Joshua 4

1 Now when all the nation had come to the other side of Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua,

And when they were passed over, the Lord said to Josue:

2 Take twelve men from the people, a man for every tribe,

Choose twelve men, one of every tribe:

3 And say to them, Take up from the middle of Jordan, from the place where the feet of the priests were resting, twelve stones, and take them over with you and put them down in the place where you take your rest tonight.

And 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.

4 So Joshua sent for the twelve men, whom he had ready, one man out of every tribe of the children of Israel,

And Josue called twelve men, whom he had chosen out of the children of Israel, one out of every tribe,

5 And he said to them, Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of Jordan, and let every one of you take up a stone on his back, one for every tribe of the children of Israel:

And 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,

6 So that this may be a sign among you; when your children say to you in time to come, What is the reason for these stones?

That it may be a sign among you and when your children shall ask you tomorrow, saying: What mean these stones?

7 Then you will say to them, Because the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the Lord's agreement; when it went over Jordan the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones will be a sign for the children of Israel, keeping it in their memory for ever.

You 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 atones set for a monument of the children of Israel for ever.

8 So the children of Israel did as Joshua gave them orders, and took twelve stones from the middle of Jordan, as the Lord had said to Joshua, one for every tribe of the children of Israel; these they took across with them to their night's resting-place and put them down there.

The 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.

9 And Joshua put up twelve stones in the middle of Jordan, where the feet of the priests who took up the ark of the agreement had been placed: and there they are to this day.

And 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.

10 For the priests who took up the ark kept there in the middle of Jordan till all the orders given to Joshua by Moses from the Lord had been done: then the people went over quickly.

Now 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.

11 And when all the people had come to the other side, the ark of the Lord went over, and the priests, before the eyes of the people.

And when they had all passed over, the ark also of the Lord passed over, and the priests went before the people.

12 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh went over armed before the children of Israel as Moses had said to them:

The children of Ruben also and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasses, went armed before the children of Israel as Moses had commanded them.

13 About forty thousand armed for war went over before the Lord to the fight, to the lowlands of Jericho.

And forty thousand fighting men by their troops, and bands, marched through the plains and fields of the city of Jericho.

14 That day the Lord made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel; and all the days of his life they went in fear of him, as they had gone in fear of Moses.

In 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.

15 Then the Lord said to Joshua,

And he said to him:

16 Give orders to the priests who take up the ark of witness, to come up out of Jordan.

Command the priests, that carry the ark of the covenant, to come up out of the Jordan.

17 So Joshua gave orders to the priests, saying, Come up now out of Jordan.

And he commanded them, saying: Come ye up out of the Jordan.

18 And when the priests who took up the ark of the Lord's agreement came up out of Jordan and their feet came out on to dry land, the waters of Jordan went back to their place, overflowing its edges as before.

And 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 the channel, and ran as they were wont before.

19 So on the tenth day of the first month the people came up out of Jordan, and put up their tents in Gilgal, on the east side of Jericho.

And 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.

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

And the twelve stones which they had taken out of the channel of the Jordan, Josue pitched in Galgal,

21 And he said to the children of Israel, When your children say to their fathers in time to come, What is the reason for these stones?

And said to the children of Israel: When your children shall ask their fathers, tomorrow, and shall say to them: What mean these stones?

22 Then give your children the story, and say, Israel came over this river Jordan on dry land.

You shall teach them and say: Israel passed over this Jordan through the dry channel.

23 For the Lord your God made the waters of Jordan dry before you till you had gone across, as he did to the Red Sea, drying it up before us till we had gone across:

The Lord your God drying up the waters thereof in your sight, until you passed over: As he had done before in the Red Sea, which he dried up till we passed through:

24 So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the hand of the Lord is strong; and that they may go in fear of the Lord your God for ever.

That 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.