Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
Joshua 4:19
And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and
encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
The crossing took place on the tenth day of the first month, that is to say, on the same
day on which, forty years before, Israel had begun to prepare for going out of Egypt
by setting apart the paschal lamb (Ex 12:3). After crossing the river, the people
encamped at Gilgal, on the eastern border of the territory of Jericho. The place of
encampment is called Gilgal proleptically in vv. 19 and 20 (see at Josh 5:9).
Joshua 4:20-24
And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
There Joshua set up the twelve stones, which they had taken over with them out of
the Jordan, and explained to the people at the same time the importance of this
memorial to their descendants (vv. 21, 22), and the design of the miracle which had
been wrought by God (v. 24). On vv. 21, 22, see vv. 6, 7. 'asher (OT:834) (v. 23),
quod , as (see Deut 2:22). The miracle itself, like the similar one at the Dead Sea, had
a double intention, viz., to reveal to the Canaanites the omnipotence of the God of
Israel, the strong hand of the Lord (compare Ex 14:4,18, with Josh 6:6; and for the
expression "the hand of the Lord is mighty," see Ex 3:19; 6:1, etc.), and to serve as an
impulse to the Israelites to fear the Lord their God always (see at Ex 14:31).
Circumcision of the People, and Celebration of the Passover at Gilgal.
Ch. 5:1-12.
When the Israelites had trodden the soil of Canaan, Joshua began immediately to
make arrangements for conquering the land, and destroying its inhabitants. As the
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