Joshua 4

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, Yahweh spoke to Joshua and said,	1 And when they had crossed over, the Lord said to Joshua:
2 'Choose twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, and give them this order,	2 “Choose twelve men, one from each tribe,
3 "Here, from mid-Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet were standing, take twelve stones; carrythem with you and set them down in the camp where you pass the night." '	3 and instruct them so that they may take from the midst of the channel of the Jordan, where the feet of the priests stood still, twelve very hard stones, which you shall station in the place of the camp, where you will pitch your tents this night.”
4 Joshua cal ed the twelve men whom he had selected from the Israelites, one man from each tribe,	4 And Joshua called twelve men, whom he had chosen from the sons of Israel, one from each tribe,
5 and Joshua said to them, 'Go on ahead of the ark of Yahweh your God into mid-Jordan, and each ofyou take one stone on his shoulder, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel,	5 and he said to them: “Go before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and let each one carry from there one stone on your shoulders, according to the number of the sons of Israel,
6 to make this a sign among you; and when, in the future, your children ask you, "What do these stonesmean for you?"	6 so that it may be a sign among you. And when your sons will ask you, tomorrow, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
7 you will then tell them, "The waters of the Jordan separated before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh;when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the river separated. These stones are an everlasting reminder of thisto the Israelites."	7 you shall respond to them: ‘The waters of the Jordan failed before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, when the ark crossed over it. For this reason, these stones were placed as a monument for the sons of Israel, even forever.’ ”
8 The Israelites did as Joshua ordered; they took twelve stones from mid-Jordan corresponding to thenumber of the tribes of Israel, as Yahweh had told Joshua; they carried them over to the camp and set themdown there.	8 Therefore, the sons of Israel did as Joshua instructed them, carrying twelve stones from the midst of the channel of the Jordan, just as the Lord had ordered him, according to the number of the sons of Israel, as far as the place where they made camp, and there they stationed them.
9 Joshua then erected twelve stones in mid-Jordan, on the spot where the feet of the priests carrying theark of the covenant had stood; and they are stil there today.	9 Similarly, Joshua positioned another twelve stones in the middle of the channel of the Jordan, where the priests stood who were carrying the ark of the covenant; and they are there, even to the present day.
10 The priests carrying the ark stood stil in mid-Jordan, until everything had been done that Yahweh hadordered Joshua to tel the people (in accordance with everything that Moses had ordered Joshua); and thepeople hurried across.	10 Now the priests who were carrying the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was accomplished which the Lord had instructed Joshua to speak to the people and which Moses had said to him. And the people hurried, and they passed over.
11 When the people had finished crossing, the ark of Yahweh then crossed, with the priests, to the headof the people.	11 And when they had all crossed, the ark of the Lord also crossed, and the priests advanced before the people.
12 The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed in battle formation at thehead of the Israelites, as Moses had told them.	12 Likewise, the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh advanced with weapons before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had instructed them.
13 Some forty thousand warriors in arms, they crossed in Yahweh's presence, ready for battle, towardsthe plain of Jericho.	13 And forty thousand fighters, by companies and divisions, advanced through the plains and fields of the city of Jericho.
14 That day, Yahweh made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel, who respected him as they hadrespected Moses, as long as he lived.	14 In that day, the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel, so that they would fear him, just as they had feared Moses while he lived.
15 Yahweh said to Joshua,	15 And he said to him,
16 'Order the priests carrying the ark of the Testimony to come up out of the Jordan.'	16 “Command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant to ascend from the Jordan.”
17 And Joshua gave the order to the priests, 'Come up, out of the Jordan!'	17 And he commanded them, saying, “Ascend from the Jordan.”
18 Now, when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came up out of mid-Jordan, nosooner had the soles of the priests' feet touched solid ground, than the waters of the Jordan returned to their bedand ran on, in spate as before.	18 And when those who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord had ascended, and they began to step on dry soil, the waters returned to their channel, and they flowed as they usually did before.
19 It was the tenth day of the first month when the people came up from the Jordan and made their campat Gilgal, on the eastern border of Jericho.	19 Now the people ascended from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal, opposite the eastern portion of the city of Jericho.
20 As regards those twelve stones, which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set them up at Gilgal.	20 Likewise, the twelve stones that they had taken up from the channel of the Jordan, Joshua stationed at Gilgal.
21 He then said to the Israelites, 'When, in the future, your children ask their fathers, "What are thesestones?"	21 And he said to the sons of Israel: “When your sons will question their fathers, tomorrow, and they will say to them, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
22 you wil explain to your children, "Israel crossed this Jordan dry-shod.	22 you shall teach them, and you shall say: ‘Israel passed over this Jordan, through the dry channel.’
23 For Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan in front of you until you had crossed, just asYahweh your God did to the Sea of Reeds, which he dried up before us until we had crossed it;	23 For the Lord your God dried up its waters in your sight, until you crossed over,
24 so that al the peoples of the earth may know how mighty the hand of Yahweh is, and always stand inawe of Yahweh your God." '	24 just as he had done before, at the Red Sea, which he dried up until we crossed over.
	25 So may all the peoples of the earth learn of the very powerful hand of the Lord. So may you also fear the Lord your God for all time.”