Joshua 4

1 It happened, when all the nation had completely passed over the Jordan, that Jehovah spoke to Joshua, saying,

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

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

Take men from the people, one of each tribe,

3 and command them, saying, 'Take up for yourselves from here, from the middle of the Jordan from the place where the feet of the priests stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place, where you will lodge tonight.'"

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

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

5 Joshua said to them, "Pass over before me in the presence of the ark of Jehovah 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;

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

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 then you shall tell them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah. When it passed 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 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 The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as Jehovah spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

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 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.

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 For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan, until everything was finished that Jehovah commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and 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 It happened, when all the people had completely passed over, that the ark of Jehovah passed over, with the priests, in the presence of 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 The descendants of Reuben, and the descendants of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to 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 About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war passed over before Jehovah to battle, to the plains of Jericho.

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

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

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 Jehovah spoke to Joshua, saying,

And the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,

16 "Command the priests who bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of 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 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, "Come up out of the Jordan."

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

18 It happened, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of Jehovah had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that 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 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 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and camped in Gilgal, on the east border 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 Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.

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

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?'

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

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

Tell your sons, that Israel went over this Jordan on dry land,

23 For Jehovah your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until you had passed over, as Jehovah your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had passed 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 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of Jehovah, that it is mighty; that you may fear Jehovah your God forever.'"

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.