Joshua 4:1-7 ▼

1 So it was when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua,

2 “Take for yourselves the twelve men [chosen] from among the people, one man from each tribe,

3 and command them, ‘Pick up for yourselves twelve stones [one each] from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm; carry them over with you and lay them down at the place where you will spend the night tonight.’”

4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe;

5 and Joshua said to them, “Cross over again to the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel,

6 so that this may be a sign among you; when your children ask later, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’

7 then you shall say to them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall become a memorial for Israel forever.”