Joshua 4 · Verse 6

Joshua 4:6

That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
Joshua 4:6, King James Version

Joshua 4:6 in other translations

BSBto serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
WEBthat this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’
ASVthat this may be a sign among you, that, when your children ask in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
YLTso that this is a sign in your midst, when your children ask hereafter, saying, What are these stones to you?
DARBYthat this may be a sign in your midst. When your children ask hereafter, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
BBESo that this may be a sign among you; when your children say to you in time to come, What is the reason for these stones?
WebsterThat this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

What does Joshua 4:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 4:6-7
6-7. That this may be a sign among you--The erection of cairns, or huge piles of stones, as monuments of remarkable incidents has been common among all people, especially in the early and rude periods of their history. They are the established means of perpetuating the memory of important transactions, especially among the nomadic people of the East. Although there be no inscription engraved on them, the history and object of such simple monuments are traditionally preserved from age to age. Similar was the purpose contemplated by the conveyance of the twelve stones to Gilgal: it was that they might be a standing record to posterity of the miraculous passage of the Jordan.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 This may be a sign - Stand as a continual memorial of this miraculous passage, and consequently a proof of their lasting obligation to God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 4:1-9

The works of the Lord are so worthy of rememberance, and the heart of man is so prone to forget them, that various methods are needful to refresh our memories, for the glory of God, our advantage, and that of our children. God gave orders for preparing this memorial.

Read the full comment on Joshua 4:1-9 →

Joshua 4:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לְמַ֗עַןle.Ma.'anso thatH4616
תִּֽהְיֶ֛הtih.Yehit may beH1961
זֹ֥אתzotthisH2063
א֖וֹת'ota signH226
בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑םbe.kir.be.Khemin midst yourH7130
כִּֽי\־ki-ifH3588
יִשְׁאָל֨וּןyish.'a.Lunthey will ask !H7592
בְּנֵיכֶ֤םbe.nei.Khemchildren yourH1121
מָחָר֙ma.ChartomorrowH4279
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
מָ֛הmahwhat?H4100
הָאֲבָנִ֥יםha.'a.va.Nim[are] the stonesH68
הָאֵ֖לֶּהha.'E.leh<the> theseH428
לָכֶֽם\׃la.Khemto <the> you

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 4:6

  • Exodus 13:14

    And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:

  • Joshua 4:21

    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?

  • Psalms 44:1

    To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

  • Deuteronomy 6:20-21

    And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you? Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:

  • Deuteronomy 11:19

    And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

  • Joshua 22:27

    But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord.

  • Isaiah 38:19

    The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

  • Psalms 71:18

    Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

  • Exodus 12:26-27

    And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

  • Isaiah 55:13

    Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

  • Psalms 78:3-8

    Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: …

  • Exodus 31:13

    Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a sign.
22:27; Ex 12:14; 13:9; 31:13; Nu 16:38; Isa 55:13; Eze 20:12,20
when your.
21; Ex 12:26,27; 13:14; De 6:20,21; 11:19; Ps 44:1; 71:18; 78:3-8
Isa 38:19; Ac 2:39
in time to come. Heb. to-morrow.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 4:5

    And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:

  • Joshua 4:6

    That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

  • Joshua 4:7

    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.

Read all of Joshua 4

Joshua 4:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Para que esto sea señal entre vosotros; y cuando vuestros hijos preguntaren á sus padres mañana, diciendo: ¿Qué os significan estas piedras?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		afin que cela soit un signe au milieu de vous. Lorsque dans l’avenir vos fils demanderont, disant: Que signifient pour vous ces pierres?
German
Elberfelder 1871		damit dies ein Zeichen unter euch sei. Wenn eure Kinder künftig fragen und sprechen: Was bedeuten euch diese Steine?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		ut sit signum inter vos: et quando interrogaverint vos filii vestri cras, dicentes: Quid sibi volunt isti lapides?