Joshua 4:9 describes a second pile of twelve stones that Joshua set up in the middle of the Jordan River, on the exact spot where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant had stood while Israel crossed on dry ground. The verse also notes that these stones were still there when the book was written, which is why it matters for understanding the whole story. The words were written by the Israelite tradition that preserved the book of Joshua, and they speak to the nation that had just entered the Promised Land.
Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.
Joshua 4:9 (WEB)
What Joshua 4:9 Means
The verse reports that Joshua placed twelve stones in the riverbed itself, marking the place where the priests stood. The priests were the ones who carried the ark, the chest that represented God’s presence among his people, so their position in the water is the focal point. The stones were not moved to the bank; they were left in the river bed, where they would be visible only when the water was low.
The verse also says the stones “are there to this day,” which tells the reader that the author knew of a lasting landmark. It does not explain every detail about how the stones looked or how long they lasted. It simply confirms that the memorial was still standing when the record was made, and that is all the verse promises.
The Context of Joshua 4:9
The book of Joshua is traditionally attributed to Joshua himself, though much of it was likely compiled later from earlier records. It tells how Israel, after forty years in the wilderness, crossed the Jordan River into Canaan under Joshua’s leadership. The original audience was the Israelite people, probably in the centuries after the events, and the book’s purpose was to show how God kept his promise to give them the land.
Verse 9 sits inside a larger account. Verses 6 and 7 explain that the first set of twelve stones, taken from the riverbed and carried to camp at Gilgal, were meant to answer children’s questions in the future. Verse 8 records that the people obeyed. Verses 10 to 12 then describe the priests waiting in the river until the whole nation had crossed. Read this way, the second set of stones in verse 9 is a companion memorial, marking the very place where God’s presence stood steady while the people passed.
Key Phrases in Joshua 4:9
Joshua 4:7
Then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the LORD’s covenant. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.’”
(WEB)
This verse explains the purpose of the first set of stones, showing that the memorials were meant to teach future generations about the crossing. Read together, it makes clear that the stones in verse 9 serve the same teaching purpose, pointing children to God’s faithfulness.
Exodus 14:21
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
(WEB)
This passage describes how God divided the sea for Israel during the escape from Egypt. Reading it alongside Joshua 4:9 shows that God’s pattern of making dry ground in the face of water runs from the Exodus into the entry to Canaan.
A Short Prayer From Joshua 4:9
Lord, you made a way through the waters for your people, and you gave them reminders they could see for years afterward. Help me to notice the ways you have carried me through hard places, and to set up reminders of your faithfulness that I can return to when fear rises. Keep my feet steady when I cannot see the other side, and teach me to trust that you are still with me in the middle of the river. Amen.
