Joshua 4

All 24 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

Read Joshua 4 in the Bible reader, with audio →

1. 1When all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
2. 2Select twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe.
3. 3and command them, saying, 'Take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood firm, and carry them with you to the place where you will stay tonight.'
4. 4Then Joshua called the twelve men he had chosen from the children of Israel, one from each tribe.
5. 5Joshua said to them, "Go ahead of the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you should pick up a stone and carry it on your shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the children of Israel."
6. 6These stones will be a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?'
7. 7Then you shall tell them, 'The waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters were stopped.' These stones will serve as a lasting memorial for the children of Israel.
8. 8The Israelites did as Joshua commanded. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, as the LORD had instructed Joshua, one for each tribe of Israel, and carried them to the place where they camped, and set them down there.
9. 9Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the spot where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant had stood. Those stones remain there to this day.
10. 10The priests carrying the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything the LORD commanded Joshua to tell the people was completed, following all the instructions Moses had given Joshua. The people hurried across.
11. 11When everyone had completely crossed over, the ark of the LORD and the priests also crossed over, in the presence of the people.
12. 12The men of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed ahead of the other Israelites, as Moses had instructed them.
13. 13About forty thousand soldiers, prepared for battle, crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho.
14. 14On that day the LORD made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel, and they feared him as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15. 15The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
16. 16Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.
17. 17Joshua then commanded the priests, saying, "Come up out of the Jordan."
18. 18When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up out of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up onto the dry land, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks as before.
19. 19The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and set up camp at Gilgal, on the eastern border of Jericho.
20. 20Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan at Gilgal.
21. 21He spoke to the Israelites, saying, 'In the future, when your children ask their fathers, "What do these stones mean?"'
22. 22Then you shall tell your children, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry land.'
23. 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.
24. 24He did this so that all the people of the earth would know the mighty power of the LORD's hand, and so that you would fear the LORD your God forever.