Joshua 4:1-13 ▼

1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan (flowing down), the LORD {YHWH} said to Joshua (YHWH saves),

2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe,

3 and command them: ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan (flowing down) where the priests were standing, carry them with you⁺, and set them down in the place where you⁺ spend the night.’”

4 So Joshua (YHWH saves) summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites (God prevails), one from each tribe,

5 and said to them, (YHWH saves) “Cross over before the ark of the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem} into the middle of the Jordan (flowing down). Each of you is to take a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of Israel (he wrestles with God),

6 to serve as a sign among you⁺. In the future, when your⁺ children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you⁺?’

7 you⁺ are to tell them, ‘The waters of the Jordan (flowing down) were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD {YHWH}. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters were cut off.’ Therefore these stones will be a memorial to the Israelites (God prevails) forever.”

8 Thus the Israelites (God prevails) did as Joshua (YHWH saves) had commanded them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan (flowing down), one for each tribe of Israel, just as the LORD {YHWH} had told Joshua; and they carried them to the camp, where they set them down.

9 Joshua also (YHWH saves) set up twelve stones [that had been] in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood. And the stones are there to this day.

10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan (flowing down) until the people had completed everything the LORD {YHWH} had commanded Joshua (YHWH saves) to tell them, just as Moses (drawn out) had directed Joshua. The people hurried across,

11 and after everyone had finished crossing, the priests with the ark of the LORD {YHWH} crossed in the sight of the people.

12 The Reubenites (behold a son), the Gadites (troop), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) crossed over before the Israelites (God prevails), armed for battle as Moses (drawn out) had instructed them.

13 About 40,000 troops armed for battle crossed over before the LORD {YHWH} into the plains of Jericho (city of palms).