshua set up [a second monument of] twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.

Christian Standard Bible
Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing. The stones are still there today.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Joshua also set up 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing. The stones are there to this day.

American Standard Version
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests that bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.

Contemporary English Version
Joshua set up a monument next to the place where the priests were standing. This monument was also made of twelve large rocks, and it is still there in the middle of the river.

English Revised Version
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there, unto this day.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Joshua also set 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan River, where the priests who carried the ark of the promise had stood. The stones are still there today.

Good News Translation
Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, where the priests carrying the Covenant Box had stood. (Those stones are still there.)

International Standard Version
Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan River at the location where the feet of the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant had been standing, and they remain there to this day.

Majority Standard Bible
Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood. And the stones are there to this day.

NET Bible
Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very day.

New Heart English Bible
Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there to this day.

World English Bible
Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
even the twelve stones Joshua has raised up out of the midst of the Jordan, the place of the standing of the feet of the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, and they are there to this day.

Young's Literal Translation
even the twelve stones hath Joshua raised up out of the midst of the Jordan, the place of the standing of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant, and they are there unto this day.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Joshua raised up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place of the standing of the feet of the priest lifting up the ark of the covenant: and they shall be there till this day.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Josue put other twelve stones in the midst of the channel of the Jordan, where the priests stood that carried the ark of the covenant: and they are there until this present day.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Similarly, Joshua positioned another twelve stones in the middle of the channel of the Jordan, where the priests stood who were carrying the ark of the covenant; and they are there, even to the present day.

New American Bible
Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the Jordan riverbed on the spot where the priests stood who were carrying the ark of the covenant. They are there to this day.

New Revised Standard Version
(Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.)

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And they set up the twelve stones which they had taken out of the midst of the Jordan, where stood the feet of the priests who were bearing the ark of the covenant; and they are there to this day.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Twelve stones they set up which they took from within the Jordan, from under the feet of the Priests who carried the ark of the covenant, and they are there until today

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Joshua also set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests that bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there unto this day.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joshua set also other twelve stones in Jordan itself, in the place that was under the feet of the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord; and there they are to this day.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Twelve Stones from the Jordan
…8Thus the Israelites did as Joshua had commanded them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each tribe of Israel, just as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them to the camp, where they set them down. 9Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood. And the stones are there to this day. 10Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until the people had completed everything the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell them, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried across,…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Exodus 14:21-22
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided, / and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on their right and on their left.

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 2:8
And Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and to the left, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

Psalm 114:3
The sea observed and fled; the Jordan turned back;

Isaiah 43:16
Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the surging waters,

Hebrews 11:29
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned.

1 Corinthians 10:1-2
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. / They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

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.

2 Kings 3:14-17
Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you. / But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha / and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’ ...

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.

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

Acts 7:44-45
Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. / And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,

Romans 6:4
We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.

1 Peter 3:20-21
who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water. / And this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Revelation 12:16
But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

Treasury of Scripture

And Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bore the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there to this day.

set up twelve

Exodus 24:12
And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

Exodus 28:21
And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

1 Kings 18:31
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

Joshua 4:20
And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.

Genesis 26:33
And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.

Deuteronomy 34:6
And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

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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

Berean Study Bible

Joshua also set up
The act of setting up stones is a significant biblical motif, often symbolizing remembrance and covenant. The Hebrew root for "set up" is "קוּם" (qum), which means to establish or raise. This action by Joshua is not merely physical but deeply spiritual, signifying the establishment of a memorial to God's faithfulness. It reflects the importance of creating tangible reminders of divine intervention and guidance in the lives of the Israelites.

twelve stones
The number twelve is symbolic throughout Scripture, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. These stones serve as a collective memorial for the entire nation, emphasizing unity and shared heritage. The stones are a physical representation of the covenant between God and His people, reminding them of their identity and God's promises. The use of stones as memorials is consistent with ancient Near Eastern practices, where stones often marked significant events or covenants.

in the middle of the Jordan
The location "in the middle of the Jordan" is crucial. The Jordan River was a formidable barrier to the Israelites entering the Promised Land, and its crossing was a miraculous event. By placing the stones in the river's midst, Joshua ensures that the memorial is directly associated with God's miraculous intervention. This act signifies that God's presence and power are central to Israel's journey and success.

where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood
The "priests who carried the ark of the covenant" represent the spiritual leadership and the presence of God among His people. The Ark was the most sacred object in Israel, symbolizing God's throne and His covenant with Israel. The priests standing in the river with the Ark signifies God's direct involvement and leadership in the crossing. The stones mark the exact spot where God's presence was manifest, serving as a perpetual reminder of His guidance and protection.

And they are there to this day
This phrase underscores the enduring nature of the memorial. The stones' continued presence serves as a lasting testimony to future generations of God's faithfulness and the historical reality of the event. It invites reflection on the importance of remembering and teaching God's mighty acts to subsequent generations. The phrase suggests that the memorial's significance transcends time, continually pointing back to God's unchanging nature and His covenantal promises.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan. A great deal of ingenuity has been wasted over this passage. Kennicott would read "from the midst," instead of "in the midst;" but this purely conjectural emendation is contrary to the fact that these stones were to be set up where the priests bearing the ark stood, while the others were to be set up where the Israelites rested for the night. Again: it has been asked why stones should be placed as a memorial in the Jordan itself, where no man could see them. The answer is a simple one. They were not placed in the Jordan, but at some distance from its banks. They were placed where the priests stood, i.e., at the brink of the Jordan ("juxta ripam," Jarchi), which at that time had overflowed its banks (Joshua 3:15). It is no reply to this to observe with the translator of Keil that the stones would by this interpretation be left high and dry for the greater part of the year, for this would be the very reason why that precise spot was fixed upon for a memorial. Nor does the word בְּתּוך in the midst, constitute any valid objection to this interpretation, for the same word is used in Joshua 3:17, although two verses previously we are told that the priests stood at the brink of the swollen river with the soles of their feet just dipped in the water (see note there). Thus while the Vulgate translates "in medio Jordanis alveo," the LXX. renders more accurately by ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ Ιορδάνῃ. Thus Rosenmuller's objection to the two monuments, namely, that such monuments would never be placed in a rapidly flowing stream like the Jordan, vanishes; while, as Poole suggests, these stones might be heavier, and form even a more enduring memorial than that of the first resting place of the Israelites, constructed as it were of stones which were not beyond the power of one man to carry after all, it may be asked whether it is more probable that this passage is an insertion from another, and an irreconcilable account (Meyer, Knobel), or that it is a later gloss (Rosenmuller, Maurer, etc.), or that two monuments of so mighty and memorable a miracle should have been set up, one at the place where the priests stood, and the other where the Israelites rested after this wonderful interposition of God on their behalf. So Hengstenberg 'Geschichte des Reiches Gottes,' p. 203. The Syriac version only supports Rosenmuller's view. The LXX. and Vulgate render "twelve other stones." The supposition that the sacred historian gives all the commands of God to Joshua, and that therefore such parts of the narrative as are not contained in these commands are to be rejected, is refuted by a comparison, for instance, of Joshua 3:7, 8, with vers. 13, 17.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Joshua also
יְהוֹשֻׁעַ֮ (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
הֵקִ֣ים (hê·qîm)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

twelve
וּשְׁתֵּ֧ים (ū·šə·têm)
Conjunctive waw | Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

stones
אֲבָנִ֗ים (’ă·ḇā·nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 68: A stone

in the middle
בְּת֣וֹךְ (bə·ṯō·wḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

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

in the place
תַּ֗חַת (ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

where the priests
הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים (hak·kō·hă·nîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3548: Priest

who carried
נֹשְׂאֵ֖י (nō·śə·’ê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

the ark
אֲר֣וֹן (’ă·rō·wn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

of the covenant
הַבְּרִ֑ית (hab·bə·rîṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1285: A covenant

were standing.
מַצַּב֙ (maṣ·ṣaḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4673: A fixed spot, an office, a military post

And [the stones] are
וַיִּ֣הְיוּ (way·yih·yū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

there
שָׁ֔ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

to
עַ֖ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

this
הַזֶּֽה׃ (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

day.
הַיּ֥וֹם (hay·yō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

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OT History: Joshua 4:9 Joshua set up twelve stones (Josh. Jos)