יהושע, פרק ד׳, פסוק ג׳

The mission given to the selected men required immense courage and unwavering trust in God. Standing before a massive, towering wall of water, the men faced the terrifying possibility that once the rest of the nation finished crossing, the waters might suddenly crash down and sweep them away. Recognizing this deep fear, the instruction to these men begins with words of urging and encouragement. This motivation was offered even before the specific details of the task were revealed, serving to strengthen their resolve and eliminate any dread of what was to come [אלשיך].

The practical instruction required the men to re-enter the Jordan River after they had already reached the safety of the other side [מצודת דוד]. Their target was not just anywhere in the riverbed, but specifically the very center, far from the edges or banks [מלבי״ם]. The exact location was pointed out to them directly [מלבי״ם]. They were to gather twelve stones, one for each man [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. These stones had to be taken from the precise, firm spot where the priests stood. In fact, the stones were extracted from directly beneath the priests, who had to lift their feet so the men could pull the stones from the riverbed [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].

Carrying these stones held a profound religious and historical purpose. The men were not simply transporting the stones to their first campsite for the night [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Instead, this action fulfilled a previous command given by Moses. On the very day they crossed the river, the men carried the stones all the way to Mount Ebal to build an altar, upon which the words of the Torah were written. After offering sacrifices and sharing a joyous meal, they dismantled the altar, gathered the stones once more, and carried them to their final lodging place in Gilgal [רש״י].