Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 4:6
That this may be a sign among you, [that] when your children ask [their fathers] in time to come, saying, What [mean] ye by these stones?
6. when your children ] Comp. Exo 12:26; Exo 13:14; Deu 6:20.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. This may be a sign] Stand as a continual memorial of this miraculous passage, and consequently a proof of their lasting obligation to God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A sign; a monument or memorial of this days work.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6, 7. That this may be a sign amongyouThe erection of cairns, or huge piles of stones, asmonuments of remarkable incidents has been common among all people,especially in the early and rude periods of their history. They arethe established means of perpetuating the memory of importanttransactions, especially among the nomadic people of the East.Although there be no inscription engraved on them, the history andobject of such simple monuments are traditionally preserved from ageto age. Similar was the purpose contemplated by the conveyance of thetwelve stones to Gilgal: it was that they might be a standing recordto posterity of the miraculous passage of the Jordan.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
That this may be a sign among you,…. A commemorative one:
[that] when your children ask [their fathers] in time to come; or “tomorrow” g and so in all time, or any time hereafter:
saying, what mean you by these stones? what is the reason of setting them up, and in this place, and being just of such a number?
g , Sept. “eras”, Pagninus, Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. That this may be a sign among you By this simple device two grand purposes are subserved: (1.) The preservation of national history and religious knowledge; (2.) The religious education of the young. The inquisitiveness of the children is not to be repressed, but rather stimulated by impressive monuments of historical events, and by symbols of religious truths. “Object teaching,” which has recently been brought forward in the art of education, is here introduced as a method of instruction by God himself. By the presentation of visible objects to the eye, divine truth may be most vividly photographed upon the soul. Hence the value of travel in historic lands as an educator. Renan says: “Seeing Palestine is the fifth gospel.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in time to come saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’ Then you shall say to them, that the waters of Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the covenant of YHWH. When it passed over Jordan the waters of Jordan were cut off, and these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel for ever.”
The stones were intended for a permanent sign to future generations, to remind their children, and their children’s children, of this amazing event. They would be able to stress that the stones came from the bottom of the river when it ceased flowing at YHWH’s command. Note the repetition to bring home to the hearers the important and central fact, ‘the waters of Jordan were cut off’. Repetition was like two witnesses, it stressed the truth that was stated.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jos 4:6 That this may be a sign among you, [that] when your children ask [their fathers] in time to come, saying, What [mean] ye by these stones?
Ver. 6. That this may be a sign. ] We stand in need of all helps. The Israelites had their fringes and phylacteries to immind them; and of all things, God cannot abide to be forgotten. Psa 9:16-17
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
their fathers. These words are read in some codices, with four early printed editions, as in Jos 4:21.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a sign: Jos 22:27, Exo 12:14, Exo 13:9, Exo 31:13, Num 16:38, Isa 55:13, Eze 20:12, Eze 20:20
when your: Jos 4:21, Exo 12:26, Exo 12:27, Exo 13:14, Deu 6:20, Deu 6:21, Deu 11:19, Psa 44:1, Psa 71:18, Psa 78:3-8, Isa 38:19, Act 2:39
in time to come: Heb. to-morrow
Reciprocal: Deu 4:9 – teach them Jos 4:7 – memorial Jos 22:24 – In time to come Psa 78:4 – showing Psa 111:4 – He hath Psa 119:27 – so shall I talk Eze 17:12 – Know Joe 1:3 – General Eph 6:4 – but
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 4:6. That this may be a sign among you A monument or memorial of this days work. Had Joshua given orders to prepare for erecting this memorial of himself, it might have looked like a design to perpetuate his own name and honour; but as it was done by the divine direction, it could be viewed in no other light than as a monument raised to the honour and glory of God, who hath so done his marvellous works, that they ought to be had in everlasting remembrance, and means devised to preserve among men the memory of them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4:6 That this may be a sign among you, [that] when your {c} children ask [their fathers] in time to come, saying, What [mean] ye by these stones?
(c) God commands that not only we ourselves profit by this wonderful work, but that our posterity may know the cause of it, and glorify his Name.