1 W hen all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,

When all the nation had crossed the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua,

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

“Choose twelve men from the people, one man from each family.

3 a nd 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.’”

Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan. Take them from the place where the religious leaders’ feet are standing. Carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you stay tonight.’”

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

So Joshua called the twelve men he had chosen from the sons of Israel, one man from each family.

5 J oshua 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;

And Joshua said to them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan in front of the special box of the agreement of the Lord your God. Each of you take a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the twelve family groups of Israel.

6 t hat this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’

Let this be something special among you. Your children will ask you later, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’

7 t hen 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.’”

Then you will tell them that the water of the Jordan was cut off before the special box of the agreement of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan was cut off. So these stones will become something to remember to the people of Israel forever.”

8 T he 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.

The sons of Israel did as Joshua told them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord told Joshua. There was one stone for each family group of the sons of Israel. They carried them over with them to the place where they stayed, and put them down there.

9 J oshua 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.

Then Joshua set up twelve stones at the place where the feet of the religious leaders who carried the special box of the agreement were standing in the middle of the Jordan. They are there to this day.

10 F or 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.

The religious leaders who carried the special box of the agreement stood in the middle of the Jordan. They stood there until everything was finished that the Lord told Joshua to tell the people, all that Moses had told Joshua. The people crossed in a hurry.

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

When all the people were over, they watched the religious leaders carry the special box of the agreement to the other side.

12 T he 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.

The sons of Reuben and Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh crossed over ready for battle before the people of Israel, just as Moses had told them.

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

About 40, 000 soldiers ready for battle crossed before the Lord to the desert plains of Jericho.

14 O n 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.

On that day the Lord gave Joshua honor in the eyes of all Israel. So they honored him as a great man just as they had honored Moses all the days of his life.

15 Y ahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,

The Lord said to Joshua,

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

“Tell the religious leaders who carry the special box of the agreement to come up from the Jordan.”

17 J oshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up out of the Jordan!”

So Joshua told the religious leaders to come up from the Jordan.

18 W hen 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.

The religious leaders who carried the special box of the agreement of the Lord came up from the middle of the Jordan. When their feet stepped on dry ground, the water of the Jordan returned to its place. It flowed over its sides as before.

19 T he 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.

The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. Then they stayed at Gilgal on the east side of Jericho.

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

Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.

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

He said to the people of Israel, “Your children will ask their fathers some time in the future, ‘What do these stones mean?’

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

Then let your children know that Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.

23 F or 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;

For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you until you had crossed. It was just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed.

24 t hat all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh’s hand is mighty; that you may fear Yahweh your God forever.’”

Now all the people of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is powerful, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”