| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1As soon as the entire nation had completed its crossing of the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua. He said, | 1After the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua: " |
| 2"Gather together twelve men from the people—one man from each tribe— | 2Choose 12 men from the people, one man for each tribe, |
| 3and tell them, 'Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests' feet were standing, bring them along with you, and put them down where you camp tonight.'" | 3and command them: Take 12 stones from this place in the middle of the Jordan where the priests are standing, carry them with you, and set them down at the place where you spend the night." |
| 4So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had chosen from the people of Israel, one man from each tribe. | 4So Joshua summoned the 12 men he had selected from the Israelites, one man for each tribe, |
| 5Joshua told them, "Cross over again in front of the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan River. Then each of you pick up a stone on his shoulder with which to build a memorial, one for each of the tribes of Israel. | 5and said to them, "Go across to the ark of the LORD your God in the middle of the Jordan. Each of you lift a stone onto his shoulder, one for each of the Israelite tribes, |
| 6Let this serve as a sign among you, so that when your children ask in times to come, 'What do these stones mean to you,' | 6so that this will be a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean to you?' |
| 7then you'll say to them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan River were cut off in front of the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan River, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.' So these stones will become a memorial to the Israelis forever." | 7you should tell them, 'The waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the LORD's covenant. When it crossed the Jordan, the Jordan's waters were cut off.' Therefore these stones will always be a memorial for the Israelites." |
| 8The Israelis did just as Joshua commanded. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River—just as the LORD had spoken to Joshua—according to the number of the tribes of the Israelis, and they carried them over to where they would be pitching camp, and they put them down there. | 8The Israelites did just as Joshua had commanded them. The 12 men took stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each of the Israelite tribes, just as the LORD had told Joshua. They carried them to the camp and set them down there. |
| 9Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan River at the location where the feet of the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant had been standing, and they remain there to this day. | 9Joshua also set up 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing. The stones are there to this day. |
| 10The priests who were carrying the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan River until everything had been done in accordance with what the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people and with everything that Moses had commanded Joshua. So the people hurried and crossed over. | 10The priests carrying the ark continued standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell the people, in keeping with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people hurried across, |
| 11When all of the people had completed their crossing, the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed over in full view of the people. | 11and after everyone had finished crossing, the priests with the ark of the LORD crossed in the sight of the people. |
| 12Just as Moses had directed, the descendants of Reuben, the descendants of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, dressed in battle regalia, in full view of the other Israelis. | 12The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh went in battle formation in front of the Israelites, as Moses had instructed them. |
| 13About 40,000 soldiers equipped to do battle in the LORD's presence crossed over to the desert plains of Jericho. | 13About 40,000 equipped for war crossed to the plains of Jericho in the LORD's presence. |
| 14That day, the LORD exalted Joshua in the presence of all Israel so that they revered him just as they had revered Moses throughout his life. | 14On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they revered him throughout his life, as they had revered Moses. |
| 15Now the LORD had told Joshua, | 15The LORD told Joshua, " |
| 16"Command the priests who carry the Ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan River." | 16Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony to come up from the Jordan." |
| 17So Joshua ordered the priests, "Come up from the Jordan River." | 17So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up from the Jordan." |
| 18As soon as the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD had come up from the middle of the Jordan River, and the soles of the priests' feet came up to dry ground, the water of the Jordan River returned to normal, covering its banks as it had done so before. | 18When the priests carrying the ark of the LORD's covenant came up from the middle of the Jordan, and their feet stepped out on solid ground, the waters of the Jordan resumed their course, flowing over all the banks as before. |
| 19The people came up from the Jordan River on the tenth day of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern outskirts of Jericho. | 19The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and camped at Gilgal on the eastern limits of Jericho. |
| 20Joshua set up the twelve stones that they had removed from the Jordan River at Gilgal. | 20Then Joshua set up in Gilgal the 12 stones they had taken from the Jordan, |
| 21Then he told the Israelis, "When your descendants ask their parents in years to come, 'What is the meaning of these stones?' | 21and he said to the Israelites, "In the future, when your children ask their fathers, 'What is the meaning of these stones?' |
| 22you are to tell your descendants: 'Israel crossed this Jordan River on dry ground | 22you should tell your children, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' |
| 23because the LORD your God dried up the water of the Jordan River right in front of you, until you had crossed over, just as the LORD your God had done to the Reed Sea—which he had dried up in front of us until we had crossed it also.' | 23For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over. |
| 24Do this so that all of the people of the earth may know how strong the power of the LORD is, and so that you may fear the LORD your God every day." | 24This is so that all the people of the earth may know that the LORD's hand is mighty, and so that you may always fear the LORD your God." |
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