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Joshua 3:14-4:9
New International Version
Joshua 3:14-4:9
New International Version
14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant(A) went ahead(B) of them. 15 Now the Jordan(C) is at flood stage(D) all during harvest.(E) Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing.(F) It piled up in a heap(G) a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,(H) while the water flowing down(I) to the Sea of the Arabah(J) (that is, the Dead Sea(K)) was completely cut off.(L) So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.(M) 17 The priests(N) who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground,(O) while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.(P)
4 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan,(Q) the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men(R) from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones(S) from the middle of the Jordan,(T) from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.(U)”
4 So Joshua called together the twelve men(V) he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan.(W) 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(X) among you. In the future, when your children(Y) ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’(Z) 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off(AA) before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial(AB) to the people of Israel forever.”
8 So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones(AC) from the middle of the Jordan,(AD) according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua;(AE) and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. 9 Joshua set up the twelve stones(AF) 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.(AG)
Footnotes
- Joshua 4:9 Or Joshua also set up twelve stones
Joshua 3:14-4:9
King James Version
Joshua 3:14-4:9
King James Version
14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
4 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you 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 there.
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.
New International Version (NIV) 
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