The Memorial Stones
1 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossedover the Jordan, that theLordspoke to Joshua, saying:
2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe,
3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place wherethe priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them inthe lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ”
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe;
5 and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of theLordyour God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel,
6 that this may bea sign among youwhen your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stonesmeanto you?’
7 Then you shall answer them thatthe waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of theLord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be fora memorial to the children of Israel forever.”
8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as theLordhad spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst 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 So the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that theLordhad commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and crossed over.
11 Then it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over, that theark of theLordand the priests crossed over in the presence of the people.
12 Andthe men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them.
13 About forty thousand prepared for war crossed over before theLordfor battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 On that day theLordexalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 Then theLordspoke to Joshua, saying,
16 “Command the priests who bearthe ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan.”
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.”
18 And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of theLordhad come from the midst of the Jordan,andthe soles of the priests’ feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their placeand overflowed all its banks as before.
19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenthdayof the first month, and they campedin Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.
20 Andthose twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal.
21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying:“When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘Whatarethese stones?’
22 then you shall let your children know, saying,‘Israel crossed over this Jordan ondry land’;
23 for theLordyour God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as theLordyour God did to the Red Sea,which He dried up before us until we had crossed over,
24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of theLord, that itismighty, that you mayfear theLordyour God forever.”