Joshua 4

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

When all the people crossed over the Jordan, Yahweh said to Joshua,

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

“Choose twelve men for yourselves from among the people, one man from each tribe.

3 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.’”

Give them this command: 'Take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests are standing on the dry ground, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you will spend the night tonight.'”

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

Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had chosen from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

5 Joshua said to them, “Cross before the ark of Yahweh 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;

Joshua said to them, “Go over before the ark of Yahweh your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel.

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

This will be a sign in your midst for you when your children ask in days to come, 'What do these stones mean to you?'

7 then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of Yahweh’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.’”

Then you will say to them, 'The waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones will be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.'”

8 The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as Yahweh 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.

The people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded, and they picked up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, as Yahweh said to Joshua. They set the stones up according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel. They carried the stones with them, over to the place where they camped and they set them down there.

9 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.

Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan River, in the place where the feet of the priests that carried the ark of the covenant stood. The memorial is there to this day.

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

The priests that carried the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything that Yahweh commanded Joshua to tell the people was completed, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people hurried and they crossed over.

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

When all the people had finished crossing over, the ark of Yahweh and the priests crossed over before the people.

12 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.

The tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh passed before the people of Israel formed up as an army, just as Moses said to them.

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

About forty thousand men equipped for war passed before Yahweh, for battle on the plains of Jericho.

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

On that day Yahweh made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel. They honored him—just as they honored Moses— all his days.

15 Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,

Then Yahweh spoke to Joshua,

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

“Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.”

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

So, Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

18 When the priests who bore the ark of Yahweh’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.

When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of their feet were lifted up out on dry ground, then the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed its banks, just as they were four days before.

19 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.

The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. They stayed in Gilgal, east of Jericho.

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

The twelve stones that they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal.

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

He said to the people of Israel, “When your descendants ask their fathers in times to come, 'What are these stones?'

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

Tell your children, 'This is where Israel crossed over the Jordan on dry ground.'

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

Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you, until you had crossed over, just as Yahweh your God did to the Sea of Reeds, which he dried up for us until we passed over,

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

so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of Yahweh is mighty, and that you will honor Yahweh your God forever.”