k i.e. Tn one and the ſame place and poſture ; their feet neither moved by any Waters flowing in upon them, nor ſinking into any mire, which one might think was at the bottom of the River. And this may be oppoſed unto their other fanding in the brink of the water when they came to it, commanded, wer. 8. which was but for a while, till the Waters were divided and gone away ; and then they were to go further,even inro ;he midft of Jordan. as is here ſaid, where they are to ſtand conflantly and fixedly, as this Hebrew word lignifies, until all were paſſed over. If it be ſaid, that what is preſcribed, v. 8. is nere ſaid to be executed ; and therefore themidſt of Jordan here, is the ſzme place with the brink of the water of Jordan, wv. 8. It may be anſwered, That the manifeſt variation of the Phraſe ſhews, that it 1s not abſolutely the ſame thing or place which is ſpoken of there and here ; but what is there enjoyned, is here executed with ad- vantage; for when it is ſaid, that they ſtood firm-----=in the midFt of Jordan, it muft needs be ſuppoſed, that they firſt came to the brink of the water, and that they flood there for a ſeaſon, till the Waters were cut off and dried up, as appears from the nature of the thing ; and that then they went further, even into the midſt of Jordan, 1 Ei- ther, 1. within Jordan, as it is expreſſed above, wv :8: for that Phraſe doth not always ſignifie the exa& middle of a place, but any part within it, as appears from Gen. 45. 6. Exod. 8. 22. and 24. 18. Joſh. 7. 13. and 10, 13. Prov. 30«-19. Orrather 2. in the middle and deepeſt part of the River. For, r. words ſhould be taken properly, where they may without any inconveniency,which is the caſe bere. 2. The Ark went before them to direQ, and encourage and ſecure them in the dangers of their Paſſages, for which ends the middle was the fitteſt place. 3. In this ſenſe rhe ſame Phraſe is uſed, Joſh. 4. Ve 3, 8. For certainly thoſe Stones which were to be Witneſſes and Monuments of their Paſſage over Jordan, ſhould not be taken from the brink or brim of the River, or from the Shore which Jordan o- verflowed only at that ſeaſon, bur from the moſt inward and deep- eſt parts of the River ; and v. 16, 17, 18. where the Prieſts are ſaid to aſcend or come up out of Fordan, and out of the mid of Jordan unto the ary land ; whereas had this been meantonly of the firſt entrance in. to the River, they muſt have been ſaid fuſt ro go down into fordan and then to go up to the land, :
CH AP. IV.
God commanas them to carry 12 flones for a memorial, out of Jordan : 7% ſhua orders it : the people perform, 1----8. Twelve other fones ſet up for &
purpoſe declared, 20---24. ND it cameto paſs, when all the people were clean paſſed * over Jordan, that the LORD ſpake «
unto *Jolbua, ſaying,
with enlargement, as being now to be put in Execution. - 2 Takeye twelve men our ofthe people,out of every tribea man b, |
b For the greater evidence and certainty, and the more cfleQu- o ſpreading of the Report of this marvellous work among all the 1ibes.
And command ye them, ſaying, Take ye hence out of the midſt of Jordan c, out of the place where the prieſts feet ſtood firm, twelve ſtones, and ye (balcarry them over with you,and leave themin the lodging- place where ye ſhal lodge this night d.
c Of which ſee on Joſh. 3.17. dz. e. InGilgal, as iy expreſſed be- low, ver. 19, 20.
prepared e of the children of Iſrael, out of every Tribe | a mans
ei, e. Appointed or choſen for that work, and commanded them to be ready for 1t.
5 AndJoſhua ſaid unto them, Paſs over before the ark f of the LORD your God into the midſt of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you aſtone upon his ſhoul- der, according unto the number of the-Tribes of the children of Iſrael :
#3. e. Go back again to the place where the Ark ſands. 6 That this may be a lign g among you, rhat when
What mean ye by theſe ſtones ?
g A Monument or Memorial of this days \work.
7 Then ye (hal anſwer them, That the waters of Jerdan were cut off before the ark 4 of the covenant of the LORD, when itpaſſedover Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and theſe ſtones ſhal be for a me- morial unto the children of Iſrael for ever.
h As it were at the ſight and approach of the A "gr and the Iſraelites a ſafe Js PP of the Ark, to give it
8 And the children of Iſrael "did ſo as Joſhua com- manded, and took up twelve ſtones out ef the midſt of Jordan, as the LORD ſpake unto Joſhua, according to
ſo kept | he number of the Tribes of the children of Iſrael, and 7 Here | carried them over with them untothe place where they
lodged, and laid them down there,
9 And Joſbua ſet up twelve ſtones in the midſt of Jordan 3, in the place where the feet of the prieſts, which bare the ark of the covenant, ſtood : and they are there unto this day k,
a 7 Preperly
Memorial in the midſt of Jordan, 9. The pecple paſs over : the order they obſerve, 10----13. God magnifies Joſtua, 14. The prieſts with the Ark are commanded to come up out of Jordan, 15---17. The waters return, 18. The time of this paſſage, 19. Twelve flones ſet up in Gilgal ; ty what
a This was commanded before, Joſh. 3. 12. and is here repeated
_ Chap. 1V.
* Deut.27;
2» ; "ch. 3.1%
4 Then Joſhua called the twelve men, whom he had +
your children ask heir fathers + in timeto come, laying, + Heb. 20Yrow,
"Ch
\ *N' 32,
+ O
arm
*c>
* Ex IG, :
+ He plucke T Hel
Went,
| Chap. IV-
*Ntmb.
32. 20)27-
+ Or,ready
armed,
eh. 3. 9:
* Ex. 25. 16, 23%
+ Heb. plucked up. t Heb.
Went,
}Heb. #0
morrow, ,