Joshua 4:6-21

6This will be a sign for you. In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’

7You should answer, ‘The water of the Jordan River was cut off in front of the ark of the Lord’s promise. When the ark crossed the Jordan, the river stopped flowing. These stones are a permanent reminder for the people of Israel.’ ”

8The people of Israel did as Joshua had ordered. They took 12 stones, one for each of the tribes of Israel. They took them from the middle of the Jordan as the Lord had told Joshua. They carried them to the camp and set them down there.

9Joshua also set 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan River, where the priests who carried the ark of the promise had stood. The stones are still there today.

10The priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan. They stood there until everything the Lord had ordered Joshua to tell the people had been carried out. This was as Moses had told Joshua. The people hurried to the other side.

11As soon as everyone had crossed, the priests with the Lord’s ark crossed and went ahead of them.

12The men of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh did as Moses had told them. They marched across in battle formation ahead of the people of Israel.

13About 40,000 armed men crossed the river in front of the Lord to the plains of Jericho for battle.

14On that day the Lord honored Joshua in the presence of all the Israelites. As long as Joshua lived, the Israelites respected him in the same way they had respected Moses.

15The Lord said to Joshua,

16“Order the priests who carry the ark of the testimony to come out of the Jordan River.”

17So Joshua ordered the priests, “Come out of the Jordan.”

18The priests who carried the ark of the Lord’s promise came out of the middle of the Jordan. When their feet stepped onto dry land, the water of the Jordan returned to its seasonal flood level.

19On the tenth day of the first month, the people came out of the Jordan River. They made their camp at Gilgal, just east of Jericho.

20At Gilgal Joshua set up the 12 stones they had taken from the Jordan.

21He said to the people of Israel, “In the future when children ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’