The Book of Joshua

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- Chapter 4 -

After the people of Israel all crossed over the Jordan River, Yahweh said to Joshua,

“Choose twelve men, one from each tribe, and tell them to pick up twelve large stones from the middle of the Jordan, where the priests are standing in the dry riverbed.

Carry those stones and put them down at the place you will stay tonight.”

So Joshua chose twelve men, one from each tribe. Joshua called them together

and said to them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan riverbed, to the place where the priests are standing and holding the sacred chest that Yahweh, your God, gave you. Each of you must pick up a large stone, one for each tribe, each one carrying a stone on his shoulder, twelve stones for the twelve tribes of the people of Israel.

These stones will be a monument for you to see. In the future, your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’

Tell them that the water in the Jordan River was blocked off when the priests were carrying the sacred chest that Yahweh gave us. When the chest was carried into the Jordan River, the water was blocked off so that we were able to cross the Jordan on dry ground. Where we leave these stones is the place for the people of Israel to forever remember what Yahweh has done.”

So the people of Israel did what Joshua commanded them to do. They went and picked up twelve large stones from the middle of the Jordan riverbed, one stone for each of the tribes of Israel, just as Yahweh had told Joshua, and they carried the stones to where they were staying, and they put the stones down there.

Then Joshua took twelve other stones and stacked them up in the middle of the Jordan River, where the priests who carried the sacred chest of Yahweh were standing. And that monument is still there to this day.

The priests who carried the chest stood in the middle of the Jordan River until the people had finished crossing the river, as Yahweh had commanded Joshua to tell them to do. This also was as Moses had commanded Joshua to do. The people crossed the river quickly.

As soon as all the people had crossed over, then the sacred chest of Yahweh and the priests who carried it, crossed over. All the people were there watching.

The soldiers of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and of half of the soldiers of the tribe of Manasseh, crossed over ahead of the rest of the Israelite people. As Moses had ordered them to do, they marched in the formation of an army.

About forty thousand men were marching before Yahweh. These men were armed and prepared for war, and they were heading for the plains of Jericho where they would fight a battle.

On that day, all the people of Israel saw that Yahweh had made Joshua a great leader. And they honored Joshua just as they had honored Moses, all the days of his life.

Yahweh said to Joshua,

“Now order the priests who are carrying the sacred chest of the testimony to come up from the dry Jordan riverbed.”

So Joshua commanded the priests to come up from the river.

Then the priests, carrying the sacred chest containing the Ten Commandments that Yahweh had given to Moses, came up out of the riverbed. And as soon as they walked up out of the riverbed, the water of the Jordan River flowed again, and the river flooded over again, as it had done four days before.

The Camp at Gilgal

It was on the tenth day of the first month of that year that the people crossed over the Jordan River and they camped at a place called Gilgal (which is east of the city of Jericho).

Joshua set up the large stones at Gilgal.

He said to the people of Israel, “In the future, your descendants will ask, ‘Why are these stones here?’

Tell them, ‘This is where Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.’

Yahweh, your God, dried up the river for you, until you had all crossed over. Yahweh, the God you worship, did to the Jordan River just as he did to the Sea of Reeds, when he caused it to become dry until we had all crossed over it, just as he did here.

Yahweh did that in order that all the peoples of the earth may know that he is powerful, and so you may forever give him the honor he deserves.”

When all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

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

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, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you’ll camp tonight.’”

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

Joshua said to them, “Cross before the ark of the LORD 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;

that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’

then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the LORD’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.’”

The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as the LORD 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.

Joshua 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.

For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over.

When all the people had completely crossed over, the LORD’s ark crossed over with the priests in the presence of the people.

The 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.

About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war, passed over before the LORD to battle, to the plains of Jericho.

On that day, the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

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

Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up out of the Jordan!”

When the priests who bore the ark of the LORD’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 Camp at Gilgal

The 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.

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

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

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

For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had crossed over,

that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is mighty, and that you may fear the LORD your God forever.’”