This verse isn't just about remembering God's power in parting the Jordan; it highlights that the stones were to be taken from the exact spot where the priests' feet stood firmly. This detail emphasizes the moment of secure, stable footing God provided in the midst of chaos, a tangible reminder of His steady presence even when the waters raged.
and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After the entire nation of Israel has successfully crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, God instructs Joshua to have twelve men, one from each tribe, take twelve stones from the very spot where the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant stood firm in the riverbed. These stones are to be carried over to their first campsite, a place later known as Gilgal, to serve as a memorial.
Imagine the priests, their feet planted firmly in the middle of the raging Jordan River. God commanded them to hold their ground, a symbol of His strength holding back the waters.
The command for the priests to stand firmly in the middle of the Jordan River, where the priests' feet stood firmly, wasn't just about stopping the water. It was a deliberate act of God's power made visible.
Why twelve stones? And why carry them to the campsite? This wasn't just a one-time event; it was the start of an ongoing testimony.
The instruction to take twelve stones and place them in the camp was designed to create a lasting legacy of faith.
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Understand the original words
kohen · Hebrew Noun
Religious leaders from the tribe of Levi set apart by God for holy service. They were responsible for maintaining the sanctuary and acting as mediators between God and the people through sacrifice and intercession.
The command to take stones from the Jordan, one for each tribe, served as a powerful, tangible reminder of God's direct intervention. It wasn't just a historical marker, but a tool to actively teach future generations about God's faithfulness and power in fulfilling His promises.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Israelites Cross the Jordan River
Led by Joshua, the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land. The waters miraculously stopped flowing, allowing them to walk on dry ground. This event marked their full entry into the land after 40 years of wandering.
c. 1406 BC
Memorial Stones Set Up
Joshua commanded twelve men, one from each tribe, to take twelve stones from the Jordan River where the priests stood. These stones were to be set up as a memorial in their first camp at Gilgal.
c. 1406 BC
Second Memorial Stones in Jordan
Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan River, in the very spot where the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant had stood. These stones were hidden by the water but served as a testimony.
c. 1406 BC
Instruction for Future Generations
The purpose of the stones was to serve as a sign for future generations. When children asked about the stones, parents were to recount God's miraculous power in stopping the Jordan's waters.
c. 1406 BC - c. 1380 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Following the crossing of the Jordan, the Israelites began their military campaign to conquer the land of Canaan. This period involved significant battles and the establishment of their presence in the land.
Jacob set up a stone as a pillar to commemorate his vision of the ladder to heaven, showing a precedent for using stones as significant markers of divine encounters.
Genesis 31:45Jacob and Laban set up a heap of stones as a boundary and a witness to their covenant, highlighting the use of stones to mark agreements and divine involvement.
1 Samuel 7:12Samuel set up a stone called Ebenezer to remember God's victory over the Philistines, demonstrating how stones served as tangible reminders of God's deliverance and faithfulness.
Exodus 13:14God instructed the Israelites that when their children asked about the meaning of sacred practices, they should explain God's mighty acts, paralleling the purpose of the Jordan stones as teaching tools for future generations.
calvinJoshua 4:1-9: "And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,"
And command you them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and you shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where you shall lodge this night.
Et praecipite illis dicendo: Tollite vobis hinc e medio Jordanis a loco ubi stant pedes sacerdotum expeditorum,…
cambridgeJoshua 4:3: "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."
3 . twelve stones ] We find on several occasions large stones set up to commemorate remarkable events, as ( a ) by Jacob in memory of the vision of the Angels at Beth-el ( Genesis 28:18 ); ( b ) by the same patriarch on his return from…
This verse isn't just about remembering God's power in parting the Jordan; it highlights that the stones were to be taken from the exact spot where the priests' feet stood firmly. This detail emphasizes the moment of secure, stable footing God provided in the midst of chaos, a tangible reminder of His steady presence even when the waters raged.
After the entire nation of Israel has successfully crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, God instructs Joshua to have twelve men, one from each tribe, take twelve stones from the very spot where the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant stood firm in the riverbed. These stones are to be carried over to their first campsite, a place later known as Gilgal, to serve as a memorial.
After the entire nation of Israel has successfully crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, God instructs Joshua to have twelve men, one from each tribe, take twelve stones from the very spot where the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant stood firm in the riverbed. These stones are to be carried over to their first campsite, a place later known as Gilgal, to serve as a memorial.
"and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’”" — This verse isn't just about remembering God's power in parting the Jordan; it highlights that the stones were to be taken from the exact spot where the priests' feet stood firmly. This detail empha…
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Last reviewed October 2026
