Joshua 4
Lexham English Bible
The Israelites Make a Memorial
4 After all the nation finished crossing the Jordan, Yahweh said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe,[a] 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you, and set them up in the place where you will camp tonight.’”[b] 4 So Joshua summoned the twelve men whom he had appointed from the Israelites,[c] one from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Cross over before[d] the ark of Yahweh your God to the middle of the Jordan, and each one of you lift up a stone on your[e] shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites,[f] 6 so that this may be a reminder[g] among you. When your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’[h] 7 you will say to them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off from before[i] the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones will be as a memorial for the Israelites[j] for eternity.”
8 Thus the Israelites[k] did as Joshua commanded. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan as Yahweh told Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites,[l] and they carried them over with them to the camp,[m] and they put them there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood, and they are there to this day. 10 The priests carrying the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything that Yahweh commanded Joshua to tell the people was finished, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua. And the people hastily crossed over.
11 And it happened, when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of Yahweh and the priests crossed over in front of[n] the people. 12 The children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the Israelites,[o] as Moses told them. 13 About forty thousand armed for fighting crossed over before the presence of Yahweh to the plains of Jericho for battle. 14 On that day Yahweh exalted Joshua in the sight[p] of all Israel, and they respected him[q] as they respected[r] Moses all the days of his life.
15 Then Yahweh said to Joshua, saying, 16 “Command the priests carrying the ark of the testimony[s] to come up[t] from the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” 18 And it happened that when the priests carrying the ark came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched dry land,[u] the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and flowed over all its banks as before.
19 And the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the eastern edge[v] of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones that they took from the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 And he said to the Israelites,[w] “When your children ask in the future their parents,[x] ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’[y] 22 you will let your children know by saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you, until you had crossed, just as Yahweh your God did to the Red Sea,[z] which he dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of Yahweh is strong, so that you may fear Yahweh your God forever.”[aa]
Footnotes
- Joshua 4:2 Literally “man one man one from tribe”
- Joshua 4:3 Literally “the lodging place where you will lodge tonight”
- Joshua 4:4 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Joshua 4:5 Or “the presence”
- Joshua 4:5 Hebrew “his”
- Joshua 4:5 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Joshua 4:6 Or “sign”
- Joshua 4:6 Literally “What are these stones for you?”
- Joshua 4:7 Or “the presence of”
- Joshua 4:7 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Joshua 4:8 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Joshua 4:8 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Joshua 4:8 Literally “the place of overnight lodging”
- Joshua 4:11 Or “before the presence”
- Joshua 4:12 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Joshua 4:14 Literally “in the eyes”
- Joshua 4:14 Or “feared him”
- Joshua 4:14 Or “feared”
- Joshua 4:16 That is, the ark of the covenant
- Joshua 4:16 Literally “and let them come up”
- Joshua 4:18 Literally “were raised from the ground to dry land”
- Joshua 4:19 That is, border
- Joshua 4:21 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Joshua 4:21 Literally “their fathers”
- Joshua 4:21 Literally “What are these stones?”
- Joshua 4:23 Literally “sea of reeds”
- Joshua 4:24 Literally “all the days”
Jozua 4
Het Boek
Het gedenkteken
4 Nadat het hele volk aan de overkant van de Jordaan was aangekomen, zei de Here tegen Jozua: 2,3 ‘Laten de twaalf mannen die werden gekozen voor een speciale opdracht—uit elke stam één—ieder een steen opnemen van de plaats waar de priesters in het midden van de Jordaan staan. Zij moeten die stenen op de oever brengen en opstapelen als een gedenkteken op de plaats waar u vannacht uw kamp opslaat.’ 4 Jozua riep de twaalf mannen bij zich 5 en zei: ‘Ga naar het midden van de Jordaan waar de ark van de Here is. Ieder van u moet daar een steen op zijn schouder nemen en op de oever brengen, twaalf stenen in totaal, één voor elk van de twaalf stammen. 6 Wij zullen die gebruiken om een gedenkteken op te richten. En als onze kinderen later vragen: “Waarvoor dient dat gedenkteken?” 7 kunt u hun vertellen: “Dat is om ons eraan te herinneren dat de Jordaan ophield met stromen toen de ark van het verbond de rivier overstak!” Het gedenkteken zal een voortdurende herinnering zijn aan dit verbazingwekkende wonder.’ 8 De mannen deden wat Jozua hun had opgedragen. Zij haalden twaalf stenen uit het midden van de Jordaan, voor elke stam één, zoals de Here Jozua had bevolen. Zij brachten de stenen naar de plaats waar het kamp voor die nacht was opgeslagen en maakten er een gedenkteken van. 9 Jozua bouwde nóg een gedenkteken van twaalf stenen midden in de rivier, op de plaats waar de priesters stonden. En dat staat er vandaag nog.
10 De priesters die de ark droegen, bleven in het midden van de Jordaan staan tot al deze aanwijzingen die de Here aan Jozua had gegeven, waren uitgevoerd. Ondertussen waren de andere Israëlieten snel door de rivierbedding getrokken. 11 Toen iedereen de overkant had bereikt, keken de mensen toe hoe de priesters de ark van de Here de oever opdroegen. 12,13 Daarop trokken de troepen van Ruben, Gad en Manasse, in totaal veertigduizend gewapende mannen, aan het hoofd van het leger van de Here de rivier over en leidden het volk naar de vlakte van Jericho. 14 Voor Jozua was het een geweldige dag, want de Here had hem voor de ogen van het hele volk als leider bevestigd en zij kregen voor de rest van zijn leven net zoveel ontzag voor hem als zij voor Mozes hadden.
15-17 Jozua had immers op bevel van de Here de priesters die de ark van het getuigenis droegen, de opdracht gegeven: ‘Kom uit de Jordaanbedding naar boven.’ 18 Zodra de priesters die de ark van het verbond droegen, op het droge waren aangekomen, kwam het water weer opzetten en stroomde het langs de oevers van de rivier als voorheen! 19 Dit wonder gebeurde op de tiende dag van de eerste maand. Die dag stak het hele volk de Jordaan over en sloeg het kamp op bij Gilgal, aan de oostgrens van de stad Jericho.
20 Daar werden de twaalf stenen uit de Jordaan opgestapeld als een gedenkteken. 21 Jozua legde opnieuw de betekenis van de stenen uit: ‘Later,’ zei hij, ‘als uw kinderen u vragen waarom deze stenen hier liggen en wat zij te betekenen hebben, 22 moet u hun vertellen dat deze stenen een herinnering zijn aan dit verbazingwekkende wonder, hoe het volk Israël over de drooggevallen grond de Jordaan overstak! 23 Vertel hun hoe de Here, onze God, de rivier voor onze ogen liet opdrogen en deze droog hield tot wij allemaal waren overgestoken! Het is hetzelfde wonder dat de Here veertig jaar geleden bij de Rietzee deed. 24 Hij deed dit opdat alle volken op aarde zullen beseffen, dat de Here de Almachtige God is en zij allen Hem zullen vereren.’
Joshua 4
New King James Version
The Memorial Stones
4 And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed (A)over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: 2 (B)“Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where (C)the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in (D)the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ”
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, 6 that this may be (E)a sign among you (F)when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that (G)the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for (H)a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”
8 And the children of Israel did so, just as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as the Lord had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.
10 So the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and crossed over. 11 Then it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over, that the (I)ark of the Lord and the priests crossed over in the presence of the people. 12 And (J)the men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them. 13 About forty thousand [a]prepared for war crossed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the Lord (K)exalted[b] Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 16 “Command the priests who bear (L)the ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan.” 17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” 18 And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place (M)and overflowed all its banks as before.
19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped (N)in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And (O)those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. 21 Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: (P)“When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, saying, (Q)‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on (R)dry land’; 23 for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, (S)which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 (T)that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is (U)mighty, that you may (V)fear the Lord your God [c]forever.”
Footnotes
- Joshua 4:13 equipped
- Joshua 4:14 made Joshua great
- Joshua 4:24 Lit. all days
Joshua 4
King James Version
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.
10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 And the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
