יהושע, פרק ד׳, פסוק א׳

The crossing of the Jordan River culminates in a moment of national completeness, setting the stage for instructions on how to memorialize the great miracle for future generations. There is a discussion regarding the exact timing of God's command to Joshua. While some suggest the instructions were given before the crossing began, the primary approach among commentators is that God waited until the entire nation had safely reached the opposite bank before He spoke [אלשיך, אברבנאל].

This delay was deeply intentional. Once the Israelites were standing securely on dry land, their hearts were settled and their faith in the miracle was fully established. Only in this confident state of mind were they ready for the next challenging step: sending twelve representatives back into the dry riverbed to retrieve stones from the exact spot where the priests were standing [אברבנאל].

The focus on the entire nation completing the journey highlights the careful divine providence over every single individual in the camp. The Ark of the Covenant remained in the middle of the river, holding back the rushing waters until the very last person, including the woodchoppers and water drawers, had crossed in complete safety [חומת אנך]. Furthermore, because the Israelite camp was massive, it was impossible for everyone to see the parting of the waters up close. To ensure the event was properly observed, Joshua had prepared twelve representatives in advance to stand near the Ark and serve as direct witnesses to the miracle [אלשיך].

Following a formal pause in the written tradition of the text—serving as a moment of stillness before the divine address [מנחת שי]—Joshua was instructed to pass God's command onward to the Israelites and the men selected for the task [רד״ק].