Bible Language

Joshua 4 (NET) New English Translation

1 When the entire nation was on the other side, the LORD told Joshua,
2 "Select for yourselves twelve men from the people, one per tribe.
3 Instruct them, 'Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.'"
4 Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per tribe.
5 Joshua told them, "Go in front of the ark of the LORD your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes.
6 The stones will be a reminder to you. When your children ask someday, 'Why are these stones important to you?'
7 tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing. These stones will be a lasting memorial for the Israelites."
8 The Israelites did just as Joshua commanded. They picked up twelve stones, according to the number of the Israelite tribes, from the middle of the Jordan as the LORD had instructed Joshua. They carried them over with them to the camp and put them there.
9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very day.
10 Now the priests carrying the ark of the covenant were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people was accomplished, in accordance with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people went across quickly,
11 and when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed as the people looked on.
12 The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed for battle ahead of the Israelites, just as Moses had instructed them.
13 About forty thousand battle-ready troops marched past the LORD to fight on the plains of Jericho.
14 That day the LORD brought honor to Joshua before all Israel. They respected him all his life, just as they had respected Moses.
15 The LORD told Joshua,
16 "Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenantal laws to come up from the Jordan."
17 So Joshua instructed the priests, "Come up from the Jordan!"
18 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the middle of the Jordan, and as soon as they set foot on dry land, the water of the Jordan flowed again and returned to flood stage.
19 The people went up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped in Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.
20 Now Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.
21 He told the Israelites, "When your children someday ask their fathers, 'What do these stones represent?'
22 explain to your children, 'Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.'
23 For the LORD your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you while you crossed over. It was just like when the LORD your God dried up the Red Sea before us while we crossed it.
24 He has done this so all the nations of the earth might recognize the LORD's power and so you might always obey the LORD your God."
1 And it came to pass H1961 W-VQY3MS , when H834 K-RPRO all H3605 CMS the people H1471 were clean H8552 VQQ3MP passed over H5674 Jordan H3383 D-EFS , that the LORD H3068 EDS spoke H559 W-VQY3MS unto H413 PREP Joshua H3091 , saying H559 W-VQY3MS ,
2 Take H3947 you twelve H8147 men H376 NMS out of H4480 PREP the people H5971 , out of every tribe a man H376 NMS ,
3 And command H6680 ye them , saying H559 L-VQFC , Take H5375 you hence H2088 M-DPRO out of the midst H8432 of Jordan H3383 D-EFS , out of the place H4673 where the priests H3548 \' feet H7272 stood firm H3559 , twelve H8147 MFS stones H68 NFP , and ye shall carry them over H5674 with H5973 PREP-3MP you , and leave H5117 them in the lodging place H4411 , where H834 RPRO ye shall lodge H3885 this night H3915 .
4 Then Joshua H3091 called H7121 W-VQY3MS the twelve H8147 men H376 NMS , whom H834 RPRO he had prepared H3559 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 , out of every tribe a man H376 NMS :
5 And Joshua H3091 said H559 W-VQY3MS unto them , Pass over H5674 before H6440 L-CMP the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 EDS your God H430 into H413 PREP the midst H8432 of Jordan H3383 D-EFS , and take ye up H7311 every man H376 NMS of you a H259 OFS stone H68 GFS upon H5921 PREP his shoulder H7926 , according unto the number H4557 of the tribes H7626 of the children H1121 CMP of Israel H3478 LMS :
6 That H4616 L-CONJ this H2063 DPRO may be H1961 VQY2MS a sign H226 NMS among H7130 you , that when H3588 CONJ your children H1121 ask H7592 their fathers in time to come H4279 NMS , saying H559 L-VQFC , What H4100 IGAT mean ye by these H428 D-DPRO-3MP stones H68 ?
7 Then ye shall answer H559 them , That H834 RPRO the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 D-EFS were cut off H3772 before H6440 M-CMP the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 NFS of the LORD H3068 EDS ; when it passed over H5674 Jordan H3383 , the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 D-EFS were cut off H3772 : and these H428 D-DPRO-3MP stones H68 shall be H1961 W-VQQ3MS for a memorial H2146 unto the children H1121 L-CMP of Israel H3478 forever H5704 PREP .
8 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did H6213 W-VQY3MP so H3651 ADV as H834 K-RPRO Joshua H3091 commanded H6680 VPQ3MS , and took up H5375 W-VQY3MP twelve H8147 stones H68 NFP out of the midst H8432 of Jordan H3383 D-EFS , as H834 K-RPRO the LORD H3068 EDS spoke H1696 VPQ3MS unto H413 PREP Joshua H3091 , according to the number H4557 of the tribes H7626 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 , and carried them over H5674 with H5973 PREP-3MP them unto H413 PREP the place where they lodged H4411 , and laid them down H5117 there H8033 ADV .
9 And Joshua H3091 set up H6965 twelve H8147 stones H68 NFP in the midst H8432 B-NMS of Jordan H3383 D-EFS , in the place H8478 NMS where the feet H7272 of the priests H3548 which bore H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 D-NFS stood H4673 : and they are H1961 W-VQY3MP there H8033 ADV unto H5704 PREP this H2088 D-PMS day H3117 D-AMS .
10 For the priests H3548 which bore H5375 the ark H727 stood H5975 VQPMP in the midst H8432 B-NMS of Jordan H3383 D-EFS , until H5704 PREP every thing H3605 CMS was finished H8552 that H834 RPRO the LORD H3068 EDS commanded H6680 VPQ3MS Joshua H3091 to speak H1696 unto H413 PREP the people H5971 , according to all H3605 K-NMS that H834 RPRO Moses H4872 commanded H6680 VPQ3MS Joshua H3091 : and the people H5971 hasted H4116 and passed over H5674 .
11 And it came to pass H1961 W-VQY3MS , when H834 K-RPRO all H3605 NMS the people H5971 were clean H8552 passed over H5674 , that the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 EDS passed over H5674 W-VQY3MS , and the priests H3548 , in the presence H6440 L-CMP of the people H5971 D-NMS .
12 And the children H1121 W-CMP of Reuben H7205 , and the children H1121 W-CMP of Gad H1410 , and half H2677 the tribe H7626 CMS of Manasseh H4519 , passed over H5674 armed H2571 before H6440 L-CMP the children H1121 W-CMP of Israel H3478 , as H834 K-RPRO Moses H4872 spoke H1696 VPQ3MS unto H413 PREP-3MP them :
13 About forty H705 thousand H505 W-BMS prepared H2502 for war H6635 passed over H5674 VQQ3MP before H6440 L-CMP the LORD H3068 EDS unto battle H4421 , to H413 PREP the plains H6160 of Jericho H3405 .
14 On that H1931 D-PPRO-3MS day H3117 B-AMS the LORD H3068 EDS magnified H1431 Joshua H3091 in the sight H5869 B-CMP of all H3605 NMS Israel H3478 ; and they feared H3372 him , as H834 K-RPRO they feared H3372 Moses H4872 , all H3605 NMS the days H3117 CMP of his life H2416 .
15 And the LORD H3068 EDS spoke H559 W-VQY3MS unto H413 PREP Joshua H3091 , saying H559 W-VQY3MS ,
16 Command H6680 the priests H3548 that bear H5375 the ark H727 of the testimony H5715 , that they come up H5927 out of H4480 PREP Jordan H3383 .
17 Joshua H3091 therefore commanded H6680 W-VPY3MS the priests H3548 , saying H559 L-VQFC , Come ye up H5927 out of H4480 PREP Jordan H3383 .
18 And it came to pass H1961 W-VQY3MS , when the priests H3548 that bore H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 NFS of the LORD H3068 EDS were come up H5927 out of the midst H8432 of Jordan H3383 D-EFS , and the soles H3709 of the priests H3548 \' feet H7272 were lifted up H5423 VNQ3MP unto H413 PREP the dry land H2724 , that the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 D-EFS returned H7725 W-VUY3MP unto their place H4725 , and flowed H1980 W-VQY3MP over H5921 PREP all H3605 NMS his banks H1415 , as H8543 they did before H8032 .
19 And the people H5971 came up H5927 out of H4480 PREP Jordan H3383 D-EFS on the tenth H6218 day of the first H7223 month H2320 LD-NMS , and encamped H2583 in Gilgal H1537 , in the east H4217 border H7097 of Jericho H3405 .
20 And those H428 D-DPRO-3MP twelve H8147 MFS stones H68 , which H834 RPRO they took H3947 out of H4480 PREP Jordan H3383 D-EFS , did Joshua H3091 pitch H6965 in Gilgal H1537 .
21 And he spoke H559 W-VQY3MS unto H413 PREP the children H1121 of Israel H3478 , saying H559 W-VQY3MS , When H834 RPRO your children H1121 shall ask H7592 their fathers H1 CMP-3MP in time to come H4279 NMS , saying H559 W-VQY3MS , What H4100 IGAT mean these H428 stones H68 ?
22 Then ye shall let your children H1121 know H3045 , saying H559 L-VQFC , Israel H3478 came over H5674 VQQ3MS this H2088 D-PMS Jordan H3383 D-EFS on dry land H3004 .
23 For H834 RPRO the LORD H3068 EDS your God H430 dried up H3001 the waters H4325 of Jordan H3383 D-EFS from before H6440 you , until H5704 PREP ye were passed over H5674 , as H834 RPRO the LORD H3068 EDS your God H430 did H6213 VQQ3MS to the Red H5488 NMS sea H3220 , which H834 RPRO he dried up H3001 from before H6440 us , until H5704 PREP we were gone over H5674 :
24 That H4616 L-CONJ all H3605 NMS the people H5971 of the earth H776 D-GFS might know H3045 the hand H3027 CFS of the LORD H3068 EDS , that H3588 CONJ it H1931 PPRO-3FS is mighty H2389 : that H4616 L-CONJ ye might fear H3372 the LORD H3068 EDS your God H430 forever H3117 D-NMP .