1After the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan, Yahweh said to Joshua,
2"Choose twelve men from the people, one from each tribe,
3and tell them, 'Take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the exact spot where the priests' feet stood firm. Carry these stones with you and set them down in the place where you will camp tonight.'"
4So Joshua called the twelve men he had selected from the Israelites, one from each tribe.
5Joshua told them, "Go ahead of the ark of Yahweh your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you should pick up one stone and carry it on your shoulder, one for each of the tribes of Israel.
6This will serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, 'What do these stones mean to you?'
7then you are to tell them, 'It is because the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of Yahweh's covenant. When the ark crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.' These stones will be a reminder to the people of Israel forever."
8The Israelites did exactly as Joshua commanded. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as Yahweh had told Joshua, one for each of the tribes of Israel. They carried them to their campsite and set them down there.
9Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the spot where the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the covenant had stood. Those stones are still there today.
10The priests carrying the ark remained in the middle of the Jordan until everything Yahweh had commanded Joshua to tell the people was completed, just as Moses had commanded Joshua. Then the people quickly crossed over.
11After all the people had completely crossed, Yahweh's ark crossed over with the priests, in full view of the people.
12The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed for battle, crossed over ahead of the rest of the Israelites, just as Moses had instructed them.
13About forty thousand armed men, ready for war, crossed over before Yahweh for battle onto the plains of Jericho.
14That day, Yahweh made Joshua a very important leader in the eyes of all Israel. They respected Joshua their entire lives, just as they had respected Moses.
15Yahweh said to Joshua,
16"Command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant to come up out of the Jordan."
17So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan!"
18When the priests carrying the ark of Yahweh's covenant came up from the middle of the Jordan, and their feet touched the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their usual place, overflowing its banks as before.
19The people came up out of 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 they had taken from the Jordan at Gilgal.
21He told the people of Israel, "In the future, when your children ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?'
22Then you must tell your children, 'Israel crossed this Jordan River on dry ground.'
23This is because Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you had crossed over, just as Yahweh your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we had crossed over.
24He did this so that all the people of the earth might know that Yahweh's power is great, and so that you would worship Yahweh your God forever."