Joshua 4

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

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

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.

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 said unto them: Pass ye over, before the ark of God 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:

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?

Then shall ye say unto them—That the waters of the Jordan, were cut off, from before the ark of the covenant of God, 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.

And the sons of Israel did so, as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as spake God 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.

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.

Now, the priests who were bearing the ark, continued standing in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished which God commanded Joshua, to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua,—the people therefore hasted, and passed over.

And so it was, as soon as all the people had made an end of passing over,—then passed over the ark of God, and the priests, in presence of the people.

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:

about forty thousand, equipped for the war, passed over before God, to battle, into the waste plains of Jericho.

On that day, did God magnify Joshua in the eyes of all Israel,—and they revered him, as they revered Moses, all the days of his life.

Then spake God unto Joshua, saying:

Command the priests who are bearing the ark of testimony,—that they come up out of the Jordan.

So Joshua commanded the priests, saying,—Come ye up out of the Jordan.

And it came to pass, when the priests who were bearing the ark of the covenant of God 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.

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.

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

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?

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

in that God your God dried up the waters of the Jordan, from before you, until ye had passed over,—as God your God had done unto the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had passed over:

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