Joshua 4:3-9
[the priest's fees.]
stones <08147 068> [twelve stones.]
put ..... place where you camp <03240 04411> [leave them.]
appointed <03559> [prepared.]
reminder <0226> [a sign.]
children <01121> [when your.]
someday <04279> [in time to come. Heb. to-morrow.]
water ...................... water <04325> [the waters.]
memorial <02146> [memorial.]
did .... Joshua ........................... Joshua <06213 03091> [did so as Joshua.]
set up twelve <06965 08147> [set up twelve.]
day <03117> [and they are there.]
These words might be written by Joshua at the close of his life, or perhaps be added by some later prophet. It seems from this verse, that there were two sorts of stones erected as a memorial of this great event: twelve at Gilgal (ver. 20,) and twelve in the bed of the Jordan; which last might have been placed on a base of strong stone work, so high as always to be visible, and serve to mark the very spot where the priests stood with the ark. Drs. Kennicott and Shuckford, however, would read here with the Syriac, {mittoch,} "from the midst," instead of {bethoch,} "in the midst;" and render, "And Joshua took up the twelve stones (taken) from the midst of Jordan," etc. But this reading is unsupported by any MS. yet collated; and it appears wholly unnecessary.
Joshua 10:27
take ... down <03381> [they took.]
remain ..... day <03117 06106> [until this very day.]
Joshua 10:2
terrified <03372> [they feared.]
Gibeon <01391> [Gibeon.]
Gibeon was situated on an eminence, as its name imports, 40 furlongs north from Jerusalem, according to Josephus.
city ...... royal cities <05892 04467> [the royal cities. Heb. cities of the kingdom.]
Joshua 18:17-18
En Shemesh <05885> [En-shemesh.]
The fountain of the Sun; whether a town, or simply a fountain, is uncertain.
Geliloth <01553> [Geliloth.]
Geliloth is probably the same as Gilgal; though as the word may signify border or limits, some think that it is probably not the proper name of a place: "And went forth towards the borders which are over against the ascent to Adummim." Others render Geliloth circuits or roundings, or the hills about Jordan, {tumuli Jordanis.} Vulgate: {pertransit usque ad tumulos.}
Stone <068> [the stone.]
Arabah ......... Arabah <06160> [Arabah. or, the plain.]
Joshua 18:2
Joshua 3:1
early <07925> [rose early.]
Archbishop Usher supposes, that this was upon Wednesday, the 28th of April, A.M. 2553, the fortieth year of the Exodus from Egypt. From Shittim, where the israelites had been encamped for about two months (De 1:3), to the Jordan, was, according to Josephus, about sixty stadia; that is, between seven and eight English miles.
Shittim <07851> [Shittim.]
Jordan <03383> [Jordan.]
Jordan, called by the Arabs El Sharia, takes its rise in Anti-Libanus, about twelve miles north of C‘sarea Philippi, now Banias; and, having run about twelve miles southward, it receives a considerable stream, which is now called the Moiet Hasbeia. About 15 miles farther, it forms the waters of Merom or Semechon, now Houle; and, after running about 28 miles more, it passes through the lake of Gennesareth, and thence runs southward till it loses itself in the Dead Sea; its whole course being about 160 miles.
