Memorial Stones
Joshua 4, verse 1. Now when all the people finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, Joshua 4, verse 2. “Take men from the people, one from each tribe, Joshua 4, verse 3. and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve prepared stones from the midst of the Jordan and carry these together with you. Put them in your encampment where you will set up camp tonight.’” Joshua 4, verse 4. So among the sons of Israel, Joshua called twelve men of high repute, one from each tribe. Joshua 4, verse 5. He said to them, “Draw near in front of me in the Lord's presence into the midst of the Jordan, and let each take up a stone and carry it on his shoulders, according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel, Joshua 4, verse 6. so these might be an appointed sign for you continually, that when your son asks you tomorrow, saying, ‘What are these stones to you?’ Joshua 4, verse 7. then you will declare to your son, saying, ‘The Jordan River dried up before the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth when it crossed over’; and these stones shall be a memorial for you, for the sons of Israel forever.” Joshua 4, verse 8. So the sons of Israel did as the Lord commanded Joshua; and they took twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord directed Joshua, when the children of Israel had completely crossed over, and carried these stones with them into the encampment and set them there. Joshua 4, verse 9. Then Joshua also set another twelve stones in the Jordan itself, in the place walked on by the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. They are there to this day. Joshua 4, verse 10. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant stood in the Jordan until Joshua had completed all the Lord commanded him to proclaim to the people; and the people hastened and crossed over. Joshua 4, verse 11. Then it came to pass, when all the people finished crossing over, that the ark of the covenant of the Lord crossed over, and the stones before them. Joshua 4, verse 12. The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh also crossed over, well-armed before the sons of Israel, as Moses commanded them. Joshua 4, verse 13. Forty thousand men armed for war crossed before the Lord for battle against the city of Jericho. Joshua 4, verse 14. On that day, the Lord magnified Joshua before all the nation of Israel, and they feared him as long as he lived, as they did Moses. Joshua 4, verse 15. Then the Lord spoke to Joshua saying, Joshua 4, verse 16. “Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant of the testimony of the Lord to come up from the Jordan.” Joshua 4, verse 17. So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, “Go out from the Jordan.” Joshua 4, verse 18. Then it came to pass, when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stepped out from the Jordan and set their feet on land, the water of the Jordan returned to its place, and went as before over all its banks. Joshua 4, verse 19. Now the people went up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and the children of Israel camped at Gilgal in the region eastward from Jericho. Joshua 4, verse 20. Then Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones he took from the Jordan, Joshua 4, verse 21. saying, “When your children ask you, ‘What are these stones?’ Joshua 4, verse 22. then tell your children that Israel crossed the Jordan on dry land; Joshua 4, verse 23. that the Lord our God dried up the water of the Jordan from before them until they all crossed over, as the Lord our God did to the Red Sea, which the Lord our God dried up before us until we crossed over; Joshua 4, verse 24. that all the nations of the land might know that the power of the Lord is mighty; and that you might worship the Lord your God in every age.”