Joshua 4

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

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

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

“Choose twelve men, one from 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 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.”

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

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

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

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?'

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?’

7 then you shall tell them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of YHWH. 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.'"

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.’”

8 The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as YHWH 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.

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.

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.

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.

10 For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan, until everything was finished that YHWH commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over.

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.

11 It happened, when all the people had completely passed over, that the ark of YHWH passed over, with the priests, in the presence of the people.

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

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.

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.

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

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

14 On that day, YHWH 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 in the sight of all Israel, so that they would fear him, just as they had feared Moses while he lived.

15 YHWH spoke to Joshua, saying,

And he said to him,

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

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

17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, "Come up out of the Jordan."

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

18 It happened, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of YHWH 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 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.

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.

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.

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

Likewise, the twelve stones that they had taken up from the channel of the Jordan, Joshua stationed at 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 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?’

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

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

23 For YHWH your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until you had passed over, as YHWH your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had passed over;

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.

24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of YHWH, that it is mighty; that you may fear YHWH your God forever.'"

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.”