约书亚记 4
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
立石为凭据
4 全国的人都完全过了约旦河以后，耶和华就吩咐约书亚说： 2 “你要从人民中选十二个人，每支派一人， 3 吩咐他们说：‘你们要从这里，就是约旦河中间，祭司的脚所站的地方，取十二块石头，把它们带过来，放在你们今夜要住宿的地方。’” 4 于是，约书亚把他从以色列人中挑选的十二个人，每支派一人，都召了来。 5 约书亚对他们说：“你们走到约旦河中间，在耶和华你们的 神的约柜前面，按着以色列十二支派的数目，每人拿起一块石头，扛在自己的肩上； 6 这可以在你们中间作记号；如果日后你们的子孙问你们，说：‘这些石头对你们有甚么意思？’ 7 你们就可以告诉他们：‘这是因为约旦河的水在耶和华的约柜前被截断了；约柜过约旦河的时候，约旦河的水被截断了。所以这些石头要给以色列人作记念，直到永远。’”
8 以色列人就照着约书亚吩咐的行了；他们照着耶和华吩咐约书亚的，按着以色列十二支派的数目，从约旦河中间取了十二块石头，把它们带过去，到他们住宿的地方，就放在那里。
渡过约旦河
9 约书亚又在约旦河中间，在抬约柜的祭司的脚所站的地方，竖立十二块石头；那些石头到今日还在那里。 10 抬约柜的祭司站在约旦河中间，直到耶和华吩咐约书亚告诉人民的一切事，就是照着摩西吩咐约书亚的一切事，都办完了，人民就急忙过去了。 11 全体人民都过了河以后，耶和华的约柜和祭司才在人民的面前过去。 12 流本人、迦得人和玛拿西半个支派的人，都照着摩西吩咐他们的，拿起武器，在以色列人前面过河去了。 13 他们约有四万人，都装备好，预备打仗，在耶和华面前走过去，来到耶利哥的平原，等候作战。 14 那一天耶和华使约书亚在以色列众人眼中成为尊大；在他一生的日子，人民敬畏他，好象敬畏摩西一样。
15 耶和华吩咐约书亚说： 16 “吩咐抬约柜的祭司从约旦河上来。” 17 于是约书亚吩咐祭司说：“你们从约旦河上来。” 18 抬耶和华约柜的祭司从约旦河中间上来的时候，祭司的脚掌一提起来踏在干地上，约旦河的水就流回原处，像以前一样涨过两岸。
在吉甲扎营
19 正月初十，人民从约旦河上来以后，就在吉甲，在耶利哥的东边安营。 20 约书亚把他们从约旦河取来的那十二块石头，竖立在吉甲。 21 约书亚对以色列人说：“如果日后你们的子孙问他们的父亲说：‘这些石头是甚么意思？’ 22 那时，你们就要告诉你们的子孙，说：‘以色列人曾经在干地上走过了这约旦河。’ 23 因为耶和华你们的 神在你们面前使约旦河的水干了，直到你们都过了河，好象耶和华你们的 神从前对红海所行的，在我们面前使红海干了，直到我们都过了河一样； 24 好使地上万民都认识耶和华的手，是有能力的手，也要使你们永远敬畏耶和华你们的 神。”
Joshua 4
The Voice
4 When the last one had crossed the Jordan, the Eternal One spoke to Joshua.
Eternal One: 2 Summon the twelve men you chose from the people, one representing each tribe, 3 and tell them to take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan riverbed where the priests stand with the covenant chest. Tell them to carry these stones this day, and when the people make camp tonight, to lay them down.
4 Joshua did just as He instructed and summoned the twelve men, who had been chosen from the Israelites to represent the twelve tribes, 5 to give them instructions.
Joshua: Go back into the Jordan riverbed to the covenant chest of the Eternal your God, and each carry a stone upon your shoulder, (twelve stones for the twelve tribes of the Israelites) 6 so that we may build a memorial of this day. Someday when your children ask you, “Why are these stones piled up here?” 7 you will tell them how the waters of the Jordan parted as the covenant chest of the Eternal One crossed the river, and these stones will fix that memory for the Israelites forever.
Memory is important in the Book of Joshua and in the stories that follow. When the people of Israel remember God’s promises—and His goodness—good things happen. But when they forget, they turn to other things for meaning; they put their trust in other gods—money, power, position, and possessions. It’s been a problem for the people of God up to the present day, so these attempts to remember can remind us about God’s great works. It has always been true that when God’s people take their eyes off Him, they forget the lessons of the past. We honor God through our worship, and we are reminded of significant lessons learned when we praise Him.
8 The Israelites did as the Eternal commanded through Joshua. They carried twelve stones from the riverbed that day, one for each Israelite tribe, and laid them down that night when they made their camp. 9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan where the priests who had carried the covenant chest stood, and the stones remain there to this day.
10 The priests who carried the chest stood in the Jordan until all the people had hurried across, until all had been accomplished that the Eternal and Moses had commanded Joshua to tell the people.
11 Only then, when all of the people had passed, did the priests bearing the chest of the Eternal cross over into the presence of the people.
12-13 On the western side of the Jordan stood about 40,000 men ready for battle, including fighters from the people of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh who had crossed onto the plains of Jericho in the presence of the Eternal, as they had been commanded by Moses. 14 That day the Eternal exalted Joshua in the eyes of the people, and they looked up to him (as they had looked up to Moses before him) for the rest of his life.
15 Then the Eternal One told Joshua,
Eternal One: 16 Command the priests who are carrying the covenant chest to come out of the Jordan.
17 Joshua gave the order.
18 As the people watched, the priests carried the chest of the Eternal up out of the Jordan; and as soon as they had stepped out of the riverbed, the river was filled and overflowing, just as it had been before.
19 The Israelites crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. 20 This was where Joshua set up the twelve stones from the Jordan riverbed. 21 He summoned the people of Israel.
Joshua: Someday your children will ask you, “What do these stones mean?” 22 And you will tell them, “Israel crossed the Jordan here on dry ground.” 23 For the Eternal One, your God, dried up the waters of the Jordan until you crossed over (just as He held back the Red Sea for our parents until they crossed) 24 so that everyone on earth would know how powerful the Eternal is and so that you would reverence your God, the Eternal, forever.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.