Joshua 4

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

And it came to pass, when all the nation had made an end of passing over the Jordan, that Yahweh slake unto Joshua, saying:

2 Choose twelve men, one of every tribe:

Take unto you, from among the people, twelve men, one man severally from each tribe;

3 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.

and command ye them, saying, Take you up from hence, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where stood the feet of the priests with firm footing, twelve stones; —and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging-place where ye shall lodge, tonight.

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

So Joshua called unto the twelve men whom he had made ready, from among the sons of Israel, —one man severally out of each tribe;

5 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,

and Joshua said unto them: Pass ye over, before the ark of Yahweh your God, into the midst of the Jordan, —and lift ye up, each man one stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel:

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

that this may be a sign in your midst, —for your sons will ask in time to come, saying, What mean these stones to you?

7 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.

Then shall ye say unto them—That the waters of the Jordan, were cut off, from before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, when it passed into the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan, were cut off. So shall these stones become a memorial unto the sons of Israel, unto times age-abiding.

8 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.

And the sons of Israel did so, as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as spake Yahweh unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, —and carried them with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

9 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.

Twelve stones also, did Joshua set up in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where stood the feet of the priests who were bearing the ark of the covenant, —and they have remained there until this day.

10 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.

Now, the priests who were bearing the ark, continued standing in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished which Yahweh commanded Joshua, to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, —the people therefore hasted, and passed over.

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

And so it was, as soon as all the people had made an end of passing over, —then passed over the ark of Yahweh, and the priests, in presence of the people.

12 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.

Also the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh, passed over, armed, before the sons of Israel, —as Moses had spoken unto them:

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

about forty thousand, equipped for the war, passed over before Yahweh, to battle, into the waste plains of Jericho.

14 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.

On that day, did Yahweh magnify Joshua in the eyes of all Israel, —and they revered him, as they revered Moses, all the days of his life.

15 And he said to him:

Then spake Yahweh unto Joshua, saying:

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

Command the priests who are bearing the ark of testimony, —that they come up out of the Jordan.

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

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

18 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.

And it came to pass, when the priests who were bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the feet of the priests were withdrawn unto the dry ground, then returned the waters of the Jordan unto their place, and went, as before, over all his banks.

19 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.

So, the people, came up out of the Jordan, on the tenth of the first month, —and encamped in Gilgal, at the eastern end of Jericho.

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

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

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

Then spake he unto the sons of Israel, saying, —When your sons shall ask, in time to come, of their fathers, saying, —What mean these stones?

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

then shall ye let your sons know, saying, —On dry ground, came Israel over this Jordan;

23 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:

in that Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan, from before you, until ye had passed over, —as Yahweh your God had done unto the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had passed over:

24 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.

that all the peoples of the earth might know the hand of Yahweh, that, firm, it is; that they might revere Yahweh your God, all the days.