| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, | 1When the entire nation was on the other side, the LORD told Joshua, |
| 2"Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, | 2"Select for yourselves twelve men from the people, one per tribe. |
| 3and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight." | 3Instruct them, 'Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.'" |
| 4So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, | 4Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per tribe. |
| 5and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, | 5Joshua told them, "Go in front of the ark of the LORD your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes. |
| 6to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' | 6The stones will be a reminder to you. When your children ask someday, 'Why are these stones important to you?' |
| 7tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever." | 7tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing. These stones will be a lasting memorial for the Israelites." |
| 8So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. | 8The Israelites did just as Joshua commanded. They picked up twelve stones, according to the number of the Israelite tribes, from the middle of the Jordan as the LORD had instructed Joshua. They carried them over with them to the camp and put them there. |
| 9Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day. | 9Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very day. |
| 10Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, | 10Now the priests carrying the ark of the covenant were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people was accomplished, in accordance with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people went across quickly, |
| 11and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the LORD and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. | 11and when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed as the people looked on. |
| 12The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. | 12The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed for battle ahead of the Israelites, just as Moses had instructed them. |
| 13About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war. | 13About forty thousand battle-ready troops marched past the LORD to fight on the plains of Jericho. |
| 14That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses. | 14That day the LORD brought honor to Joshua before all Israel. They respected him all his life, just as they had respected Moses. |
| 15Then the LORD said to Joshua, | 15The LORD told Joshua, |
| 16"Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan." | 16"Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenantal laws to come up from the Jordan." |
| 17So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan." | 17So Joshua instructed the priests, "Come up from the Jordan!" |
| 18And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before. | 18The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the middle of the Jordan, and as soon as they set foot on dry land, the water of the Jordan flowed again and returned to flood stage. |
| 19On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. | 19The people went up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped in Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. |
| 20And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. | 20Now Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. |
| 21He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their parents, 'What do these stones mean?' | 21He told the Israelites, "When your children someday ask their fathers, 'What do these stones represent?' |
| 22tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' | 22explain to your children, 'Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.' |
| 23For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. | 23For the LORD your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you while you crossed over. It was just like when the LORD your God dried up the Red Sea before us while we crossed it. |
| 24He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God." | 24He has done this so all the nations of the earth might recognize the LORD's power and so you might always obey the LORD your God." |
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