Focused Passage

Joshua 4:19-24

Memorial Stones and the Witness of the Jordan Crossing

After Israel crosses the Jordan, the LORD commands memorial stones to be set up so future generations will know that His powerful hand brought His people into the land.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

19On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.

20And there at Gilgal Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.

21Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’

22you are to tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’

23For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as He did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over.

24He did this so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may always fear the LORD your God.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 19

Original words

On the tenthבֶּעָשׂ֖וֹרH6218Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularday of the firstהָרִאשׁ֑וֹןH7223Article | Adjective - masculine singularmonthלַחֹ֣דֶשׁH2320Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularthe peopleוְהָעָ֗םH5971Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularwent upעָלוּ֙H5927Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe Jordanהַיַּרְדֵּ֔ןH3383Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularand campedוַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙H2583Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralat Gilgalבַּגִּלְגָּ֔לH1537Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularon the easternמִזְרַ֥חH4217Noun - masculine singular constructborderבִּקְצֵ֖הH7097Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof Jerichoיְרִיחֽוֹ׃H3405Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 20

Original words

Andוְאֵת֩H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerthere at Gilgalבַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃H1537Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularJoshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַH3091Noun - proper - masculine singularset upהֵקִ֥יםH6965Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singulartheהָאֵ֔לֶּהH428Article | Pronoun - common plural-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativetwelveשְׁתֵּ֨יםH8147Number - fd. . .עֶשְׂרֵ֤הH6240Number - feminine singularstonesהָֽאֲבָנִים֙H68Article | Noun - feminine pluralthey had takenלָקְח֖וּH3947Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe Jordanהַיַּרְדֵּ֑ןH3383Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 21

Original words

Then [Joshua] saidוַיֹּ֛אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe Israelitesבְּנֵ֥יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructIn the futureמָחָר֙H4279Adverb-אֶת־H853Direct object markerwhenאֲשֶׁר֩H834Pronoun - relativeyour childrenבְּנֵיכֶ֤םH1121Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralaskיִשְׁאָל֨וּןH7592Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nuntheir fathersאֲבוֹתָ֣םH1Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural. . .לֵאמֹ֔רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructWhatמָ֖הH4100Interrogativeis the meaning of theseהָאֵֽלֶּה׃H428Article | Pronoun - common pluralstonesהָאֲבָנִ֥יםH68Article | Noun - feminine plural
Verse 22

Original words

you are to tellוְהוֹדַעְתֶּ֖םH3045Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object marker[them]בְּנֵיכֶ֣םH1121Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markercrossedעָבַ֣רH5674Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singulartheהַזֶּֽה׃H2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularJordanהַיַּרְדֵּ֖ןH3383Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularon dry groundבַּיַּבָּשָׁה֙H3004Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 23

Original words

Forאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֨הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶ֜םH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerdried upהוֹבִישׁ֩H3001Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe watersמֵ֧יH4325Noun - masculine plural constructof the Jordanהַיַּרְדֵּ֛ןH3383Article | Noun - proper - feminine singularbefore youמִפְּנֵיכֶ֖םH6440Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluraluntilעַֽד־H5704Prepositionyou had crossed overעָבְרְכֶ֑םH5674Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine pluraljust asכַּאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative[He]יְהוָ֨הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֧םH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluraldidעָשָׂה֩H6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularto the Redס֛וּףH5488Noun - masculine singularSeaלְיַם־H3220Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructwhichאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeHe dried upהוֹבִ֥ישׁH3001Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularbefore usמִפָּנֵ֖ינוּH6440Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluraluntilעַד־H5704Prepositionwe had crossed overעָבְרֵֽנוּ׃H5674Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common plural

BSB notes

  • Or the Sea of Reeds
Verse 24

Original words

[He did this] so thatלְ֠מַעַןH4616Conjunctionallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe peoplesעַמֵּ֤יH5971Noun - masculine plural constructof the earthהָאָ֙רֶץ֙H776Article | Noun - feminine singularאֶת־אֶת־H853Direct object markermay knowדַּ֜עַתH3045Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructthatכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionthe handיַ֣דH3027Noun - feminine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularis mightyחֲזָקָ֖הH2389Adjective - feminine singular. . .הִ֑יאH1931Pronoun - third person feminine singularand so thatלְמַ֧עַןH4616Prepositionyou may alwaysכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular construct. . .הַיָּמִֽים׃סH3117Article | Noun - masculine pluralfearיְרָאתֶ֛םH3372Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖םH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.