King James Version

What Does Joshua 4:21 Mean?

And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? in time: Heb. to morrow

Context

19

And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

20

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

21

And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? in time: Heb. to morrow

22

Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

23

For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
De 31:9-13. He Delivers the Law to the Priests, to Read It Every Seventh Year to the People. **9-13. And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests--**The law thus committed to writing was either the whole book of Deuteronomy, or the important part of it contained between the twenty-seventh and thirtieth chapters. It was usual in cases of public or private contract for two copies of the engagement to be made--one to be deposited in the national archives or some secure place for reference, should occasion require. The other was to remain in the hands of the contracting parties (Jr 32:12-14). The same course was followed on this renewal of the covenant between God and Israel. Two written copies of the law were prepared, the one of which was delivered to the public representatives of Israel; namely, the priests and the elders. **the priests, ... who bare the ark of the covenant--**In all ordinary journeys, it was the common duty of the Levites to carry the ark and its furniture (Nu 4:15); but, on solemn or extraordinary occasions, that office was discharged by the priests (Jos 3:3-8; 6:6; 1Ch 15:11, 12). **all the elders of Israel--**They were assistants to the priests and overseers to take care of the preservation, rehearsal, and observance of the law.

Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset, David Brown. Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Joshua. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Joshua 4:21 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

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