4
1 When
all the nation
had completely
crossed over the
Jordan, the
LORD spoke to
Joshua, saying,
2 “Take
twelve men out
of the people,
a man out of
every tribe,
3 and
command them, saying, ‘Take
from out of
the middle of
the Jordan, out
of the place
where the priests’
feet stood firm,
twelve stones, carry
them over with
you, and lay
them down in
the place where
you’ll camp tonight.’ ”
4 Then
Joshua called the
twelve men whom
he had prepared
of the children
of Israel, a
man out of
every tribe.
5 Joshua said
to them, “Cross
before the ark of
the LORD 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;
6 that
this may be
a sign among you,
that when your
children ask in
the future, saying, ‘What
do you mean by
these stones?’
7 then
you shall tell
them, ‘Because the
waters of the
Jordan were cut
off before the ark
of the LORD’s
covenant. When it
crossed over the
Jordan, the waters
of the Jordan
were cut off.
These stones shall
be for a
memorial to the
children of Israel
forever.’ ”
8 The
children of Israel
did as Joshua
commanded, and
took up
twelve stones out
of the middle
of the Jordan,
as the LORD
spoke to Joshua,
according to the
number of the
tribes of the
children of Israel.
They carried them
over with them
to the place
where they camped,
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.
10 For
the priests who
bore the ark stood
in the middle
of the Jordan
until everything
was finished that
the LORD commanded
Joshua to speak
to the people,
according to all
that Moses
commanded Joshua;
and the people
hurried and passed
over.
11 When
all the people
had completely
crossed over, the
LORD’s ark crossed
over with the
priests in the
presence of the
people.
12 The
children of Reuben,
and the children
of Gad, and
the half-tribe of
Manasseh crossed
over armed before
the children of
Israel, as Moses
spoke to them.
13 About forty thousand
men, ready and
armed for war,
passed over before
the LORD to
battle, to the
plains of Jericho.
14 On
that day, the
LORD magnified
Joshua in the
sight of all
Israel; and they
feared him, as
they feared Moses,
all the days
of his life.
15 The
LORD spoke to
Joshua, saying,
16 “Command
the priests who
bear the ark of
the covenant, that
they come up
out of the
Jordan.”
17 Joshua
therefore commanded
the priests, saying, “Come
up out of
the Jordan!”
18 When
the priests who
bore the ark of
the LORD’s
covenant had come
up out of
the middle of
the Jordan, and
the soles of
the priests’ feet
had been lifted
up to the
dry ground, the
waters of the
Jordan returned to
their place, and
went over all
its banks, as
before.
19 The
people came up
out of the
Jordan on the
tenth day of
the first month,
and encamped in
Gilgal, on the
east border of
Jericho.
20 Joshua
set up those
twelve stones, which they
took out of
the Jordan, in
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?’
22 Then
you shall let your
children know, saying, ‘Israel
came over this
Jordan on dry
land.
23 For
the LORD your
God dried up
the waters of
the Jordan from
before you until
you had crossed
over, as the
LORD your God
did to the
Red Sea, which
he dried up
from before us,
until we had
crossed over,
24 that
all the peoples
of the earth may
know that the
LORD’s hand is
mighty, and that
you may fear
the LORD your
God forever.’ ”