| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1As soon as the entire nation had completed its crossing of the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua. He said, | 1When the entire nation was on the other side, the LORD told Joshua, |
| 2"Gather together twelve men from the people—one man from each tribe— | 2"Select for yourselves twelve men from the people, one per 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.'" | 3Instruct them, 'Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.'" |
| 4So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had chosen from the people of Israel, one man from each tribe. | 4Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per 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. | 5Joshua told them, "Go in front of the ark of the LORD your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number 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,' | 6The stones will be a reminder to you. When your children ask someday, 'Why are these stones important 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." | 7tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing. These stones will be a lasting 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 commanded. They picked up twelve stones, according to the number of the Israelite tribes, from the middle of the Jordan as the LORD had instructed Joshua. They carried them over with them to the camp and put them 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 twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very 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. | 10Now the priests carrying the ark of the covenant were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people was accomplished, in accordance with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people went across quickly, |
| 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 when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed as the people looked on. |
| 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 the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed for battle ahead of the Israelites, just 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 forty thousand battle-ready troops marched past the LORD to fight on the plains of Jericho. |
| 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. | 14That day the LORD brought honor to Joshua before all Israel. They respected him all his life, just as they had respected 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." | 16"Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenantal laws to come up from the Jordan." |
| 17So Joshua ordered the priests, "Come up from the Jordan River." | 17So Joshua instructed 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. | 18The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the middle of the Jordan, and as soon as they set foot on dry land, the water of the Jordan flowed again and returned to flood stage. |
| 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 went up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped in Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. |
| 20Joshua set up the twelve stones that they had removed from the Jordan River at Gilgal. | 20Now Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve 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?' | 21He told the Israelites, "When your children someday ask their fathers, 'What do these stones represent?' |
| 22you are to tell your descendants: 'Israel crossed this Jordan River on dry ground | 22explain to your children, 'Israel crossed the Jordan River 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 water of the Jordan before you while you crossed over. It was just like when the LORD your God dried up the Red Sea before us while we crossed it. |
| 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." | 24He has done this so all the nations of the earth might recognize the LORD's power and so you might always obey the LORD your God." |
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