Joshua 4:5-24

Joshua 4:5-24

[5] And Joshua  said  unto them, Pass over  before  the ark  of the LORD  your God  into the midst  of Jordan,  and take ye up  every  man  of you a stone  upon his shoulder,  according unto the number  of the tribes  of the children  of Israel:  [6] That this may be a sign  among  you, that when your children  ask  their fathers in time to come,  saying,  What mean ye by these stones?  [7] Then ye shall answer  them, That the waters  of Jordan  were cut off  before  the ark  of the covenant  of the LORD;  when it passed over  Jordan,  the waters  of Jordan  were cut off:  and these stones  shall be for a memorial  unto the children  of Israel  for  ever.  [8] And the children  of Israel  did  so as Joshua  commanded,  and took up  twelve  stones  out of the midst  of Jordan,  as the LORD  spake  unto Joshua,  according to the number  of the tribes  of the children  of Israel,  and carried them over  with them unto the place where they lodged,  and laid them down  [9] And Joshua  set up  twelve  stones  in the midst  of Jordan,  in the place where the feet  of the priests  which bare  the ark  of the covenant  stood:  and they are there unto this day.  [10] For the priests  which bare  the ark  stood  in the midst  of Jordan,  until every thing  was finished  that the LORD  commanded  Joshua  to speak  unto the people,  according to all that Moses  commanded  Joshua:  and the people  hasted  and passed over.  [11] And it came to pass, when all the people  were clean  passed over,  that the ark  of the LORD  passed over,  and the priests,  in the presence  of the people.  [12] And the children  of Reuben,  and the children  of Gad,  and half  the tribe  of Manasseh,  passed over  armed  before  the children  of Israel,  as Moses  spake  [13] About forty  thousand  prepared  for war  passed over  before  the LORD  unto battle,  to the plains  of Jericho.  [14] On that day  the LORD  magnified  Joshua  in the sight  of all Israel;  and they feared  Moses,  all the days  of his life.  [15] And the LORD  spake  unto Joshua,  saying,  [16] Command  the priests  that bear  the ark  of the testimony,  that they come up  out of Jordan.  [17] Joshua  therefore commanded  the priests,  saying,  Come ye up  out of Jordan.  [18] And it came to pass, when the priests  that bare  the ark  of the covenant  of the LORD  were come up  out of the midst  of Jordan,  and the soles  of the priests'  feet  were lifted up  unto the dry land,  that the waters  of Jordan  returned  unto their place,  over all his banks,  as  they did before.  [19] And the people  came up  out of Jordan  on the tenth  day of the first  month,  and encamped  in Gilgal,  in the east  border  of Jericho.  [20] And those twelve  stones,  which they took out  of Jordan,  did Joshua  pitch  in Gilgal.  [21] And he spake  unto the children  of Israel,  saying,  When your children  shall ask  their fathers  in time to come,  saying,  What mean these stones?  [22] Then ye shall let your children  know,  saying,  Israel  came over  this Jordan  on dry land.  [23] For the LORD  your God  dried up  the waters  of Jordan  from before  you, until ye were passed over,  as the LORD  your God  did  to the Red  sea,  which he dried up  from before  us, until we were gone over:  [24] That all the people  of the earth  the hand  of the LORD,  that it is mighty:  that ye might fear  the LORD  your God  for ever.