Joshua 4

Twelve Memorial Stones from the Jordan

1 When all the nation had finished passing t over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 u "Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, 'Take v twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place w where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in x the place where you lodge tonight.'" 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. y When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?' 7 then you shall tell them that z the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a a memorial forever."

8 And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the Lord told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down 1 there. 9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, b in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.

10 For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people passed over in haste. 11 And when all the people had finished passing over, the ark of the Lord and the priests passed over before the people. 12 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh c passed over armed before the people of Israel, as Moses had told them. 13 About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the Lord d exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.

15 And the Lord said to Joshua, 16 "Command the priests bearing e the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan." 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan." 18 And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, f as before.

19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at g Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And h those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the people of Israel, i "When your children ask their fathers in times to come, 'What do these stones mean?' 22 then you shall let your children know, j 'Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.' 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, k which he dried up for us until we passed over, 24 l so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is m mighty, that you may n fear the Lord your God forever." 2

  1. Cross References
    Joshua 3:17
    Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 3:12
    Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man.
  3. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 27:2
    And on the day you cross over the Jordan to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and plaster them with plaster.
    1 Kings 18:31
    Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, "Israel shall be your name.
  4. Cross References
    Joshua 3:13
    And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.
    Joshua 3:15
    And as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest).
  5. Cross References
    Joshua 4:8
    And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the Lord told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down there.
    Joshua 4:19 - 20
    The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.
  6. Cross References
    Joshua 4:21
    And he said to the people of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in times to come, 'What do these stones mean?
    Exodus 12:26
    And when your children say to you, 'What do you mean by this service?
    Exodus 13:14
    And when in time to come your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you shall say to him, 'By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.
    Deuteronomy 6:20
    "When your son asks you in time to come, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?'
  7. Cross References
    Joshua 3:16
    The waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho.
  8. Cross References
    Exodus 12:14
    This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord ; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.
    Numbers 16:40
    To be a reminder to the people of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the Lord, lest he become like Korah and his company - as the Lord said to him through Moses.
  9. Cross References
    Joshua 4:3
    And command them, saying, 'Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.'
  10. Cross References
    Joshua 6:7
    And he said to the people, "Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.
    Joshua 6:9
    The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually.
    Joshua 6:13
    And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually.
    Numbers 32:20 - 21
    So Moses said to them, "If you will do this, if you will take up arms to go before the Lord for the war.
    Numbers 32:27
    But your servants will pass over, every man who is armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my lord orders.
  11. Cross References
    Joshua 3:7
    The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
  12. Cross References
    Exodus 25:16
    And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.
    Exodus 25:21 - 22
    And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you.
  13. Cross References
    Joshua 3:15
    And as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest).
  14. Cross References
    Joshua 5:9
    And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
  15. Cross References
    Joshua 4:3
    And command them, saying, 'Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.
    Joshua 4:9
    And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.
  16. Cross References
    Joshua 4:6
    That this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?
  17. Cross References
    Joshua 3:17
    Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
  18. Cross References
    Joshua 2:10
    For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.
    Exodus 14:21
    Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
  19. Cross References
    1 Kings 8:42 - 43
    (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house.
  20. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 3:24
    O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?
    Psalms 89:13
    You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand.
  21. Cross References
    Exodus 14:31
    Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
    Deuteronomy 6:2
    That you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
Previous Book Next Book