Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
Then you should tell them, 'The waters of the Jordan River stopped flowing when the ark of the covenant of the LORD crossed over. When it went across the Jordan, the river stopped flowing, and these stones will be a permanent memorial for the people of Israel forever.'
This verse explains that the stones were set up as a permanent reminder to future generations of how God miraculously stopped the Jordan River so Israel could cross into the Promised Land.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred when Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land around 1400 BC. God had commanded them to take twelve stones from the riverbed and set them up as a memorial at Gilgal. This miracle paralleled Moses' parting of the Red Sea forty years earlier, demonstrating God's continued presence with His people under Joshua's leadership.
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