Joshua 4

1 And when they had crossed over, the Lord said to Joshua:

When all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

2 “Choose twelve men, one from each tribe,

“Take twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe,

3 and instruct them so that they may take from the midst of the channel of the Jordan, where the feet of the priests stood still, twelve very hard stones, which you shall station in the place of the camp, where you will pitch your tents this night.”

and command them, saying, ‘Take from out of the middle of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you’ll camp tonight.’”

4 And Joshua called twelve men, whom he had chosen from the sons of Israel, one from each tribe,

Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, a man out of every tribe.

5 and he said to them: “Go before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and let each one carry from there one stone on your shoulders, according to the number of the sons of Israel,

Joshua said to them, “Cross before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;

6 so that it may be a sign among you. And when your sons will ask you, tomorrow, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’

that this may be a sign amongst you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’

7 you shall respond to them: ‘The waters of the Jordan failed before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, when the ark crossed over it. For this reason, these stones were placed as a monument for the sons of Israel, even forever.’”

then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the LORD’s covenant. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.’”

8 Therefore, the sons of Israel did as Joshua instructed them, carrying twelve stones from the midst of the channel of the Jordan, just as the Lord had ordered him, according to the number of the sons of Israel, as far as the place where they made camp, and there they stationed them.

The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel. They carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there.

9 Similarly, Joshua positioned another twelve stones in the middle of the channel of the Jordan, where the priests stood who were carrying the ark of the covenant; and they are there, even to the present day.

Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.

10 Now the priests who were carrying the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was accomplished which the Lord had instructed Joshua to speak to the people and which Moses had said to him. And the people hurried, and they passed over.

For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over.

11 And when they had all crossed, the ark of the Lord also crossed, and the priests advanced before the people.

When all the people had completely crossed over, the LORD’s ark crossed over with the priests in the presence of the people.

12 Likewise, the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh advanced with weapons before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had instructed them.

The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them.

13 And forty thousand fighters, by companies and divisions, advanced through the plains and fields of the city of Jericho.

About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war, passed over before the LORD to battle, to the plains of Jericho.

14 In that day, the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel, so that they would fear him, just as they had feared Moses while he lived.

On that day, the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

15 And he said to him,

The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

16 “Command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant to ascend from the Jordan.”

“Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, that they come up out of the Jordan.”

17 And he commanded them, saying, “Ascend from the Jordan.”

Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up out of the Jordan!”

18 And when those who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord had ascended, and they began to step on dry soil, the waters returned to their channel, and they flowed as they usually did before.

When the priests who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet had been lifted up to the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.

19 Now the people ascended from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal, opposite the eastern portion of the city of Jericho.

The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.

20 Likewise, the twelve stones that they had taken up from the channel of the Jordan, Joshua stationed at Gilgal.

Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.

21 And he said to the sons of Israel: “When your sons will question their fathers, tomorrow, and they will say to them, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’

He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean?’

22 you shall teach them, and you shall say: ‘Israel passed over this Jordan, through the dry channel.’

Then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

23 For the Lord your God dried up its waters in your sight, until you crossed over, just as he had done before, at the Red Sea, which he dried up until we crossed over.

For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had crossed over,

24 So may all the peoples of the earth learn of the very powerful hand of the Lord. So may you also fear the Lord your God for all time.”

that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is mighty, and that you may fear the LORD your God forever.’”