Joshua 4:21

Joshua 4:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
• New International Version (NIV)He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to the people of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in times to come, 'What do these stones mean?'
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’

Context of Joshua 4:21

19The people went up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped in Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 20Now Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. He told the Israelites, “When your children someday ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones represent?’ 22explain to your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.’ 23For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you while you crossed over. It was just like when the Lord your God dried up the Red Sea before us while we crossed it.

Joshua 4:21 word by word

וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר אֲשֶׁר֩ יִשְׁאָל֨וּן בְּנֵיכֶ֤ם מָחָר֙ אֶת־אֲבוֹתָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֖ה הָאֲבָנִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• shall askשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• their fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
• in time to comeמָחָרmâchâr · tomorrowH4279
• these stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68

Cross-references for Joshua 4:21

• Joshua 4:6The stones will be a reminder to you. When your children ask someday, ‘Why are these stones important to you?’
• Psalms 105:2Sing to him! Make music to him! Tell about all his miraculous deeds!
• Psalms 145:4One generation will praise your deeds to another, and tell about your mighty acts!

Commentaries on Joshua 4:21

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-24Verses 20-24 It is the duty of parents to tell their children betimes of the words and works of God, that they may be trained up in the way they should go. In all the instruction parents give their children, they should teach them to fear God. Serious godliness is the best learning. Are we not called, as much as the Israelites, to praise the loving-kindness of our God? Shall we not raise a pillar to our God, who has brought us through dangers and…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2420-24. those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal--Probably to render them more conspicuous, they might be raised on a foundation of earth or turf. The pile was designed to serve a double purpose--that of impressing the heathen with a sense of the omnipotence of God, while at the same time it would teach an important lesson in religion to the young and rising Israelites in after ages.Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 4:21

• Gilgal
• Instruction
• Stones

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Joshua (2)
• Joshua, Book of
• Priests and Levites

Commentaries on Joshua 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings