12 Stones to Remind Them of Crossing Over the Jordan on Dry Ground |
Joshua 4:1-24 The Book of Joshua [in Smaller Chunks] |
It [happened] when all the [Israelites] were [completely] over [the] Jordan [River,] that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, Take 12 men, 1 out of [each of the 12 tribes] of the people [of Israel.] Command them, saying, [Each of] you take a stone out of the midst of [the] Jordan, [in] the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. |
You shall carry the 12 stones over with you & leave them in the place where you lodge [tonight.] Then, Joshua called the 12 men, whom he had [chosen from the 12 tribes] of the children [people] of Israel. |
Joshua said to them, [Cross] over [in front of] the Ark of the Lord your God into the midst of [the] Jordan [River] & [each of you from the 12 tribes] take a stone upon his shoulder. [So,] this may be a sign among you, [so] when your children ask their fathers, [some] time [in the future,] saying, What [do] these stones mean? |
Then, you shall answer them, That the waters of [the] Jordan [River] were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord; when it passed over [the] Jordan [River] & these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever. |
And the children [people] of Israel did as Joshua commanded. [They picked] up 12 stones [1 for each of the 12 tribes of Israel] out of the midst of Jordan, [like] the Lord [said] to Joshua. [They] carried them over with them to the place where they lodged & laid them down there. |
Joshua [also put another pile of] 12 stones in the midst of [the] Jordan [River,] in the place where the feet of the priests [who carried] the Ark of the Covenant stood & they are [still] there to this day. For the priests [who carried] the Ark & stood in the [middle] of [the] Jordan [River,] until everything was finished. |
The Lord commanded Joshua to speak to the [Israelites,] according to all Moses commanded Joshua: [so] the people [hurried] & passed over. It [happened,] when all the people [had totally crossed] over, that the Ark of the Lord & the priests [crossed] over, in the presence of the people. |
The children [people] of Reuben, Gad & 1/2 of the tribe of Manasseh, [crossed] over armed before the children [people] of Israel, [like] Moses [had said] to them. |
About 40,000 prepared for war [crossed] over to the plains of Jericho [for] battle, before the Lord. On that day, the Lord magnified Joshua to [make him a great leader] in the sight of all Israel. |
They feared [respected] him, [like] they feared [respected] Moses, all the days of his life. The Lord [spoke] to Joshua, saying, Command the priests [who carry] the Ark of the Testimony, [so] that they come up out of [the] Jordan. Therefore, Joshua commanded the priests, saying, Come up out of [the] Jordan. |
It [happened,] when the soles of the feet of the priests [who carried] the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord [had] come out of the midst of [the] Jordan & [stepped] up onto dry land, the waters of [the] Jordan [River] returned to [its] place & overflowed all [its] banks, like] they did before. |
The people came up out of the Jordan on the 10th day of the 1st month & [camped] in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho. In Gilgal, Joshua [stacked] up the 12 stones they took out of [the] Jordan. |
[Joshua spoke] to the children [people] of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers, in [the future,] What [do] these stones mean? Then you shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan [River] on dry land. |
For the Lord your God dried up the waters of [the] Jordan [River, in front of] you, until we [all] were [crossed] over, [like] the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, [that] He dried up before us, until we [had completely crossed] over, [so] all the people of the [world] might know the hand of the Lord, [Who] is mighty. |
[So,] that you might fear [respect] the Lord your God forever. |