1 N ow when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying,

When all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,

2 “ Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe,

“Take twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe,

3 a nd command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.’”

and command them, saying, ‘Take from out of the middle of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you’ll camp tonight.’”

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

Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, a man out of every tribe.

5 a nd Joshua said to them, “ Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle 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.

Joshua said to them, “Cross before the ark of Yahweh your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;

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

that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’

7 t hen you shall say to them, ‘Because 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 to the sons of Israel forever.”

then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of Yahweh’s covenant. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.’”

8 T hus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there.

The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as Yahweh spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel. They carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there.

9 T hen Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.

Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.

10 F or the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed;

For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan, until everything was finished that Yahweh commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over.

11 a nd when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed before the people.

When all the people had completely crossed over, Yahweh’s ark crossed over, with the priests, in the presence of the people.

12 T he sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle array before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them;

The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them.

13 a bout 40, 000 equipped for war, crossed for battle before the Lord to the desert plains of Jericho.

About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war passed over before Yahweh to battle, to the plains of Jericho.

14 O n that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; so that they revered him, just as they had revered Moses all the days of his life.

On that day, Yahweh magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

15 N ow the Lord said to Joshua,

Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,

16 “ Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony that they come up from the Jordan.”

“Command the priests who bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Jordan.”

17 S o Joshua commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.”

Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up out of the Jordan!”

18 I t came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before.

When the priests who bore the ark of Yahweh’s covenant had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet had been lifted up to the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.

19 N ow the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho.

The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.

20 T hose twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.

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

21 H e said to the sons of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’

He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean?’

22 t hen you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’

Then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

23 F or the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed;

For Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until you had crossed over, as Yahweh your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had crossed over;

24 t hat all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

that all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh’s hand is mighty; that you may fear Yahweh your God forever.’”