Joshua 4

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

And it came to pass, when all the people had finished passing over the Jordan, That the Lord said unto Joshua, as followeth,

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

Take yourselves twelve men out of the people, one man each out of every 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 will camp tonight.’”

And command ye them, saying, Take yourselves hence out of the midst of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firmly, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging-place, where ye will lodge this night.

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

Then did Joshua call the twelve men, whom he had appointed out of the children of Israel, one man each out of every tribe:

5 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;

And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take yourselves up every man one stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children 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?’

In order that this may be a sign among you, when your children ask in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

7 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.’”

That ye shall answer them, That the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off; and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

8 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.

And the children of Israel did so as Joshua had commanded; and they took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid 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.

Twelve stones also did Joshua set up in the midst of the Jordan, on the spot where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant had stood: and they have remained there unto this day.

10 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.

But the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until every thing was finished that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people hastened and passed over.

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

And it came to pass, when all the people had finished passing over, that the ark of the Lord passed over with the priests in the presence of 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.

And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Menasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken unto them:

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

About forty thousand ready armed for war, did they pass over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.

14 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.

On that day the Lord made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.

15 The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

And the Lord said unto Joshua, as followeth,

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

Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Jordan.

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

And Joshua commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of the Jordan.

18 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.

And it came to pass, when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of the Jordan, the soles of the feet of the priests were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all its banks, as on the preceding days.

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.

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

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

And those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, did 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?’

And he said unto the children of Israel, thus, When your children shall ask in time to come their fathers, saying, What mean these stones?

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

Then shall ye let your children know, saying, On dry land did Israel pass over this Jordan;

23 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,

That the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over;

24 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.’”

In order that all the nations of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty; in order that ye may fear the Lord your God all the days.