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Joshua 4
New Catholic Bible
Joshua 4
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 4
The Twelve Memorial Stones. 1 When the entire people had passed over the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each of the tribes, 3 and tell them to take twelve stones from the bed of the Jordan where the priests had been standing, and to carry them over with you, depositing them at the place where you will be camping this evening.”
4 So Joshua called the twelve men together whom the Israelites had chosen, one man from each tribe, 5 and Joshua said to them, “Cross over in front of the Ark of the Lord, your God, into the middle of the Jordan and have each man place a rock on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites. 6 [a]These will serve as a reminder for you when, in the future, your children ask, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’ 7 you will answer them, ‘The waters of the Jordan stopped flowing before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan ceased to flow.’ These stones will be a memorial to the Israelites forever.”
8 The Israelites did just what Joshua had commanded them to do. They picked up twelve stones from the Jordan’s riverbed, just as the Lord had instructed Joshua to do, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites, and they brought them out to the place where they were camping that night and they laid them down there. 9 Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the Jordan’s riverbed, where the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant had been standing. They are still there today.
10 Now the priests who were carrying the Ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything that the Lord had directed Joshua to tell the people had been done, the things that Moses had ordered Joshua to do. The people hurried over, 11 and when all the people had completed the crossing, the Ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests crossed over in front of the people. 12 The men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and the men of one of the halves of the tribe of Manasseh passed in front of the Israelites, clad in battle gear, as Moses had instructed them to do. 13 About forty thousand men clad in battle gear passed over before the Lord into the plains of Jericho to do battle. 14 That day the Lord exalted Joshua before all of Israel. They revered him as long as he lived, even as they had revered Moses.
15 The Lord then said to Joshua, 16 “Tell the priests who are carrying the Ark of Testimony[b] to come up out of the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” 18 So the priests, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, came up out of the Jordan. As soon as the priests’ feet touched dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned back to their place, flowing at flood stage as they had before.
19 [c]The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month,[d] and they camped at Gilgal to the east of Jericho. 20 Joshua erected the twelve stones that had been taken out of the Jordan at Gilgal. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’ 22 tell your children, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan on dry land.’ 23 The Lord, your God, dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you could cross over, just as the Lord, your God, had dried up the Red Sea before us until we had crossed over it. 24 He did this so that everyone upon the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is mighty and so that you might always fear the Lord, your God.”
Footnotes
- Joshua 4:6 What is the meaning of these stones?: the Israelites were taught about God’s plan and reminded of his faithfulness by seeing the stones and repeating the stories connected to them. This continues with the question and response at the Passover meal each year.
- Joshua 4:16 Ark of Testimony: an infrequently used name for the Ark of the Covenant (see Ex 25:22; 31:7; Num 4:5), derived from the fact that the Testimony, that is, the tablets of the Decalogue, was kept in the Ark.
- Joshua 4:19 Like the deliverance from Egypt, the crossing of the Jordan shows all future generations the power God exercises in saving his people. The first great sanctuary in Palestine will preserve the sacred tradition regarding this miracle. The author places two supremely important events during the stay at Gilgal: the circumcision of the entire male population (see Gen 17) and the Feast of Passover.
- Joshua 4:19 On the tenth day of the first month: that is, a few days before Passover (see 5:10).
Jozye 4
Haitian Creole Version
Jozye 4
Haitian Creole Version
4 ¶ Lè tout moun fin janbe lòt bò larivyè Jouden an, Seyè a pale ak Jozye. Li di l' konsa:
2 -Chwazi douzòm, yonn nan chak branch fanmi yo.
3 W'a ba yo lòd pou yo chak pran yon wòch nan mitan larivyè Jouden an, kote prèt yo te kanpe a. Y'a pran douz wòch sa yo, y'a pote yo lòt bò larivyè a. N'a mete yo kote nou pral moute tant nou yo aswè a.
4 Lè sa a, Jozye fè rele douz mesye li te chwazi pami moun pèp Izrayèl yo, yonn pou chak branch fanmi yo.
5 Epi li di yo: -Ale devan Bwat Kontra Seyè a, Bondye nou an, ki nan mitan larivyè a. Chak moun va pran yon wòch mete sou zepòl yo, yonn pou chak branch fanmi pèp Izrayèl la.
6 Wòch sa yo va sèvi pou fè pèp la chonje sa Seyè a te fè pou yo. Denmen, lè pitit nou yo va mande nou kisa wòch sa yo vle di pou nou,
7 n'a reponn yo: Dlo larivyè Jouden an te sispann koule devan Bwat Kontra Seyè a. Wòch sa yo la pou pèp Izrayèl la ka toujou chonje dlo larivyè Jouden an te sispann koule lè yo t'ap janbe lòt bò larivyè a.
8 Mesye yo fè sa Jozye te ba yo lòd fè a. Jan Seyè a te di Jozye, yo pran douz wòch nan mitan larivyè Jouden an, yonn pou chak branch fanmi pèp Izrayèl la, yo pote yo avèk yo lòt bò rivyè a. Yo mete yo kote yo moute tant yo pou pase nwit lan.
9 Apre sa, Jozye pran douz lòt wòch, li mete yo kanpe nan mitan larivyè a, kote prèt ki t'ap pote Bwat Kontra yo te kanpe a. Wòch yo la jouk koulye a.
10 ¶ Prèt yo te rete kanpe avèk Bwat Kontra a sou zepòl yo, nan mitan larivyè a jouk yo fin fè tout sa Seyè a te bay lòd pou pèp la te fè, jan Moyiz te mande pou Jozye fè l' la. Se konsa, pèp la prese janbe lòt bò larivyè a.
11 Lè yo tout fin pase, prèt yo fè rès travèse a ak Bwat Kontra Seyè a, epi yo pran devan pèp la ankò.
12 Premye moun ki te janbe lòt bòt larivyè a, devan tout pèp la se te gason branch fanmi Woubenn yo, gason branch fanmi Gad yo ak mwatye nan gason branch fanmi Manase yo, jan Moyiz te di yo a. Yo te tou pare pou fè lagè.
13 Jou sa a, te gen antou karantmil (40.000) gason tou pare pou fè lagè ki te janbe al nan plenn Jeriko yo, devan je Seyè a.
14 Sa Seyè a te fè jou sa a te fè tout pèp Izrayèl la pran Jozye pou yon grannèg vre. Depi lè sa a yo respekte msye jouk li mouri, menm jan yo te respekte Moyiz la.
15 Apre sa, Seyè a pale ak Jozye, li di l' konsa:
16 -Bay prèt k'ap pote Bwat Kontra a lòd pou yo soti nan larivyè Jouden an.
17 Jozye pale ak prèt yo, li ba yo lòd sa a: -Moute soti nan larivyè Jouden an.
18 Soti prèt yo soti nan larivyè a, lè pye yo touche tè sèk sou rivaj la, dlo larivyè a konmanse koule ankò jan li te toujou koule anvan an. Li gonfle moute rive jouk sou rivaj li yo.
19 Jou pèp la te janbe lòt bò larivyè Jouden an, se te dizyèm jou nan premye mwa a. Y' al moute tant yo yon kote ki rele Gilgal, ki te sou bò solèy leve lavil Jeriko.
20 ¶ Se la Jozye pran douz wòch yo te pran nan mitan larivyè Jouden an, li mete yo kanpe fè yon wonn.
21 Lè l' fini, li di moun pèp Izrayèl yo konsa: -Denmen, lè pitit nou yo va mande papa yo poukisa wòch sa yo la a,
22 n'a fè pitit nou yo konnen pèp Izrayèl la te janbe lòt bò larivyè Jouden an san pye yo pa t' mouye.
23 Paske Seyè a, Bondye nou an, te cheche dlo larivyè Jouden an devan nou jouk nou tout fin pase, menm jan li te cheche Lanmè Wouj la devan zansèt nou yo jouk yo tout te fin pase.
24 Se poutèt sa, tout moun sou latè va konnen jan Seyè a gen pouvwa, lèfini nou menm n'a toujou gen krentif pou Seyè a, Bondye nou an.
Joshua 4
King James Version
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.
Joshua 4
New International Version
Joshua 4
New International Version
4 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan,(A) the Lord said 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 the Lord your 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 the Lord. 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 the Lord had 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 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,(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 the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.
14 That day the Lord exalted(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 the Lord said 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 the Lord. 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 the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your 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 the Lord is powerful(AI) and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.(AJ)”
Footnotes
- Joshua 4:9 Or Joshua also set up twelve stones
- Joshua 4:23 Or the Sea of Reeds
New International Version (NIV) 
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