Joshua 4:1-9 ▼

1 And it comes to pass, when all the nation has completed to pass over the Jordan, that YHWH speaks to Joshua, saying,

2 “Take for yourselves twelve men out of the people, one man—one man out of a tribe;

3 and command them, saying, Take up for yourselves from this [place], from the midst of the Jordan, from the established standing-place of the feet of the priests, twelve stones, and you have removed them over with you, and placed them in the lodging-place in which you lodge tonight.”

4 And Joshua calls to the twelve men whom he prepared out of the sons of Israel, one man—one man out of a tribe;

5 and Joshua says to them, “Pass over before the Ark of your God YHWH into the midst of the Jordan, and each of you lift up one stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel,

6 so that this is a sign in your midst when your children ask hereafter, saying, What [are] these stones to you?

7 That you have said to them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off, at the presence of the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH; in its passing over into the Jordan the waters of the Jordan were cut off; and these stones have been for a memorial to the sons of Israel for all time.”

8 And the sons of Israel do so as Joshua commanded, and take up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as YHWH has spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, and remove them over with them to the lodging-place, and place them there,

9 even the twelve stones Joshua has raised up out of the midst of the Jordan, the place of the standing of the feet of the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, and they are there to this day.