In memorie of their miraculous passage, twelue chief men, of the twelue tribes, •uke so manie great stones from the middes of Iordan, 9. and put other twelue, where the priestes stood with the arke. 18. The waters returne to their former course. And the twelue stones are erected for a monument.
1And when they were passed over, the Lord said to Josue:E quando ei fu passato, disse a Giosuè il Signore:VVHo being passed ouer, our Lord said to Iosue:Quibus transgressis, dixit Dominus ad Josue: 2Choose twelve men, one of every tribe:Prendi dodici uomini, uno per ogni tribù:Choose twelue men one in euerie tribe:Elige duodecim viros singulos per singulas tribus: 3And command them to take out of the midst of the Jordan, where the feet of the priests stood, twelve very hard stones, which you shall set in the place of the camp, where you shall pitch your tents this night.E comanda loro che prendano di mezzo al letto del Giordano, dove si sono fermati i sacerdoti, dodici durissime pietre, le quali voi collocherete nel luogo degli alloggiamenti, dove pianterete questa notte le tende.and command them that they take vp out of the middes of the chanel of Iordā, where the feete of the priestes stoode, twelue most hard stones, which you shal put in the place of the campe, where you shal pitch tentes this night.et præcipe eis ut tollant de medio Jordanis alveo, ubi steterunt pedes sacerdotum, duodecim durissimos lapides, quos ponetis in loco castrorum, ubi fixeritis hac nocte tentoria. 4And Josue called twelve men, whom he had chosen out of the children of Israel, one out of every tribe,E Giosuè chiamò i dodici uomini scelti tra' figliuoli d'Israele, uno per ogni tribù.And Iosue called twelue men, whom he had chosen out of the children of Israel, one of euerie tribe,Vocavitque Josue duodecim viros, quos elegerat de filiis Israël, singulos de singulis tribubus, 5And he said to them: Go before the ark of the Lord your God to the midst of the Jordan, and carry from thence every man a stone on your shoulders, according to the number of the children of Israel,E disse loro: Andate innanzi all'arca del Signore Dio vostro a mezzo il Giordano, e di lì portate sulle vostre spalle una pietra per ciascheduno, secondo il numero de' figliuoli d'Israele,and he said to them: Goe before the arke of our Lord your God to the middes of Iordan, and carrie from thence euerie man a stone on your shoulders, according to the number of the children of Israel,et ait ad eos: Ite ante arcam Domini Dei vestri ad Jordanis medium, et portate inde singuli singulos lapides in humeris vestris, juxta numerum filiorum Israël, 6That it may be a sign among you: and when your children shall ask you tomorrow, saying: What means these stones?Affinchè servano di monumento tra voi: e allorché per l'avvenire v'interrogheranno i vostri figliuoli, e diranno: Che significan queste pietre?that it may be a signe among you: and when your children shal aske you to morrow, saying: What meane these stones?ut sit signum inter vos: et quando interrogaverint vos filii vestri cras, dicentes: Quid sibi volunt isti lapides ?
7You shall answer them: The waters of the Jordan ran off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord when it passed over the same: therefore were these stones set for a monument of the children of Israel forever.Risponderete loro: Le acque del Giordano sparirono dinanzi all'arca del testamento del Signore, mentre ella lo valicava: per questo sono state poste queste pietre come monumento pe' figliuoli d'Israele in perpetuo.You shal answer them: The waters of Iordan decayed before the arke of the couenant of our Lord, when it passed ouer the same: therfore were these stones sette for a monument of the children of Israel for euer.respondebitis eis: Defecerunt aquæ Jordanis ante arcam fœderis Domini, cum transiret eum: idcirco positi sunt lapides isti in monimentum filiorum Israël usque in æternum. 8The children of Israel therefore did as Josue commanded them, carrying out of the channel of the Jordan twelve stones, as the Lord had commanded him according to the number of the children of Israel unto the place wherein they camped, and there they set them.Fecero pertanto i figliuoli d'Israele secondo il comando di Giosuè, e portarono di mezzo al letto del Giordano le dodici pietre secondo il numero de' figliuoli d'Israele, come avea loro ordinato il Signore, fino al luogo, dove piantarono gli alloggiamenti; e ivi le posarono.The children of Israel therfore did as Iosue commanded them, carying out of the chanel of Iordan twelue stones, as our Lord had commanded him, according to the number of the children of Israel, vnto the place, wherein they camped, and there they sette them.Fecerunt ergo filii Israël sicut præcepit eis Josue, portantes de medio Jordanis alveo duodecim lapides, ut Dominus ei imperarat, juxta numerum filiorum Israël, usque ad locum in quo castrametati sunt, ibique posuerunt eos. 9And Josue put other twelve stones in the midst of the channel of the Jordan, where the priests stood that carried the ark of the covenant: and they are there until this present day.Pose similmente Giosuè dodici altre pietre nel mezzo del letto del Giordano, dove si eran fermati i sacerdoti che portavan l'arca dell'alleanza: ed esse vi sono fino al dì d'oggi.Other twelue stones also Iosue put in the middes of the chanel of Iordan, where the priestes stoode, that caried the arke of the couenant: and they be there vntil this present day.Alios quoque duodecim lapides posuit Josue in medio Jordanis alveo, ubi steterunt sacerdotes qui portabant arcam fœderis: et sunt ibi usque in præsentem diem. 10Now the priests that carried the ark, stood in the midst of the Jordan, till all things were accomplished, which the Lord had commanded Josue to speak to the people, and Moses had said to him. And the people made haste, and passed over.E i sacerdoti che portavan l'arca, se ne stavan nel mezzo del letto del Giordano, per fino a tanto che fosser fatte tutte le cose, le quali il Signore avea comandato a Giosuè d'intimare al popolo, e le quali avea a lui dette Mosè. E il popolo si affrettò, e finì di passare.But the priestes that caried the arke, stoode in the middes of Iordan, til al thinges were accomplished, which our Lord had commanded Iosue, to speake to the people, and Moyses had said to him. And the people made hast, and passed ouer.Sacerdotes autem qui portabant arcam, stabant in Jordanis medio, donec omnia complerentur, quæ Josue, ut loqueretur ad populum, præceperat Dominus, et dixerat ei Moyses. Festinavitque populus, et transiit.
11And when they had all passed over, the ark also of the Lord passed over, and the priests went before the people.E quando furon passati tutti, passò anche l'arca del Signore, e i sacerdoti andavano innanzi al popolo.And when they had al passed ouer, the arke also of our Lord passed ouer, the priestes also went before the people.Cumque transissent omnes, transivit et arca Domini, sacerdotesque pergebant ante populum. 12The children of Ruben also, and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasses, went armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had commanded them.E i figliuoli di Ruben, e di Gad, e mezza la tribù di Manasse precedevano armati anch'essi i figliuoli d'Israele, come avea loro ordinato Mosè.The children of Ruben also and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasses, went armed before the children of Israel, as Moyses had commanded them:Filii quoque Ruben, et Gad, et dimidia tribus Manasse, armati præcedebant filios Israël, sicut eis præceperat Moyses: 13And forty thousand fighting men by their troops and bands, marched through the plains and fields of the city of Jericho.E in numero di quaranta mila combattenti divisi nelle loro bande, e quartieri si avanzarono nelle piane campagne della città di Gerico.and fourtie thousand fighting men by troupes, and bandes, marched through the plaine and champion countrie of the citie of Iericho.et quadraginta pugnatorum millia per turmas, et cuneos, incedebant per plana atque campestria urbis Jericho. 14In that day the Lord magnified Josue in the sight of all Israel, that they should fear him, as they had feared Moses, while he lived.In quel giorno il Signore esaltò Giosuè al cospetto di tutto Israele, perchè questi lo temessero, come avean temuto Mosè, quando era in vita.In that day our Lord magnified Iosue before al Israel, that they should feare him, as they had feared Moyses, whiles he yet liued.In die illo magnificavit Dominus Josue coram omni Israël, ut timerent eum, sicut timuerant Moysen, dum adviveret. 15And he said to him:E disse a Giosuè:And he said to him:Dixitque ad eum: 16Command the priests, that carry the ark of the covenant, to come up out of the Jordan.Comanda a' sacerdoti, che portano l'arca del testamento, che escano dal Giordano.Command the priestes, that carie the arke of the couenant, that they comme vp out of Iordan.Præcipe sacerdotibus, qui portant arcam fœderis, ut ascendant de Jordane. 17And he commanded them, saying: Come ye up out of the Jordan.Ed egli ordinò, e disse loro: Uscite fuor del Giordano.Who commanded them, saying: Come ye vp out of Iordan.Qui præcepit eis, dicens: Ascendite de Jordane.
18And when they that carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, were come up, and began to tread on the dry ground, the waters returned into their channel, and ran as they were wont before.E quando quelli ne furono usciti, portando l'arca del testamento del Signore, ed ebbero posati i piedi sulla terra asciutta, tornarono nel loro letto le acque a scorrere come per l'avanti.And when they that caried the arke of the couenant of our Lord, were come vp, and began to treade on the drie ground, the waters returned into their chanel, and ranne as they were wont before.Cumque ascendissent portantes arcam fœderis Domini, et siccam humum calcare cœpissent, reversæ sunt aquæ in alveum suum, et fluebant sicut ante consueverant. 19And the people came up out of the Jordan, the tenth day of the first month, and camped in Galgal, over against the east side of the city of Jericho.Or il popolo uscì dal Giordano a' dieci del primo mese, e piantarono gli alloggiamenti a Galgala all'oriente della città di Gerico.And the people came vp out of Iordan, the tenth day of the first moneth, and camped in Galgal against the East side of the citie of Iericho.Populus autem ascendit de Jordane decimo die mensis primi, et castrametati sunt in Galgalis contra orientalem plagam urbis Jericho. 20And the twelve stones, which they had taken out of the channel of the Jordan, Josue pitched in Galgal,E le dodici pietre prese dal letto del Giordano le posò Giosuè in Galgala,the twelue stones also, which they had taken out of the chanel of Iordan, Iosue sette in Galgal,Duodecim quoque lapides, quos de Jordanis alveo sumpserant, posuit Josue in Galgalis, 21And said to the children of Israel: When your children shall ask their fathers tomorrow, and shall say to them: What mean these stones?E disse a' figliuoli d'Israele: Quando una volta domanderanno i vostri posteri ai padri loro, e diranno: Che significan queste pietre?and said to the children of Israel: When your children shal aske their fathers to morrow, and shal say to them: What meane these stones:et dixit ad filios Israël: Quando interrogaverint filii vestri cras patres suos, et dixerint eis: Quid sibi volunt lapides isti ? 22You shall teach them, and say: Israel passed over this Jordan through the dry channel,Voi gl'informerete, e direte: Israele passò questo fiume Giordano, di cui il letto era asciutto,You shal teach them, and say: By the drie chanel did Israel passe ouer this Iordan,docebitis eos, atque dicetis: Per arentem alveum transivit Israël Jordanem istum, 23The Lord your God drying up the waters thereof in your sight, until you passed over:Avendone il Signore Dio vostro fatto sparire le acque dinanzi a voi, fino a tanto che foste passati:your Lord God drying the waters therof in your sight, vntil you passed ouer:siccante Domino Deo vestro aquas ejus in conspectu vestro, donec transiretis,
24As he had done before in the Red Sea, which he dried up till we passed through:Come avea prima fatto nel mare Rosso asciugato da lui, per sino a tanto che noi fossimo passati.as he had done before in the readsea, which he dried til we passed throuh:sicut fecerat prius in mari Rubro, quod siccavit donec transiremus: 25That all the people of the earth may learn the most mighty hand of the Lord, that you also may fear the Lord your God for ever.Affinchè tutti i popoli della terra riconoscano la man possente del Signore, e voi temiate in ogni tempo il Signore Dio vostro.that al the people of the earth may learne the most strong hand of our Lord, that you also may feare our Lord your God.ut discant omnes terrarum populi fortissimam Domini manum, ut et vos timeatis Dominum Deum vestrum omni tempore.
4:1
Haydock
Over. Hebrew and Septuagint, "clean, or entirely;" perhaps two million people, with all their possessions, had crossed the river on that day, the 10th of Nisan, leaving many of their brethren to cultivate and defend the eastern parts of the Jordan. (Haydock)
4:2
Salien
Choose. Hebrew, "take," as [in] Josue 3:12. Those twelve men were ordered to attend the ark, and to observe the miracle with care: these are chosen to carry the stones for the monuments. (Salien)
Haydock
Calmet supposes that they are the same people, and that the former verse might be translated, "the Lord had said." But this does not agree with the context. Hebrew, "and it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over the Jordan, that the Lord spake." The former injunction was given before they entered the river. Hebrew, "the ark passeth...Now therefore take," etc. (Haydock)
4:3
Calmet
Hard. The Hebrew term is referred by some to the priests, "from the station of the priests, prepared, or standing firm," (chap. 3:17,) by others to the stones, which were to be prepared, hard, or exactly twelve. (Calmet)
Menochius
The Septuagint have taken it in the latter sense, "twelve stones ready," or such as they might easily find, in the place where the priests had stood. They were of a flinty nature, (Haydock) that they might perpetuate the memory of this event. (Menochius)
4:5
Haydock
Of Israel, who had twelve sons. The same expression occurs [in] Deuteronomy 32:8., and must be explained of the immediate sons of Jacob, without including those grandchildren who might be born before his death. (Haydock)
4:9
Menochius
Day. Some hence infer that Josue did not write this book. But surely if he wrote it towards the end of his life, he might well use this expression, (Menochius) as St. Matthew does to denote a shorter term. The twelve stones at Galgal, and in the bed of the Jordan, at Bethabara, (Haydock) were probably each placed apart. See Exodus 24:4. (Menochius)
4:10
Calmet
To him. Moses had been dead forty days. But it seems this miraculous division of the Jordan had been revealed to him, and he had cautioned Josue to let slip no opportunity of attaching the people to God's service, by erecting monuments of religion, as he did on this occasion. (Calmet)
Salien
Haste. Though they were assured by the divine promise, they experienced a certain fear. (Salien)
Even the most constant are liable to such impressions. (Matthew 14:30.)
4:11
Calmet
People, who passed over 2000 cubits lower down, and always kept the same distance, till they arrived at Galgal. (Calmet)
4:12
Haydock
Them. (Chap. 1:14., and Numbers 32:28.) Forty thousand were only chosen. (Haydock)
4:13
Haydock
Bands. Hebrew, "prepared for war passed over, before the Lord, unto battle, to the plains of Jericho." (Haydock)
These formed the van-guard.
Calmet
Plains. Hebrew harboth, which is translated desert, Jeremias 52:8. A large plain, fit for pasturage, extended from the city to the Jordan, on the east side. (Calmet)
4:14
Haydock
In, etc. Josue recapitulates how this miracle established his authority, and how he was ordered to command the priests to come up from the midst of the Jordan, after the people had all got to the other side, and the stones were fixed, to denote where the ark had stood, like a wall, to hinder the waters from rushing down. (Haydock)
4:19
Calmet
Month of the ecclesiastical year. They had left Egypt on the 15th of Nisan, so that they had spent forty years, within five days, on their journey. (Calmet)
4:20
Calmet
Galgal. It received its name afterwards, Josue 5:9. It lay in a direct line from Jericho to the Jordan eastwards, being ten stadia from the former, and fifty from the latter place. Josue had his camp here while he subdued the kings of Chanaan, (Calmet) as it had plenty of water and wood in its environs; (Menochius) though perhaps at this time, there were no houses. Saul was here recognized king of all Israel, 1 Kings 11:14. Tertullian (contra Marc. iv.) supposes, that the twelve stones were placed on the ark, in arcam, which is not at all probable. (Calmet)
Haydock
But they might be erected in its vicinity, and that may perhaps be the meaning of the author. (Haydock)
4:25
Calmet
Earth, particularly of Chanaan. This miracle tends to inspire the enemy with fear and consternation, and to confirm the faith and hope of the Israelites. The obstinacy of the former was thus rendered more inexcusable. (Calmet)
4:6
Is not the forme of a crosse as conueniēt a signe, to put christians in mind, how our Sauiour redemed vs, as these stones were to the Iewes, how God brought their fathers ouer Iordan?
4:3
sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 1.18.4
… For they declare that the twelve sons of Jacob, from whom also sprung twelve tribes,— the breastplate of the high priest, which bore twelve precious stones and twelve little bells, —the twelve stones which were placed by Moses at the foot of the mountain, —the same number which was placed by Joshua in the river,
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 108.12
… Then entering Jericho she saw the city which Hiel founded in Abiram his firstborn and of which he set up the gates in his youngest son Segub. She looked upon the camp of Gilgal and the hill of the foreskins suggestive of the mystery of the second circumcision: and she gazed at the twelve stones brought thither out of the bed of Jordan
4:3
3. Praecipe eis ut tollant de medio Jordanis alveo, ubi steterunt pedes sacerdotum, — non praecise ex loco pedum, sed ex loco vicino. Nam versu 4 dicunt: « Ite ante arcam, etc., et portate inde singuli singulos lapides, » nimirum duodecim, ut significent duodecim tribus Israel juxta eos Jordanem siccum transisse. Hebr. addunt hachen, id est firmando, sive stato fixoque pedes, ut dixi cap. iii, vers. ult. Septuaginta to hachen referent ad lapides. Unde vertunt parietes, scilicet durissimos, qui durent ad multa saecula, ut Noster transtulit. Quos ponetis in loco castrorum, — in Galgalis, ut patet vers. 19 et 20.
4:6
6. Ut sit signum, — et trophaeum victi a vobis vinctique quasi Jordanis, indeque totius Chananaae, quod scilicet duodecim tribus Deo duce flumen hoc, indeque totam terram promissam miraculose superarint; secundo, ut sit signum easdem tribus a Deo conscriptas esse cives et incolas, adeoque haeredes ejusdem terrae; tertiam causam dat vers. 25: « Ut discant omnes terrarum populi fortissimam Dei manum. » Quartam ibidem: « Ut et vos timeatis Dominum Deum vestrum omni tempore, » ac posteros vestros doceatis Deum timere, amare et colere, qui tanto prodigio vos in hanc terram induxit, et inductos conservabit, quamdiu in ejus fide et cultu perstiteritis: quando autem ab eo defeceritis, ab ea expellet, uti illos expulit per Babylonios, ac deinde per Titum et Romanos. Disce hic quam rigide Deus exigat beneficiorum suorum memoriam, et gratos iis praemiet, ingratos iis privet et puniat. Cras, — id est, deinceps futuris saeculis. Hebraei enim per cras significant tempus futurum, sicut per heri et nudiustertius praeteritum. Est synecdoche et catachresis.
4:9
9. Alios quoque duodecim lapides posuit Josue in medio Jordanis alveo. — Hinc patet hos lapides non fuisse positos in ulteriori ripa Jordanis, ut contendit Masius, sed in medio Jordanis. Ita enim constanter vertit Noster et Septuaginta. Positi autem sunt iisdem de causis quibus priores extra Jordanem in Galgalis, ut scilicet Dei gloria et rei gestae veritas omnibus saeculis testata fieret, ac lapides hi ferientes assidue oculos Hebraeorum, mentibus eorum Dei beneficentiam, omnipotentiam, timorem et reverentiam jugiter repraesentarent. Positi autem videntur Dei, si non jussu, ut priores in Galgalis, certe instinctu, licet id Scriptura non exprimat. Poterant vero lapides isti esse monumentum, ac conspici notarique ab iis qui in ripa consisterent, praesertim decrescentibus aquis, quia erant lapides grandes, et Jordanis aquae purissimae maximeque perspicuae esse perhibentur, ait Abulensis et Arias. Denique non videntur lapides hi praecise in medio Jordanis collocati: ibi enim aegre videri potuissent, sed versus ripam, ubi conspici poterant. Nam to in medio idem est quod sub medium, versus medium, non longe a medio. Hos lapides designasse videtur S. Joannes Baptista, dicens, Matth. iii, 9: « Potens est Deus de lapidibus istis suscitare filios Abrahae. » Joannes enim baptizabat in Bethabara, ubi Jordanem transierant Hebraei. Erant enim hi lapides figura gentium, ignorantia Dei et errorum fluctibus obrutarum; sed tandem de imo vitiorum et tenebrarum alveo ad Ecclesiam, et filiorum Dei gloriam, a Joanne et Christo per baptismum suscitandarum. Ita Rupertus, Abulensis, Magalianus hic, ac Remigius, Anselmus et alii in cap. iii Matth., et Pineda in Job 1, vers. 1, num. 38. Denique Cajetanus opinatur hos duodecim lapides in unum acervum fuisse congestos. Verisimilius Abulensis, Serarius et Magalianus censent seorsim singulos fuisse erectos, ut innuit hic Scriptura, idque ad repraesentandum duodecim tribus Israel, quae per Jordanis alveum sicco pede transierant. Porro jussit Deus statui hoc monumentum divisi Jordanis, quia fuit opus admirabile et divinum. Celebrant historici Euphratis divisionem, quam primo fecit Semiramis; secundo, Cyrus; tertio, Alexander Magnus. Cyrus enim Babylonem expugnavit, Euphratem, qui eam interfuit, in fossas plurimas derivando, ac per siccum Euphratis alveum in urbem milites immittendo, teste Herodoto, lib. III, et Xenophonte lib. VII. At quot mensibus in his fossis effodiendis laboratum est? quantis impendiis? a quot hominum millibus? Josue vero Jordanem, inferendo duntaxat in eum arcam foederis, illico divisit siccavitque, ac per eum tricies centena millia hominum, cum tot millenis gregibus ovium, boum, asinorum, camelorum, equorum, curruum, etc., paucis horis traduxit, ac eodem die cum omnibus perrexit in Galgala, qui locus distat a Jordane quinquaginta stadiis, teste Josepho, lib. V Antiq. 1, hoc est sex milliaribus Italicis, id est, sex millibus passuum, et insuper ducentis et quinquaginta passibus. Simili modo Elias pallio suo percutiens Jordanem eum divisit, ac per divisum sicco pede transiit: idem fecit Eliseus IV Reg. Vide hic quanti Deus faciat suos fideles et sanctos, utpote qui in eorum gratiam flumina secet, et elementa caetera commutet. Simili modo sub finem mundi Angelus siccabit Euphratem, ut reges per eum transcant, Apoc. xvi, 12. Allegorice, transitum Jordanis apposite Origenes, Rupertus et Theodoretus, ac S. Gregorius, homil. 26 in Evang., applicant sacramento Baptismi et Poenitentiae, ac morti cujusque fidelis, de quo plura in fine capitis. Hinc et duodecim lapides in Jordane positos duodecim Patriarchas repraesentasse, alios vero in Galgalis locatos figuram gessisse duodecim Apostolorum asserit Rupertus. Sic et S. Augustinus serm. 106 De Temp., qui et causam addit: « Post mortem enim Moysis, sepultis Patriarchis Apostoli surrexerunt; sic et in Psalmo legimus: Pro patribus, inquit, tuis nati sunt tibi filii, constitues eos principes super omnem terram; sic sepultis Patriarchis, Apostoli nascuntur, quomodo sepulto seniore populo, junior populus Jesu duce in terram repromissionis inducitur. » Quin et Tertullianus, lib. IV Contra Marc. cap. xii: « Deprehendo, inquit, duodecim lapides ab Jesu de Jordane electos, et in arcam testamenti conditos. Totidem enim Apostoli portendebantur, proinde ut fontes et amnes, rigaturi aridum retro et desertum a notitia orbem nationum, sicut et per Isaiam: Ponam in terra inaquosa flumina. Proinde ut gemmae illuminaturi sacram Ecclesiae vestem, quam induit Christus pontifex Patris. Proinde ut et lapides solidi fide, quos de lavacro Jordanis Jesus verus elegit, et in sacrarium testamenti sui recepit. » Ubi adverte Tertullianum lapsum videri memoria, cum ait, duodecim hos lapides conditos in arcam testamenti: nil enim tale habet hic Josue, imo hoc erat impossibile; arca enim parva tot tantosque lapides capere non poterat. Forte Tertullianus, per in arcam intellexit ante arcam, vel coram arca, licet hoc non sat respondeat ejus antitypo de Apostolis, dum typum explicans subdit, per duodecim lapides in arca significatum esse, duodecim Apostolos in sacrarium Ecclesiae a Christo fore recipiendos.
4:10
10. Sacerdotes autem qui portabant arcam, stabant in Jordanis medio, donec omnia complerentur, quae Josue, ut loqueretur ad populum, praeceperat Dominus, et dixerat ei Moyses. Festinavitque populus, et transiit. — « Quae Josue, ut loqueretur ad populum, praeceperat Dominus, » scilicet ut tollerent duodecim lapides, eosque secum deferrent in Galgala, in perpetuum transitus monumentum, utque secure transirent per Jordanem in terram promissam, memores se Deum habere in arca praesentem et ductorem. Videtur ergo Josue Mosis imitatione et jussu, intra alveum Jordanis juxta arcam et sacerdotes consistens, transcunti et circumfuso populo beneficii illius memoriam inculcasse, legisque et praeceptorum Dei summam repetiisse, ac eorum custodiam acri exhortatione commendasse. Josue enim quasi ducem praecessisse populum cum arca, patet Deut. iii, vers. penult., ubi id ei Deus per Mosen praecepit, ac mox cap. iv, vers. 1 et seq., mandata sua populo inculcat. Idem ergo hic videtur fecisse Josue. Ita Arias et alii. Est autem hoc versu anacephalaeosis sive recapitulatio jam dictorum, sternens viam sequenti narrationi. Festinavitque populus, et transiit, — tum quia omnes eodem die paucis horis transire debebant Jordanem, et pergere in Galgala, ipsamque Chananaaam: erat autem populi turba copiosa et quasi innumera; tum quia infirma erat eorum fides, et pro se quisque verebatur ne horribilem illum aquarum Jordanis montem a dextris exstantem, et in aere quasi pendulum non sat cito effugeret. Festinabat ergo quilibet, et alius alium praevertere conabatur.
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11. Cumque transissent omnes, transivit et arca Domini, sacerdotesque pergebant ante populum. — Haec fuit rei gestae series et ordo. Sacerdotes cum arca praecesserunt populum per bis mille cubitos, primique ingressi Jordanem, deinde in medio ejus constiterunt, ac populus juxta arcam transiit; interim Josue eum exhortante ad Dei cultum et obedientiam, stetit arca, donec totus populus cum omnibus armentis et impedimentis transiret, ut eis fiduciam transeundi daret. Cumque omnis populus transisset, arca quoque reliquum Jordanis transiit, ac rursum tota Hebraeorum agmina praeivit per bis mille cubitos usque ad Galgala, ubi figenda erant castra, ut esset itineris dux, populi propugnatrix, et hostium terror. Ita Abulensis, Serarius et Salianus. Arcam sequebantur tribus Ruben, Gad, et dimidia Manasse, deinde caeterae novem tribus. Arca ergo quae prima transitum Jordanis coeperat, eoque fisso iter siccum patefecerat, ultima absolvit, rursumque populum praecedens illi se ducem praebuit, illi antelata velut solium regis Dei, vectaque humeris sacerdotum, quorum officium est exemplo suo aliis anteire. Audi Leonem Imperatorem in Tacticis duci belli in itineribus praecepta dantem, cap. ix, num. 12: « Sin admodum lubrica et difficilia loca fuerint, teipsum oportet primum eo transire, deinde ibi consistere et commorari, donec omnes sine offensione transierint. » Et num. 13: « Hoc enim patrem nostrum regem Basilium fecisse cognovimus, quando contra Germanicam Syriae civitatem copias duxerat, et Paradisum fluvium anticiparat, qui lampadibus in medio constitutis, ipse sua ipsius praesentia atque ope universum exercitum facile et sine offensione traduxit, qui saepe manum illis afflictis porrexerat, et quosdam ex periculis eripuit. »
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13. Et quadraginta pugnatorum millia. — To et significat, id est, q. d. Ex Rubenitis, Gaditis et Manassensibus quadraginta millia praecesserunt castra Hebraeorum in Chanaan. Unde Hebraea et Chaldaea carent to et; sic enim habent: Circiter quadraginta millia transierunt ante Dominum (id est ante arcam, vel potius coram arca consistente in medio Jordanis; Chaldaea, ante populum Domini) ad bellum versus campos Jericho. Sic alibi quoque accipi to et, ostendi Levit. VI, 1.
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15. Dixitque ad eum, — scilicet Deus ad Josue. Ex Hebraeo clarius vertas cum Masio, dixerat enim, vel dixerat autem ad eum. Est enim hic repetitio, sive enarratio clarior versus undecimi qui praecessit, ut quomodo in suum alveum revolutus sit Jordanis, apte recenseat, scilicet cum ultima arca, quae suspenderat, suspensumque detinuerat Jordanem, donec populus transiret, Jordanem transiit, illico aquae quasi officio suo circa arcam venerandam perfunctae, in alveum suum redierunt.
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18. Et fluebant sicut ante consueverant. — Hebraei addunt, per omnes ripas suas, hoc est, alveo pleno, imo exundante. Vide dicta cap. III, 15. Fluxit autem Jordanis uti prius, quia Deus molem illam aquarum in alto suspensam sensim demisit, ut per alveum suum deflueret suo cursu in mare Mortuum, sive in lacum Asphaltitem. Nam si Deus totam aquarum molem simul laxasset, illa omnia longe lateque obruisset, quin et castra Hebraeorum saltem ultima mersisset.
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19. Populus autem ascendit de Jordane decimo die mensis primi. — Hinc patet Hebraeos integros quadraginta annos peregrinatos fuisse in deserto, ac finiente anno quadragesimo transiisse Jordanem, et ingressos esse terram promissam, detractis quinque diebus. Exierunt enim ex Aegypto decima quinta die mensis primi, quo Pascha celebrarant, et agnum Paschalem immolarant; ingressi vero sunt terram promissam decimo die ejusdem mensis, eo quod ibidem circumcidi deberent ad celebrandum Pascha decima quinta die. Porro fallitur Torniellus, qui in Annal. scribit Hebraeos transisse Jordanem nona die mensis primi, ac in ripa Jordanis pernoctasse, mox sequenti mane diei decimae perrexisse in Galgala. Nam ascendere de Jordane hic idem est quod transire Jordanem, et pergere in Galgala. Utrumque ergo factum est eadem die decima, non nona mensis primi. Porro fuit hic annus a creatione mundi 2494, a diluvio 837, ab Abraham 543, quo Hebraei transmisso Jordane ingressi sunt Chananaaam, uti dixi in fine prooemii, juxta chronotaxim quam Genesi praefixi. Castrametati sunt in Galgalis, — id est, in loco, qui postea dictus est Galgala. Est prolepsis sive anticipatio; necdum enim huic loco inditum erat nomen Galgal, sed paulo post cap. v. Porro in Galgalis, ob loci opportunitatem, diutissime mansere Hebraeorum castra, ibique depositi fixique sunt duodecim lapides sublati e Jordane. Hinc patet lapides hos non fuisse positos in arca, uti ait Tertullianus, lib. IV Contra Marcion. cap. XII. Minus recte quoque R. Levi censet eos juxta arcam collocatos, cum eaque transferri solitos: depositi enim fixique sunt in Galgalis, ibique perpetuo manserunt, ut patet ex hoc versu, et ex versu 3; imo S. Hieronymus in Epitaphio Paulae, asserit lapides hos a S. Paula visos in Galgalis. Quare falsum quoque videtur quod ait Josephus, ex lapidibus hisce erectum fuisse altare, in eoque Josue sacrificasse.
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23. Siccante Domino Deo vestro aquas, — eas scilicet dividendo et suspendendo, ut siccus vobis ad transeundum maneret alveus: vel siccavit aquas Jordanis, id est, siccavit Jordanem ipsum, alveumque Jordanis. Nam aquae proprie non fuerunt siccatae, sed pars defluxit, pars altera in altum erecta fuit suspensaque.
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25. Ut et vos timeatis Dominum, — id est, Deum quasi Dominum vestrum rerumque omnium agnoscatis, ametis, veneremini, omnique reverentia et studio colatis. Hoc enim est signate, ut vertunt Septuaginta. Recte enim advertit Masius timoris nomine omnem religionem et cultum, piumque affectum erga Deum significari in veteri Testamento. Erat enim lex illa vetus timoris, sicut nova est amoris, nimirum, ut ille ait: « Primus in orbe Deos fecit timor. » Sic Levit. cap. xviii, vers. 14, dicitur: « Non maledices surdo, sed timebis Dominum Deum tuum, » id est, obedies Deo praecipienti ne maledicas surdo. Deut. vi, 13: « Dominum Deum tuum timebis, et illi soli servies, » illum amando, reverendo, colendo, laudando, gratias agendo, etc. Deut. x, vers. 12: « Et nunc, Israel, quid Dominus Deus tuus petit a te, nisi ut timeas Dominum Deum tuum? » ut timeas, id est, ut illum ames et colas. I Reg. XII, 24: « Si timueritis Dominum et servieritis ei. » Timet ergo Deum, qui illi debitam servitutem, id est latriam, obedientiam cultumque omnem exhibet. Tobiae cap. IV, ult.: « Multa bona habebis, si timueris, » id est colueris « Deum. » Psal. ii, 11: « Servite Domino in timore, et exultate ei cum tremore. » Psalm. xxxiii, 10: « Timete Dominum, omnes sancti ejus, » timore non servili, sed filiali, sicut filii timent offendere parentes, ne eis displiceant, scilicet ex amore, non ex timore; « quoniam non est inopia timentibus eum. » Psalm. cxviii, 38: « Statue servo tuo eloquium tuum in timore tuo. » Ibidem versu 120: « Confige timore tuo carnes meas, a judiciis enim tuis timui. »
Allegoria: Jordanis et Poenitentia Allegorice, sicut transitus prior Hebraeorum, quo duce Mose transierunt mare Rubrum, repraesentat baptismum, in quo sanguine Christi candidamur a peccatis antea commissis: sic transitus posterior Hebraeorum, quo duce Josue transierunt Jordanem, figurat poenitentiam ejusque Sacramentum, quo abluimus peccata post baptismum admissa. Primo, Jordanis est fluvius populi fidelis, qui ad radices Libani oritur, crescitque ex confluxu duorum fluviorum, scilicet Jor et Dan (unde Jordanis est dictus), indeque per amoenissimos campos labitur, ac tandem efficit lacum Genesareth, sive mare Galilaeae, ex quo rursum egrediens fertur in mare Mortuum, eoque absorbetur: quare Jordanis Judaeam et Judaeos disterminabat ab Arabibus, Moabitis caeterisque Gentilibus. Sic baptismus suscipitur ab infideli, eumque facit fidelem; poenitentia vero suscipitur a fideli, eumque perficit facitque sanctum. Secundo, sicut Hebraei, post transitum Jordanis, celebrarunt Pascha: sic post poenitentiam sumitur Eucharistia, in qua Christum quasi Agnum Paschalem manducamus. Tertio, sicut per Jordanem Hebraei ingressi sunt terram promissam: sic per poenitentiam ingredimur vitam sanctam, quae nos ducit in coelum. Quarto, « Jordanis » hebraice idem est quod fluvius judicii: talis est poenitentia, in qua poenitens est accusator sui, et sacerdos judex, juxta illud Pauli: « Si nosmetipsos dijudicaremus, non utique judicaremur; dum judicamur autem, a Domino corripimur, ut non cum hoc mundo damnemur, » I Corinth. xi, 31. Quinto, per Jordanem ibatur in desertum, uti per eum in eremum ivit Joannes Baptista poenitentiae dux et praeco, ac Christus, postquam baptizatus fuit a Joanne, ivit in desertum, ibique jejunavit quadraginta diebus, orationi et contemplationi vacans. Sic S. Maria Aegyptiaca, transito Jordane, ivit in solitudinem, ibique in summa abstinentia, sanctitate et oratione vixit per septem et quadraginta annos. Hinc ibidem frequentia magna exstitit Monasteriorum, sanctorumque Monachorum, Ascetarum et Anachoretarum, quorum duces et primipili fuere Elias, Eliseus et filii Prophetarum. Sexto, sicut Jordanis hic a Deo actus intumuit, et conversus est retrorsum: sic poenitens vitam commutat, ut qui prius terrena ambiebat, jam ambiat coelestia (uti explicat S. Augustinus illud Psalm. CXIII: « Jordanis conversus est retrorsum »), quae reipsa, si perseveret, consequetur, ac tum dicet cum Jacob: « In baculo meo transivi Jordanem istum, et nunc cum duabus turmis regredior, » Genes. XXXII, 10. Septimo, Naaman leprosus lavans septies in Jordane lepram abluit, IV Reg. v: sic peccator per poenitentiam expurgat lepram peccati. Rursum hic adapta septem mirabilia Jordanis, quae recensui Num. xxxiv, 12. Denique Jordanis fluvius nos tacite admonet omnia vitae hujus, tam prospera quam adversa, fluere, et illico praeterfluere: quare illa humiliter, haec fortiter esse superanda, ut utraque generose calcantes in coelum contendamus, ac mentem in beata aeternitate figamus; alioqui enim si fluxum Jordanis, id est, hujus mundi sequamur, illa nos secum vehet in mare Mortuum, ubi fuit Sodoma, id est, in Tartara. Rursum, sicut Hebraei, transito Jordane, cum Chananaeis assidue bella gesserunt, donec iis expulsis terram possederunt, sic et nos post poenitentiam et mutationem vitae, assidue cum septem vitiis capitalibus confligamus oportet, donec quietem terrae, id est, animae nostrae, hic in terris, ac tandem in coelis obtineamus. Quocirca Origenes hic, hom. 5: Transire Jordanem, inquit, est omnia implere, quae mandantur in Evangelio, ut omnibus terrenis nudati ad terram viventium in coelis tendamus, ac praesertim servemus illa quae octo beatitudinibus continentur, scilicet: « Beati pauperes spiritu, beati mites, beati qui lugent, » etc. Hinc S. Gregorius, lib. XXXIII Moral. cap. vi, explicans illud Job xli: « Et habet fiduciam quod influat Jordanis in os ejus, » illud attribuit sanctis qua diabolus devorare conatur: « Jordanis, ait, Hebraea vocabulo descensio eorum dicitur. Et sunt nonnulli qui viam veritatis appetentes, semetipsos abjiciunt, atque a vitae veteris elatione descendunt: cumque aeterna cupiunt, valde se ab hoc mundo alienos reddunt, dum non solum aliena non appetunt, sed etiam propria derelinquunt; et non solum in ea gloriam non quaerunt, sed hanc cum se obtulerit, etiam contemnunt. » Claudat agmen S. Bernardus, qui serm. ad milites templi, cap. ix, ait: « Quid in fluminibus isto (Jordane) eminentius, quod ipsa Trinitas sibi quadam evidenti praesentia dedicavit? Pater auditus, visus Spiritus Sanctus, Filius est baptizatus, » Matth. cap. iii.
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Le parti dell'A. nominate nel Vecchio Testamento sono: il Mar Morto (v.) jām ha-'arābhāh, « mare dell'A. » (Deut. 3, 17; 4, 49; Ios. 3, 16; 12, 3; II Reg. 14, 25; Volgata: « mare solitudinis »), 'arbhāth Jērīhā (Volgata: « campestria urbis Iericho »; Ios. 4, 13; 5, 10) e 'arbhāth Mō'āh (Volg.: « campestria Moab »; Num. 22, 1; 26, 3, 63; 31, 12; 33, 48 agg.).
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GIORDANO (EBR. JARDĒN, ARABO EL-URDUNN)
… 2, 1 sg.; Eccl. 48, 1-13): appare inoltre nel cofanetto di Werden e nel «rotolo di Giosuè», conservato nella Biblioteca Vaticana, e precisamente nell'episodio del passaggio del fiume da parte del popolo ebreo guidato dal successore di Mosè (Ios. 3, 7; 4, 14, 23).
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GALGAL, GALGALA (EBR. HAG-GILGÂL «IL CERCHIO»)
GALGAL, GALGALA (ebr. hag-Gilgâl «il cerchio»). - Primo accampamento degli Israeliti dopo il passaggio del Giordano (Ios. 4, 19) e base di operazione delle loro varie spedizioni per la conquista della terra di Canaan (Ios. 7, 10). Per i suoi ricordi - dimora dell'Arca, erazione del monumento delle 12 pietre …
… All'operato di Balaam « da S. (Num. 25, 1) fino a Gilgal (Ios. 4, 19 sg.) « allude Mi. 6, 5, ove però i « critici » dicono interpolati questi due nomi geografici.
TABERNACOLO (TENDA) DI RIUNIONE (EBR. 'ŌHEL, PER LO PIÙ SEGUITO DA MĒ'ĒDH: « T. DA CONVEGNO »)
… separatamente, ed il 1º giorno di nfsān del 2º anno dell'Esodo il T. fu eretto e consacrato da Mosè: la nuvola-gloria di Jahweh l'avvolse prendendone possesso (Ex. 40). Il T. seguì gli Israeliti nelle loro vicende dal deserto alla Terra Santa: in Galgala (Ios. 4, 19; 5, 10; 9, 6; 10, 6 sg. 9, 15, 43; 14, 6); in Silo (ibid. 18, 1; 19, 51; Iudc. 18, 31; 21, 19; I Sam. 1-4; 14, 3; Ps. 78, 60); in Nobe (I Sam. 21, 1); in Gabaon (I Par. 16, 39; 21, …
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… Il miracolo passaggio del Mar Rosso è tale fatto storico da non poter essere soppresso senza scuotere tutto l'edificio del Vecchio Testamento (Ex. 14; 15, 4; 22; Num. 33, 8; Deut. 11, 14; Ios. 2, 10; 4, 24; 24, 7; Ps. 105 [106], 8; Id. 11, 16; Neh. 9, 11; Sap. 10, 8; I Mach. 4, 9; Act. 7, 36).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Douai 1609-10), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.