Joshua 4

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

And when the people had completely passed over Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,

2 “Choose twelve men, one from each tribe,

Take men from the people, one of each 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 charge them; and you shall take out of the midst of Jordan twelve fit stones, and having carried them across together with yourselves, place them in your camp, where you shall encamp for the night.

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

And Joshua having called twelve men of distinction amongst the children of Israel, one of each 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,

said to them, Advance before me in the presence of the Lord into the midst of Jordan, and each having taken up a stone from thence, let him carry it on his shoulders, according to the number of the twelve tribes 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 these may be to you continually for an appointed sign, that when your son asks you in future, saying, What are these stones to us?

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 may explain to your son, saying, The river Jordan was dried up from before the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth, when it passed it: and these stones shall be for a memorial for you for the children of Israel for ever.

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.

And the children of Israel did so, as the Lord commanded Joshua; and they took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, (as the Lord commanded Joshua, when the children of Israel had completely passed over, ) and carried these stones with them into the camp, 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.

And Joshua set also other twelve stones in Jordan itself, in the place that was under the feet of the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord; and there they are 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.

And the priests that bore the ark of the covenant stood in Jordan, until Joshua [had] finished all that the Lord commanded him to report to the people; and the people hasted and passed over.

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

And it came to pass when all the people had passed over, that the ark of the covenant of the Lord passed over, and the stones before them.

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.

And the sons of Ruben, and the sons of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasse passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses commanded them.

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

Forty thousand armed for battle went over before the Lord to war, to the city 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.

In that day the Lord magnified Joshua before all the people of Israel; and they feared him, as [they did] Moses, as long as he lived.

15 And he said to him,

And the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,

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

Charge the priests that bear the ark of the covenant of the testimony of the Lord, to go up out of Jordan.

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

And Joshua charged the priests, saying, Go up out of 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.

And it came to pass when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were gone up out of Jordan, and set their feet upon the land, [that] the water of Jordan returned impetuously to its place, and went as before over all its banks.

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.

And the people went up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month; and the children of Israel encamped in Galgala in the region eastward from Jericho.

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

And Joshua set these twelve stones which he took out of Jordan, in Galgala,

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?’

saying, When your sons ask you, saying, What are these stones?

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

Tell your sons, that Israel went 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.

when the Lord our God had dried up the water of Jordan from before them, until they had passed over; as the Lord our God did to the Red Sea, which the Lord our God dried up from before us, until we passed 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 nations of the earth might know, that the power of the Lord is mighty, and that you might worship the Lord our God in every work.