Why did Joshua place stones in the Jordan River according to Joshua 4:9? Text of Joshua 4:9 “Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant had stood; and the stones are there to this day.” Historical Setting: Israel on the Brink of Promise In the spring of 1406 BC (cf. 1 Kings 6:1; Ussher, Annals, Amos 2553) Israel camped east of Jericho. The Jordan was at flood stage (Joshua 3:15), yet the LORD “cut off” its flow, allowing roughly two million people to cross on dry ground (Joshua 3:16-17). The miracle paralleled the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and inaugurated Israel’s conquest. Joshua’s act with the stones occurred while the ark-bearing priests still stood in the riverbed, underscoring the immediacy of the memorial. Immediate Purpose: A Visible and Invisible Memorial There are two stone memorials in the chapter. Verses 3-8 describe twelve stones taken from the river and erected at Gilgal; verse 9 records twelve additional stones set up “in the middle of the Jordan.” Together they function as: 1. A public testimony in the land (Gilgal). 2. A concealed witness at the miracle’s epicenter (riverbed). The hidden pile reminded the priests and those who saw the waters return that the miracle was real, not legend. The visible pile at Gilgal reminded every subsequent pilgrim (Joshua 4:20-24). Covenantal Significance Twelve stones represented the covenant people (Genesis 49; Exodus 28:21). Planting them where the ark stood declared that Israel’s unity, identity, and destiny rest on God’s covenant presence. As with Moses’ twelve-pillar altar (Exodus 24:4) and Elijah’s twelve-stone altar (1 Kings 18:31), the arrangement affirmed corporate solidarity before the LORD. Didactic Purpose for Future Generations Twice the chapter anticipates children’s questions (Joshua 4:6-7, 21-22). The stones are a pedagogical tool: when asked, parents would recount how “the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD.” Memorials transform history into heritage, ensuring that the knowledge of God’s mighty acts does not decay within one forgetful generation (Psalm 78:4-8). Typological and Christological Foreshadowing The crossing typifies salvation: Israel passes from wilderness death into promised life through divine intervention, just as believers pass from death to life through Christ’s resurrection power (John 5:24; Ephesians 2:5-6). Water closing over the hidden stones mirrors burial; re-emergence at Gilgal mirrors resurrection. Twelve stones likewise anticipate the twelve apostles, the foundation of the New Covenant people (Revelation 21:14). Jesus’ own baptism in the Jordan (Matthew 3:13-17)—at a site early pilgrims located near this very ford—signals the ultimate crossing: the incarnate Son identifying with sinners so they may enter rest (Hebrews 4:8-10). Symbolism of Stone Memorials Throughout Scripture • Jacob’s pillar at Bethel (Genesis 28:18-22). • Moses’ altar at Sinai (Exodus 24:4). • Twelve stones on priests’ ephod (Exodus 28:9-21). • Eben-ezer, “Thus far the LORD has helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12). • The “living stones” imagery applied to believers (1 Peter 2:5). Each instance reinforces God’s faithfulness and the call to remember. Archaeological and Geographical Corroboration The crossing was near modern Tell el-Hammam/Tell er-Rameh (opposite Jericho). The Arab village Damieh sits by an ancient ford; historical records note mud-slides temporarily damming the river at this spot in AD 1267, 1546, 1906, and 1927 (G. A. Smith, Historical Geography of the Holy Land, pp. 251-252). Such events show how God could employ natural agencies at precise timing, yet the biblical text attributes the timing and total dryness to supernatural orchestration. Surveys of the lower Jordan reveal large limestone boulders still visible at seasonal lows, corroborating that ample material lay in the riverbed for Joshua’s use. Comparison with Near-Eastern Memorial Practices Ancient Near Eastern kings erected victory stelae (e.g., Mesha Stele, ca. 840 BC). These served propagandistic ends. Joshua’s stones differ: the emphasis is not Israel’s prowess but Yahweh’s power. The placement “in the middle of the Jordan” is unique; no pagan culture placed trophies under returning flood-waters—because no pagan deity had dried the river. Practical Application for Believers Today • Remember God’s past faithfulness; rehearse it to children. • Establish tangible reminders—communion, baptism, testimonies—that point to Christ’s finished work. • Face present “rivers” with confidence that the LORD who acted then still acts now (Hebrews 13:8). Concluding Summary Joshua placed twelve stones in the Jordan to create an enduring covenant memorial at the very spot where the LORD miraculously halted the flood-stage river. The hidden pile, complementing the visible one at Gilgal, bore witness to God’s power, unified Israel’s tribes under the covenant, instructed successive generations, foreshadowed the saving work of Christ, and supplied an apologetic anchor for the historicity of the conquest. The stones proclaim: “So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty” (Joshua 4:24). |
    |