John Calvin Commentary Joshua 4

And it came to pass, and so forth. He now explains in more detail the brief and obscure allusion he previously made concerning the twelve men. He had said that they were chosen by God's command, one from each tribe; but, interrupting his discussion, he had not mentioned their purpose.

He now says that by Joshua's command they took up twelve stones and placed them in Gilgal, so that a distinct memorial might exist for future generations. Moreover, since he only relates what was done after the people's crossing, what is inserted should be interpreted in the pluperfect tense.

It is also very obvious that the copula (a linking word) is used instead of a rational particle (a word indicating reason). The main point is that before the priests moved from the middle of the river where they stood, the stones at their feet were taken and placed in Gilgal to be perpetual witnesses of the miracle, and that Joshua thus faithfully carried out what God had commanded.

Joshua, therefore, called the men whom he had previously chosen—though not without God's command—so that through this divine instruction he might have a stronger validation of his authority. For if Joshua had erected such a trophy on his own initiative, the piety that motivated it might indeed have been praiseworthy; however, an instruction based only on human will might perhaps have been despised.

But now, when God Himself raises the sign, it is irreverent to disregard it. He suggests, accordingly, that it was a monument deserving the greatest attention when he introduces the children asking, what mean these stones?

Then you shall answer them, and so forth. Although the stones themselves cannot speak, the monument nevertheless provided the parents with material for speaking and for making God's kindness known to their children.

And here, zealous efforts to cultivate piety are required of the elderly, and they are commanded to exert themselves in instructing their children. For it was God's will that this teaching should be handed down through every age, so that those not yet born, being afterwards instructed by their parents, might become witnesses to it from hearing, though they had not seen it with their eyes.

The stones were placed according to the number of the tribes, so that each might be moved to gratitude by its own symbol. It is true that the two and a half tribes who had obtained their inheritance beyond the Jordan did not, when considered apart from the others, have any personal need to make that crossing.

But since the land of Canaan was possessed by the others for the common good of all Abraham's descendants, it was fitting that those who were all engaged in the same or a common cause should not be separated from each other.

And although until now mention had been made only of twelve men, it is obvious from a short phrase that the divine command had been declared to the whole people, for it is said that the children of Israel obeyed Joshua's words. Indeed, it is even probable that representatives were elected by common consent to carry the stones in the name of the whole people.

And Joshua set up twelve stones, etc. Apparently, there was no use for stones under the water, and it might therefore seem absurd to bury stones at such a depth. The other stones, which were placed in Gilgal and were publicly visible, prompted inquiry; but stones hidden from people's eyes at the bottom of the water could have no effect in stirring their thoughts.

I admit that a monument entirely buried in silence would have been useless. But when they talked among themselves about the evidence of the passage left there, hearing about what they did not see strongly confirmed their faith. The ark of the covenant was kept in the sanctuary and covered by a veil placed before it; yet, its hidden splendor was still beneficial when they learned from the Law that the covenant of God was deposited in it.

It might also happen that, when the river was low, the tops of the pile would sometimes appear. But what I have already said is more probable: that even though Joshua buried the stones in the middle of the stream, he performed a useful act by establishing a testimony in the presence of the people, which would later become a topic of general conversation.

For the priests which bare, etc. If we are ordered to halt while others are hurrying, we know how easily a feeling of annoyance is produced, because we seem to be occupying an inferior position. The priests, therefore, are justly praised for their patience in calmly remaining alone at their post, while the whole people were swiftly hurrying on to the opposite bank. For they might have begun to feel doubtful, fearing that the heaps of water suspended over their heads might suddenly melt away and engulf them. They therefore demonstrated their piety as much by remaining there as by venturing to go into the opposing current.

Thus, in the first place, they displayed their ready obedience, and in the second, their constancy, making it clear that they had not obeyed from impulse alone. For their steadfastness, which is praised, must have originated from a living principle. It was a proof of modesty that they attempted nothing rashly, but regulated their whole procedure, as it were, in strict conformity to the word of God.

Although it is probable that Joshua was instructed by a new message from heaven about what needed to be done, he is, however, said to have followed what Moses had commanded. By this, I understand that Moses had carefully instructed him to depend on God's every word. Joshua was thoroughly obedient to this instruction and, accordingly, was always attentive to what pleased God. In short, the command of Moses mentioned here was general, but God gave specific instructions to Joshua as each situation arose.

And the children of Reuben, etc. He mentions the expedition of the two and a half tribes, since they did not set out to engage in warfare on their own account, but to assist their brothers, by whose valor their own possession had been obtained in seizing the land of Canaan. Moses had placed this obligation on them, and they had bound themselves by oath to accompany the rest of the people until all had obtained a quiet settlement.

They again made the same promise when the camp was about to be moved, as we saw in Joshua 1. But from the narrative here, we gather that only a part was selected, for the number amounts to only forty thousand—that is, a third, or about a third, of the number ascertained by the census taken shortly before.

Now, since they are everywhere said to have performed their promise, it may probably be conjectured that it was not Moses' intention strictly to insist that all who had assented should leave their wives and children and do military service in the land of Canaan until it was wholly subdued.

And certainly, it would have been harsh and cruel to leave an unwarlike multitude unprotected in the midst of many hostile nations. Nor would the remains of the enemy, assisted by neighboring nations, have long delayed in taking advantage of such an opportunity to avenge themselves by massacring the women and children.

It was necessary, therefore, in a country not yet sufficiently pacified, to permanently retain a force sufficient to prevent incursions. Moses was not of such a stern nature as not to provide for the helpless. Indeed, his prudence and equity would never have allowed him to leave a territory recently seized by arms unoccupied by a body of troops.

We may add that such an immense crowd would have impeded rather than assisted the acquisition of the land of Canaan. All that Moses required, therefore, was simply that the Reubenites and Gadites should not, while their brothers were engaged in carrying on the war, remain indolently at home and eat their food at ease without giving any assistance to those to whom they were indebted for having obtained the inheritance.

And the good faith of the forty thousand was proven by their not declining the burdens, toils, and perils of warfare, while the remainder of their own tribes were enjoying quiet. They might readily have alleged that they were as entitled as the others to exemption; but by proceeding with alacrity, after the levy was made, to obey the orders given them, without envying the immunity given to their brothers, they showed that they were voluntarily and heartily disposed to do their duty.

At the same time, it is not doubtful that by accepting the flower of their tribes, the basis for complaint and quarrel was removed. For it could not have been justly maintained that even the aged and worn out, or the young and feeble, were not to be spared. Some, perhaps, may be inclined to conjecture that the army was raised not by choice but by lot, though it seems more likely to me that all who were most robust and best able to bear fatigue were enrolled.

On that day the Lord magnified, etc. It was not indeed the primary purpose of the miracle to proclaim Joshua’s preeminence in power and authority. But since it greatly concerned the public interest that Joshua’s government should be firmly established, it is rightly noted as an additional instance of divine favor that he was, so to speak, adorned with sacred insignia to make him revered in the eyes of the people and to prevent anyone from presuming to despise him. For a disorderly multitude, not ruled by a leader, disintegrates and falls apart on its own. The Lord, therefore, to provide for the safety of His people, distinguished Joshua by a special mark declaring his calling.

From this passage we can learn that God specially commends to us all those through whom He displays His excellent work, and requires us to give them proper honor and reverence. When it is said that the people feared Joshua as they had feared Moses, if anyone should object that the statement is refuted by the many seditions and tumults they stirred up against him—not only unjustifiably but furiously—the answer is straightforward: this statement does not apply to the entire period from their departure out of Egypt. Instead, it refers only to the time when, subdued by plagues and humbled, they began to be properly obedient to Moses. For what is described here is a tranquil government, as if they had laid aside their former perverseness, especially when the rebellious parents were dead and a better generation had succeeded them. Consequently, we do not read that there was any difficulty in governing and guiding them. I will now only briefly refer to what I have already explained. For when Joshua at the beginning exhorted them to obedience, they said that they would be obedient as they had been to Moses.