Joshua 4

1 And whanne thei weren passid ouer, the Lord seide to Josue,

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

2 Chese thou twelue men,

“Choose twelve men, one from each tribe,

3 by ech lynage o man, and comaunde thou to hem, that thei take fro the myddis of the trow of Jordan, where the `feet of preestis stoden, twelue hardiste stoonys; whiche thou schalt sette in the place of castels, where ye schulen sette tentis in this nyyt.

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 And Josue clepide twelue men, whiche he hadde chose of the sones of Israel, of ech lynage o man;

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

5 and he seide to hem, Go ye bifore the arke of youre Lord God to the myddis of Jordan, and bere ye fro thennus in youre schuldris ech man o stoon, bi the noumbre of the sones 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 it be a signe bitwixe you. And whanne youre sones schulen axe you to morewe, that is, in tyme `to comynge, and schulen seie, What wolen these stonus `to hem silf?

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 ye schulen answere to hem, The watris of Jordan failiden bifor the arke of boond of pees of the Lord, whanne the arke passide Jordan; therfor these stoonus ben set in to mynde of the sones of Israel, til in to withouten ende.

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 Therfor the sones of Israel diden as Josue comaundide to hem, and baren fro the myddis of the trow of Jordan twelue stoonys, as the Lord comaundide to hem, bi the noumbre of the sones of Israel, `til to the place in which thei settiden tentis; and there thei puttiden tho stonys.

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 Also Josue puttide othire twelue stoonys in the myddis of the trow of Jordan, where the preestis stoden, that baren the arke of boond of pees of the Lord; and tho stoonys ben there `til in to present dai.

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 Forsothe the preestis, that baren the arke, stoden in the myddis of Jordan, til alle thingis weren fillid, whiche the Lord comaundide, that Josue schulde speke to the puple, as Moises hadde seide to hym. And the puple hastide, and passide.

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 whanne alle men hadden passid, also the arke of the Lord passide, and the preestis yeden bifor the puple.

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

12 Also the sones of Ruben, and of Gad, and half the lynage of Manasse, yeden armed bifor the sones of Israel, as Moyses comaundide to hem.

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 And fourti thousynde of fiyters yeden bi her cumpanyes and gaderyngis on the pleyn and feeldi places of the citee of Jerico.

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

14 In that day the Lord magnyfiede Josue bifor al Israel, that thei schulden drede hym, as thei dreden Moises, while he lyuede yit.

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 And the Lord seide to Josue,

And he said to him,

16 Comaunde thou to the preestis that beren the arke of boond of pees, that thei stie fro Jordan.

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

17 And Josue comaundide to hem, and seide, Stie ye fro Jordan.

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

18 And whanne thei hadden stied, berynge the arke of boond of pees of the Lord, and hadde bigunne to trede on the drie erthe, the watris turneden ayen in to her trowe, and flowiden, as tho weren wont 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 Forsothe the puple stiede fro Jordan in the tenthe dai of the firste monethe, and thei settiden tentis in Galgalis, ayens the eest coost of the citee of Jerico.

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 Also Josue puttide in Galgalis the twelue stonys, whiche thei hadden take fro the trow of Jordan.

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

21 And he seide to the sones of Israel, Whanne youre sones schulen axe to morewe her fadris, and schulen seie to hem, What wolen these stoonys `to hem silf?

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 ye schulen teche hem, and ye schulen seie, We passiden this Jordan bi the drie botme,

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

23 for oure Lord God driede the watris therof in oure siyt, til we passiden, as he dide bifore in the Reed See, which he driede while we passiden,

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 alle the puplis of londis lurne the strongeste hond of the Lord, that also ye drede youre Lord God in al tyme.

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.”