Stop searching everywhere for answers. Bible Gateway Plus putstrusted insightsright alongside the passage you’re reading. Free 7-day trial.
Log In/Sign Up

#
Joshua 4
New International Version

4 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan,(A)theLordsaid to Joshua,2 “Choose twelve men(B)from among the people, one from each tribe,3 and tell them to take up twelve stones(C)from the middle of the Jordan,(D)from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.(E)”

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men(F)he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe,5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of theLordyour God into the middle of the Jordan.(G)Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites,6 to serve as a sign(H)among you. In the future, when your children(I)ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’(J)7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off(K)before the ark of the covenant of theLord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial(L)to the people of Israel forever.”

8 So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones(M)from the middle of the Jordan,(N)according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as theLordhad told Joshua;(O)and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down.9 Joshua set up the twelve stones(P)that had been[a]in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.(Q)

10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything theLordhad commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over,11 and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of theLordand the priests came to the other side while the people watched.12 The men of Reuben,(R)Gad(S)and the half-tribe of Manasseh(T)crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites,(U)as Moses had directed them.(V)13 About forty thousand armed for battle(W)crossed over(X)before theLordto the plains of Jericho for war.

14 That day theLordexalted(Y)Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.

15 Then theLordsaid to Joshua,16 “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law(Z)to come up out of the Jordan.”

17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

18 And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of theLord. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place(AA)and ran at flood stage(AB)as before.

19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal(AC)on the eastern border of Jericho.20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones(AD)they had taken out of the Jordan.21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’(AE)22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’(AF)23 For theLordyour God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. TheLordyour God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea[b]when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over.(AG)24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know(AH)that the hand of theLordis powerful(AI)and so that you might always fear theLordyour God.(AJ)”

#### Footnotes

1. Joshua 4:9 OrJoshua also set up twelve stones
2. Joshua 4:23 Orthe Sea of Reeds

#### Cross references

1. Joshua 4:1:Dt 27:2
2. Joshua 4:2:S Jos 3:12
3. Joshua 4:3:ver 20
4. Joshua 4:3:S Jos 3:17
5. Joshua 4:3:ver 19
6. Joshua 4:4:S Jos 3:12
7. Joshua 4:5:S Jos 3:17
8. Joshua 4:6:S Jos 2:12
9. Joshua 4:6:S Ex 10:2
10. Joshua 4:6:ver 21; Ex 12:26; S 13:14
11. Joshua 4:7:Jos 3:13
12. Joshua 4:7:S Ex 28:12
13. Joshua 4:8:Ex 28:21
14. Joshua 4:8:S Jos 3:17
15. Joshua 4:8:ver 20
16. Joshua 4:9:S Ge 28:18; Jos 24:26; 1Sa 7:12
17. Joshua 4:9:S Ge 35:20
18. Joshua 4:12:S Ge 29:32
19. Joshua 4:12:S Ge 30:11
20. Joshua 4:12:S Ge 41:51
21. Joshua 4:12:S Nu 32:27
22. Joshua 4:12:Nu 32:29
23. Joshua 4:13:S Ex 13:18
24. Joshua 4:13:S Nu 32:17
25. Joshua 4:14:S Jos 3:7
26. Joshua 4:16:Ex 25:22
27. Joshua 4:18:Ex 14:27
28. Joshua 4:18:S Jos 3:15
29. Joshua 4:19:S Dt 11:30
30. Joshua 4:20:ver 3, 8
31. Joshua 4:21:S ver 6
32. Joshua 4:22:S Ex 14:22
33. Joshua 4:23:Ex 14:19-22
34. Joshua 4:24:1Ki 8:60; 18:36; 2Ki 5:15; Ps 67:2; 83:18; 106:8; Isa 37:20; 52:10
35. Joshua 4:24:Ex 15:16; 1Ch 29:12; Ps 44:3; 89:13; 98:1; 118:15-16
36. Joshua 4:24:S Ex 14:31

New International Version(NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 byBiblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

### More on the NIV

- Unleash God's Word!

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NIV, Journal the Word Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Reflect, Take Notes, or Create Art Next to Your Favorite Verses
Retail: $39.99
Our Price: $27.99
Save: $12.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Radiant Virtues Bible: A Beautiful Word Collection, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Explore the virtues of faith, hope, and love
Retail: $69.98
Our Price: $48.99
Save: $20.99 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NIV Application Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Bringing the Ancient Message of the Bible into Your World
Retail: $54.99
Our Price: $35.00
Save: $19.99 (36%)
Buy Now
NIV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New International Version
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
View more titles