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Joshua 4:2-20
Expanded Bible
Joshua 4:2-20
Expanded Bible
2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe. 3 ·Tell [Command; Instruct] them to get twelve rocks from the middle of the river, from where the priests stood. Carry the rocks and put them down where you ·stay [camp; lodge] tonight.”
4 So Joshua ·chose [appointed] one man from each tribe. Then he called the twelve men together 5 and said to them, “Go out into the river where the Ark of the Lord your God is. Each of you bring back one rock, one for each tribe of Israel, and carry it on your shoulder. 6 They will be a ·sign [reminder; memorial] among you. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these rocks mean [L to you]?’ 7 Tell them the water stopped flowing in the Jordan when the Ark of the ·Agreement with [Covenant/Treaty of] the Lord crossed the ·river [L Jordan]. These rocks will always remind the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] of this [C stone memorials are common in the OT; 7:26; 24:26–27; Gen. 28:18–22; 31:45–47].”
8 So the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] obeyed Joshua and carried twelve rocks from the middle of the Jordan River, one rock for each of the twelve tribes of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded Joshua. They carried the rocks with them and put them down where they made their camp. 9 Joshua also put twelve rocks in the middle of the Jordan River where the priests had stood while carrying the Ark of the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty]. These rocks are still there today.
10 The priests carrying the Ark continued standing in the middle of the river until everything was done that the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people, just as Moses had told Joshua. The people hurried across the river. 11 After they finished crossing the river, the priests carried the Ark of the Lord to the other side as the people watched. 12 The men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh obeyed what Moses had told them. They were dressed for war, and they crossed the river ahead of the other people. 13 About forty thousand soldiers prepared for war passed before the Lord as they marched across the river, going toward the plains of Jericho.
14 That day the Lord ·made Joshua great [honored/exalted Joshua] in the ·opinion [L eyes] of all the Israelites. They ·respected [revered; stood in awe of] Joshua all his life, just as they had ·respected [revered; stood in awe of] Moses.
15 Then the Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests to bring the Ark of the ·Agreement [Covenant; Treaty; L Testimony] out of the river.”
17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”
18 Then the priests carried the Ark of the ·Agreement with [Covenant/Treaty of] the Lord out of the river. As soon as their feet touched dry land, the water began flowing again. The river again overflowed its banks, just as it had before they crossed.
19 The people ·crossed [L came up from] the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped at Gilgal, ·east [on the eastern border] of Jericho. 20 They carried with them the twelve rocks taken from the Jordan, and Joshua set them up at Gilgal.
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Joshua 4:2-20
New International Version
Joshua 4:2-20
New International Version
2 “Choose twelve men(A) from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones(B) from the middle of the Jordan,(C) from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.(D)”
4 So Joshua called together the twelve men(E) 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.(F) 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(G) among you. In the future, when your children(H) ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’(I) 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off(J) 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(K) to the people of Israel forever.”
8 So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones(L) from the middle of the Jordan,(M) according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua;(N) and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. 9 Joshua set up the twelve stones(O) 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.(P)
10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had 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 the Lord and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. 12 The men of Reuben,(Q) Gad(R) and the half-tribe of Manasseh(S) crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites,(T) as Moses had directed them.(U) 13 About forty thousand armed for battle(V) crossed over(W) before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.
14 That day the Lord exalted(X) 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 the Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law(Y) 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 the Lord. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place(Z) and ran at flood stage(AA) as before.
19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal(AB) on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones(AC) they had taken out of the Jordan.
Footnotes
- Joshua 4:9 Or Joshua also set up twelve stones
Joshua 4:2-20
King James Version
Joshua 4:2-20
King James Version
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.
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Joshua 4:2-20
New King James Version
Joshua 4:2-20
New King James Version
2 (A)“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 (B)the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in (C)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 (D)a sign among you (E)when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that (F)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 (G)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 (H)ark of the Lord and the priests crossed over in the presence of the people. 12 And (I)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 (J)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 (K)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 (L)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 (M)in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And (N)those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Joshua 4:13 equipped
- Joshua 4:14 made Joshua great
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.