Chapter 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 amongst 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 .’"