Joshua 4 - Common English Bible (CEB)

Twelve stones at Gilgal

4 When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Pick twelve men from the people, one man per tribe. 3 Command them, ‘Pick up twelve stones from right here in the middle of the Jordan, where the feet of the priests had been firmly planted. Bring them across with you and put them down in the camp where you are staying tonight.’”

4 Joshua called for the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one man per tribe. 5 Joshua said to them, “Cross over into the middle of the Jordan, up to the Lord your God’s chest. Each of you, lift up a stone on his shoulder to match the number of the tribes of the Israelites. 6 This will be a symbol among you. In the future your children may ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you will tell them that the water of the Jordan was cut off before the Lord’s covenant chest. When it crossed over the Jordan, the water of the Jordan was cut off. These stones will be an enduring memorial for the Israelites.”

8 The Israelites did exactly what Joshua ordered. They lifted twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, matching the number of the tribes of the Israelites, exactly as the Lord had said to Joshua. They brought them over to the camp and put them down there. 9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan where the feet of the priests had stood while carrying the covenant chest. They are still there today.

Crossing completed

10 Meanwhile, the priests carrying the chest were standing in the middle of the Jordan. They stood there until every command that the Lord had ordered Joshua to tell the people had been carried out. This was exactly what Moses had commanded Joshua. The people crossed over quickly. 11 As soon as all the people had finished crossing, the Lord’s chest crossed over. The priests then moved to the front of the people. 12 The people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over, organized for war ahead of the Israelites, exactly as Moses had told them. 13 Approximately forty thousand armed for war crossed over in the Lord’s presence to the plains of Jericho, ready for battle. 14 The Lord made Joshua great in the opinion of all Israel on that day. So they revered him in the same way that they had revered Moses during all of his life.

15 The Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests carrying the chest containing the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.”

17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up from the Jordan.” 18 The priests carrying the Lord’s covenant chest came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of their feet touched dry ground. At that moment, the water of the Jordan started flowing again. It ran as before, completely over its banks. 19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month.[a] They camped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.

Stones at Gilgal

20 Joshua set up at Gilgal those twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask their parents, ‘What about these stones?’ 22 Then you will let your children know: ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ 23 This was because the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you until you crossed over. This was exactly what the Lord your God did to the Reed Sea.[b] He dried it up before us until we crossed over. 24 This happened so that all the earth’s peoples might know that the Lord’s power is great and that you may always revere the Lord your God.”

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 4:19 March–April, Nisan
  2. Joshua 4:23 Or Red Sea

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4 And it cometh to pass, when all the nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan, that Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua, saying, 2 `Take for you out of the people twelve men, one man -- one man out of a tribe; 3 and command ye them, saying, Take up for you from this [place], from the midst of the Jor...
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Joshua 4 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

4 And when the sons of Israel were passed over (the) Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, (And when all the Israelites had crossed over the Jordan River, the Lord said to Joshua,) 2 Choose thou twelve men, by each lineage one man, (Choose thou twelve men, one man out of each tribe,) 3 and command thou t...
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Joshua 4 - World English Bible (WEB)

4 When all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Take twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe, 3 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, ...
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Joshua 4 - The Voice (VOICE)

4 When the last one had crossed the Jordan, the Eternal One spoke to Joshua. Eternal One: 2 Summon the twelve men you chose from the people, one representing each tribe, 3 and tell them to take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan riverbed where the priests stand with the covenant chest. Tel...
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Joshua 4 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Twelve Memorial Stones4 Now when all the nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, Adonai spoke to Joshua saying: 2 “Take for yourself twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, 3 and command them saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the plac...
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Joshua 4 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Twelve Stones Set Up at Gilgal4 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ fee...
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Joshua 4 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Twelve Stones Set Up at Gilgal4 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ fee...
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Joshua 4 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Twelve Stones Set Up at Gilgal4 When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua: 2 “Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, 3 and command them, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ fee...
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Joshua 4 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Twelve Stones Set Up at Gilgal4 When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua: 2 ‘Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, 3 and command them, “Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ fee...
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Joshua 4 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Twelve Stones Set Up at Gilgal4 When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe,(A)3 and command them, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ fee...
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Joshua 4 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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Joshua 4 - New Life Version (NLV)

4 When all the nation had crossed the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from the people, one man from each family. 3 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, ...
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Joshua 4 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Memorial Stones4 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed (A)over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 (B)“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, ...
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Joshua 4 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

4 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 ‘Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and pu...
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Joshua 4 - New International Version (NIV)

4 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan,(A) the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men(B) from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones(C) from the middle of the Jordan,(D) from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with ...
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Joshua 4 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

4 After the whole nation had gone across the Jordan River, the Lord spoke to Joshua. He said, 2 “Choose 12 men from among the people. Choose one from each tribe. 3 Tell them to get 12 stones from the middle of the river. They must pick them up from right where the priests stood. They must carry th...
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Joshua 4 - New English Translation (NET)

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