Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 4:5
And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
Pass over before the ark, i.e. go back again to the place where the ark stands.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Joshua said unto them,…. The twelve men:
pass ye over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan; that is, they were to go back to Jordan again, which they had passed over, and go into the midst of it, where were the priests bearing the ark; for it is not to be imagined that the ark went along with them, or followed them, they going before it; but they went where that was, just before it, from whence they were to take the stones, as next directed:
and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder; by which it appears they were large stones they were to take, not what they could carry in their hands, but what they were obliged to take upon their shoulders:
according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; who had that day passed over Jordan, of which these stones were to be a memorial.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. Pass over before the ark Advance to a position immediately in front of the ark, and take up the stones. As this order seems to have been given after the people had crossed, we naturally understand that the twelve men passed back again to the place where the ark rested, and thence transported the stones, while all Israel stood beholding them.
According unto the number of the tribes A memorial not only of the wonderful interposition of Jehovah, but of the federal unity of the nation one composed of twelve.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ver. 5. And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark Or, Pass back again directly unto the ark. These twelve men re-entered the channel of the Jordan, and, being dispensed from the prohibition to approach the ark, came near the place where the priests stood, and each loaded himself with a stone as big as he could carry, and such as might afterwards attest to each several tribe that he had seen the bed of the river dry, and the miracle prolonged till the entire execution of the commands of God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jos 4:5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
Ver. 5. Before the ark of the Lord your God. ] A God in covenant with you, and who therefore may well expect this or any other service from you.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
before = in the presence of.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Reciprocal: Gen 31:46 – Gather Deu 9:1 – to pass Jos 22:10 – built