Inquiry:
Did Joshua remove the twelve stones from the Jordan River? Joshua 4:20 says that he took them to Gilgal, but Joshua 4:9 says they are still there. Is there a contradiction?
Response:
If the questioner had read carefully through the text of Joshua 4, it would have been noted that there are not just twelve stones spoken of in the text, but in fact twenty-four.
God commanded:
Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.(Joshua 4:3)
The stones were not from the east bank of the river, but from the riverbed. They would be set up as a memorial at Gilgal. Joshua reiterated the command to the 12 men who were selected:
Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder…(Joshua 4:5)
God’s command is in verse 3, Joshua restated it in verse 5, and the men obeyed it in verse 8. There, we read:
…the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the LORD had spoken to Joshua…(Joshua 4:8)
If the 12 stones were taken out of the Jordan and set up at Gilgal (verse 3, 6-8, 19-24), what are the 12 stones in verse 9? They are a different set of stones. These were not taken from the river bed to Gilgal, but were set up in the midst of the river by Joshua. Twenty-four, not twelve stones are spoken of in the text.
There is no contradiction.
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