Twelve men, one from each tribe, each take a rock out of the Jordan from where the priests stood. They carried them until they made camp, and then made a memorial pile as an on ongoing testimony to God’s awesome power. Did Joshua make a second memorial in the Jordan itself? Possibly, but it’s also possible that verse 9 should be translated, “Joshua set up 12 stones that had been in the midst of the Jordan.” Although their location was still known as of the writing of Joshua, their location has been lost to antiquity. This is one of seven memorials mentioned in the book of Joshua (7:26; 8:28–29; 8:32; 10:27; 22:34; 24:26–27).
Thought for the day: This memorial had a two-fold purpose: (1) to be an ongoing witness of God’s power to the nations, and (2) to remind God’s people of the need to fear Him.
Acts 9:31 (WEB) “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.”
