John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And command you them, saying , etc.] As follows: take you hence out of the midst of Jordan ; so that they were obliged to go back into the midst of Jordan, having already passed over it, as appears from ( Joshua 4:1); out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm ; where being stones, they chose to stand upon them, and which were a firm standing for them; and which secured them from the slime and mud at the bottom of the river the waters left behind; though it is not absolutely necessary to understand it that they were to take, and did take, the stones from under their feet, but those that lay about the place where they stood: twelve stones ; each man a stone; and, according to the Samaritan Chronicle f52 , every man inscribed his name on the stone: and ye shall carry them over with you ; from the place they took them up, to the place they should next stop at: and leave them in the lodging place where you shall lodge this night : which was in the place afterwards called Gilgal, ( Joshua 4:19,20).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - The works of the Lord are so worthy of rememberance, and the heart of man is so prone to forget them, that various methods are needful to refresh our memories, for the glory of God, our advantage, and that of our children. God gave orders for preparing this memorial.
Original Hebrew וצוו6680 אותם853 לאמר559 שׂאו5375 לכם מזה2088 מתוך8432 הירדן3383 ממצב4673 רגלי7272 הכהנים3548 הכין3559 שׁתים8147 עשׂרה6240 אבנים68 והעברתם5674 אותם853 עמכם5973 והנחתם3240 אותם853 במלון4411 אשׁר834 תלינו3885 בו הלילה׃3915
