Joshua 4

God commandeth to carry twelve stones out of Jordan , in remembrance that the Israelites had passed thorow the same on dry foot , verse 1. & c, Josua orders it to be done so, 4. the children of Israel perform it , 8. Josua also setteth up twelve stones for a memoriall in the midst of Jordan, 9. The order which the people and the Priests kept in passing thorow Jordan , 10. The Reubenites , Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh march armed before them , 12. God magnifieth Josua in the sight of the Israelites , 14 . The Priests are commanded to come up out of Jordan with the Ark , 15.the waters of Jordan return to their place , 18.The time of this passage , 19. Twelve stones are set up at Gilgal, 20. To what purpose, 21.

1. Now it came to passe, when all the people had made an end to passe over Jordan , that the LORD spake unto Josua , [Further declaring the charge which he had given him , above chap.3. v.12.] saying :

2. Take ye to your selves men out of the people , out of every tribe one man [Heb. one man , one man out of the tribe , as verse 5,]

3. And command them , saying : Take up for your selves , hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the standing place of the feet of the Priests , and prepare twelve stones , and bring them over with you, and place them in the night camp [To wit, Gilgal, as appeareth below verse 19,20.] where you shall overnight (or lodge) this night .

4. Josua then called those twelve men whom he had caused to be appointed of the children of Israel , out of every tribe one man,

5. And Josua said unto them : Passe over before the Ark of the LORD your God , into the midst of Jordan and take up to you every on a stone upon his shoulder , according to the number of tribes of the children of Israel.

6. That this may be a token [i.e. memorial . v.7. it is called a memorial] among you : when your children shall ask to morrow [see Gen. 30. vers. 33. Exodus 13:14. Deuteronomy 6:20.] saying : what are these stones to you ? [i.e. to what purpose serve these stones ? or, what do they signifie ? so likewise , v.21. See exod. 11.26.]

7. then ye shall say unto them : Because the waters of Jordan were cut off [i.e. divided . See chapter 3. v .16.] before the Ark of the covenant of the LORD ; when it marched thorow Jordan , the waters of Jordan were cut off , therefore these stones shall be a memoriall unto the children of Israel for ever . [see Gen. 13. on verse 15.]

8. Now the children of Israel did so , according as Joshua had commanded ; and they took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan , according as the LORD had spoken unto Joshua , according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel : and they brought them over with them unto the night-camp, [see above v.3.] and placed them there.

9. Joshua also set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan , at the standing place of the feet of the Priests that bare the Ark of the covenant : and they are there unto this day.

10. Now the Priests that bare the Ark , stood in the midst of Jordan , untill every thing was fulfilled , which the LORD had commanded Joshua to declare unto the people , according to all that Moseh had commanded Josua : [See Numbers 27:21.] and the people hasted , and passed over.

11. And it came to passe , when all the people had made an end to passe over : then the Ark of the LORD passed over , and the priests before the face of the people . [i.e. in the view of all the people .]

12. And the children of Reuben and the children of God , together with the half tribe of Manasseh , marched armed before the face of the children of Israel : [To wit, before the other tribes of the children of Israel . See chap.1.14.] according as Moseh had spoken unto them .

13. About fourty thousand men , well prepared men of war , marched before the LORD [i.e. before the LORD , who did manifest himself upon the Ark of the covenant .See Numb.32.21.] unto battell , to the plain fields of Jericho.

14. The same day did the LORD magnifie Josua before the eyes of all Israel : and they feared him : even as they had feared Moseh , all the dayes of his life .

15. The LORD now spake unto Josua , [i.e. had said and so also verse 17.] saying :

16. Command the Priests that bear the Ark of the testimony , that they come up out of Jordan .

17. Then Josua commanded the Priests , Saying : Come up out of Jordan .

18. And it came to passe, when the Priests , who bare the Ark of the covenant of the LORD , were gone up out of the midst of Jordan , (and ) the soles of the Priests feet were drawn off upon the dry (ground ) that the waters of Jordan returned into their place , and went as yesterday (and ) eve yesterday on all his ( Jordans ) banks .

19. Now the people were come up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first moneth : And they camped themselves at Gilgal , [viz. in the place which Josua afterward called Gilgal , below chap 5.9.] on the east-side of Jericho.

20. And Josua set up twelve stones in Gilgal , which they had taken out of Jordan.

21. And he spake unto the children of Israel , saying : When your children shall ask their fathers to morrow , saying What are these stones ?

22. Then ye shall tell your children , saying : on the dry (ground) did Israel [i.e. the posterity of Israel , or, Jacob] passe thorow this Jordan .

23. For the LORD caused the waters of Jordan to be dried up before your faces , untill ye were passed thorow it , even as the LORD your God did unto the Red-sea , which he caused to be dried up before our face , untill we [viz. I , Caleb , and your fathers] were gone thorow it.

24. That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD , that it is strong : [Oth. for it is strong] that ye might fear the LORD your God all dayes . [Heb. all the dayes .]