Ver. 9. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan— Beside the monument which was erected in the lodging-place or camp, Joshua caused other twelve large stones to be placed in the channel of the river, exactly on the spot where the ark had stopped while the people crossed over; and the design of this was the same as of that in the camp. It may be asked, To what purpose was this invisible monument, for ever concealed under the waters of Jordan? We answer, perhaps these twelve stones were larger than the twelve former. It is no where said of these last, that they were carried upon men's shoulders. Perhaps they were heaped one upon the other, and thus formed a monument, visible when the waters were very low; though it may be a question, whether the rapidity of the flood would allow them to remain long in that position. Perhaps, too, these waters were so transparent, that the stones might be discerned, if not on the shore, at least in crossing the river by boat. And, lastly, it was not absolutely necessary that this monument should be visible. See Houbigant's note on the place.
And they are there unto this day— Hobbes, and those who think like him, are not the only persons who have concluded from these words, that Joshua was not the author of this book, but that it was written long after his time;
Masius and Grotius have thought the same. We do not see, however, why Joshua might not have added these words, on revising his book in the latter part of his life; which he probably did (see on Deuteronomy 10:5; Deuteronomy 11:4 and the learned Huet's Demonstr. Evang. prop. iv. c. 24.; or, indeed, the words in question might have been added by some author equally inspired by God. With respect to the fact itself, both the monuments set up by Joshua in memory of the passage through Jordan, if we may believe Eusebius and others, existed for many centuries after their erection.