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Joshua 4 Commentary

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Joshua 4:1 meaning

God’s people must remember how He brought them from wandering to resting in His promise.

Joshua 4:2 meaning

God unites every tribe in His grand plan to remember the miraculous crossing so that none would forget His power and faithfulness.

Joshua 4:3 meaning

This verse shows how God’s people were called to set a visible memorial of His miraculous intervention, establishing a tangible reminder of His power and faithfulness.

Joshua 4:4 meaning

This verse emphasizes Joshua’s obedience and communal responsibility to build a memorial for God’s faithfulness.

Joshua 4:5 meaning

Joshua 4:5 portrays how God’s people marked His miraculous intervention with a memorial, ensuring that He would be honored and remembered for generations to come.

Joshua 4:6 meaning

This verse reminds us that the past faithfulness of God provides a cherished foundation for future generations.

Joshua 4:7 meaning

God’s power in parting the Jordan and the tangible reminder of the memorial stones displays His desire for us to never forget His faithfulness.

Joshua 4:8 meaning

This verse shows Israel’s obedience and God’s faithfulness as they mark a pivotal moment of entering the Promised Land.

Joshua 4:9 meaning

This verse shows how God’s mighty acts secure a tangible reminder for future generations.

Joshua 4:10 meaning

This verse highlights that steadfast obedience to God’s commands ushers in divine blessings and paves the way for His promises to be fulfilled.

Joshua 4:11 meaning

This verse reminds us that God, who leads His people, often moves before them to pave the way toward His promises.

Joshua 4:12 meaning

They did what they promised to do.

Joshua 4:13 meaning

God’s faithfulness empowers believers to face new challenges with confidence.

Joshua 4:14 meaning

God made Joshua stand out as a trustworthy leader who would guide Israel into their inheritance.

Joshua 4:15 meaning

This verse reminds us that spiritual victories come from following God’s word.

Joshua 4:16 meaning

This verse emphasizes God’s sovereign guidance and the significance of obedient leadership in every step forward.

Joshua 4:17 meaning

Joshua’s command reflects Israel’s transition from wandering in the wilderness to stepping into promised blessings.

Joshua 4:18 meaning

This verse shows how God’s power over creation secured Israel’s passage and confirmed His faithful leadership.

Joshua 4:19 meaning

By leaving a visible mark at Gilgal, Israel remembered the miracle of crossing and the faithfulness of God that continues to this day.

Joshua 4:20 meaning

These stones represent a lasting reminder of how God can turn obstacles into pathways of renewal.

Joshua 4:21 meaning

This verse is a reminder to preserve and share the stories of God’s faithfulness.

Joshua 4:22 meaning

This verse highlights the importance of recounting God’s miraculous acts so that faith might be nurtured in every new generation.

Joshua 4:23 meaning

This verse reminds us that God’s mighty deliverance in the past remains a present assurance for all who follow Him.

Joshua 4:24 meaning

The crossing of the Jordan was a miraculous testament to God’s supremacy, serving both as evidence of His might and an invitation to trust Him.


Joshua 1 begins with the LORD calling Joshua to succeed Moses as Israel’s next leader. The LORD tells Joshua He will be with him in all things, urging him to be firm and resolute as he leads the Israelites to conquer the Promised Land. Joshua obeys the LORD and takes two preliminary steps. First, he instructs the Israelite officers to prepare the people for the march. Second, he reminds the tribes who have claimed their portions east of the Jordan River that they must continue to aid in the conquest of Canaan. These three tribes had agreed with Moses to support the remaining Israelites in taking the west side of Jordan before settling in their allocated cities. The chapter ends with the eastern tribes pledging loyalty to Joshua and urging him to be bold as he leads the Israelites to the land of Canaan. The chapter’s outline is as follows:

  1. The LORD commands Joshua to be strong and courageous as he leads Israel into the Promised Land. God urges the new leader to meditate on the Scriptures consistently to be successful in all his endeavors (vv. 1–9).

  2. Joshua commands the Israelite officers to speak to the people to prepare them to cross the Jordan River and conquer the Promised Land (vv. 10–11).

  3. Joshua instructs the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, who will settle east of the Jordan, to help their brothers fight until they conquer the land west of the Jordan (vv. 12–15).

  4. The eastern tribes agree to Joshua’s demands to help their fellow Israelites conquer the west side of Jordan before settling in their allotted cities. They promise to obey Joshua just as they obeyed Moses, and urge him to be strong and courageous to fulfill God’s calling on his life (vv. 16–18).