Joshua 4

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

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

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

“Choose twelve men, one from each tribe,

3 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.

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 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;

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

5 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:

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 in your midst, —for your sons will ask in time to come, saying, What mean these stones to you?

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

12 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:

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, equipped for the war, passed over before Yahweh, to battle, into the waste 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, did Yahweh magnify Joshua in the eyes of all Israel, —and they revered him, as they revered 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 Then spake Yahweh unto Joshua, saying:

And he said to him,

16 Command the priests who are bearing the ark of 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 So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, —Come ye up out of the Jordan.

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

18 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.

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 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.

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

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

21 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?

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

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

23 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:

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

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.”