New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Joshua 4
1
After the whole nation had gone across the Jordan River, the Lord spoke to Joshua. He said,
Reference
2
"Choose 12 men from among the people. Choose one from each tribe.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 3:12
3
Tell them to get 12 stones from the middle of the river. They must pick them up from right where the priests stood. They must carry the stones over with all of you. And they must put them down at the place where you will stay tonight."
Reference
4
So Joshua called together the 12 men he had appointed from among the people of Israel. There was one man from each tribe.
5
He said to them, "Go back to the middle of the Jordan River. Go to where the ark of the Lord your God is. Each one of you must pick up a stone. You must carry it on your shoulder. There will be as many stones as there are tribes in Israel.
6
"The stones will serve as a reminder to you. In days to come, your children will ask you, 'What do these stones mean?'
Reference
7
Tell them that the Lord cut off the flow of water in the Jordan River. Tell them its water stopped flowing when the ark of the covenant of the Lord went across. The stones will always remind the Israelites of what happened there."
Reference
8
So the people of Israel did as Joshua commanded them. They took 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan River. There was one stone for each of the tribes of Israel. It was just as the Lord had told Joshua. The people carried the stones with them to their camp. There they put them down.
9
Joshua piled up the 12 stones that had been in the middle of the river. They had been right where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are still there to this very day.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 7:12
10
The priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan River. They stayed there until the people had done everything the Lord had commanded Joshua. It was just as Moses had directed Joshua. All of the people went across quickly.
Reference
References Lord
Joshua 3:13
11
As soon as they did, the ark of the Lord and the priests also went across to the other side. The people were watching them.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 3:8
12
Among the people who went across the river were men from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh. The men were armed. They went across ahead of the rest of the people of Israel. It was just as Moses had directed them.
13
There were about 40,000 of them. All of them were ready for battle. They went across in front of the ark of the Lord. They went to the flatlands around Jericho. They were prepared to go to war.
14
That day the Lord honored Joshua in the eyes of all of the people of Israel. They had respect for Joshua as long as he lived. They respected him just as much as they had respected Moses.
Reference
Parallel theme
Romans 13:4
References Israel
1 Kings 3:28
References Lord
Joshua 3:7
2 Chronicles 30:12
15
Then the Lord spoke to Joshua. He said,
16
"Command the priests to come up out of the Jordan River. They are carrying the ark where the tablets of the covenant are kept."
17
So Joshua gave a command to the priests. He said, "Come up out of the Jordan River."
18
Then the priests came up out of the river. They were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. As soon as they stepped out on dry ground, the water of the Jordan began to flow again. It went over its banks, just as it had done before.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 3:15
19
On the tenth day of the first month the people went up out of the Jordan River. They camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.
Reference
20
Joshua set up the 12 stones at Gilgal. They were the ones the people had taken out of the Jordan.
Reference
21
Then he spoke to the people of Israel. He said, "In days to come, your children after you will ask their parents, 'What do these stones mean?'
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 4:6
23
The Lord your God dried up the Jordan for you until you had gone across it. He did to the Jordan River the same thing he had done to the Red Sea. He dried up the Red Sea ahead of us until we had gone across it.
Reference
24
He did it so that all of the nations on earth would know that he is powerful. He did it so that you would always have respect for the Lord your God."
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 89:13
Psalm 106:8
1 Chronicles 29:12
References God
2 Kings 19:19
Deuteronomy 6:2
References Lord
Exodus 15:16
Exodus 14:31
Summary of Joshua 4
Joshua 4 records how the Israelites finished crossing the Jordan River and how God told them to keep a lasting reminder of what happened. The chapter is about the stones taken from the Jordan, the importance of remembering God's work, and the crossing's significance to Joshua's leadership.
God told Joshua to order twelve men to carry twelve stones from the Jordan's middle after the whole Israelite nation had crossed the Jordan on foot. The men had been chosen earlier by Joshua. Each of the twelve sons of Israel would take a stone from the Jordan. Each tribe would have a stone to remember how God had caused the Jordan to stop flowing for the Israelites to cross the river on foot.
Joshua told the Israelites that when their children asked what the stones meant, they should explain that God had allowed Israel to cross the Jordan on foot. Then the children would know that God had done this mighty work for them.
Therefore, the stones would be a reminder to the people of what God had done. The Israelites would keep telling their children about how God had made the Jordan River stop flowing until the people of Israel forgot about it. The Israelites were to ensure that the memory of this miracle was passed down from generation to generation. The twelve men did what Joshua had told them. Each of the twelve sons of Israel took a stone from the Jordan and brought it to the place where the Israelites would spend the night.
Joshua laid the stones as a memorial. The priests carrying the ark remained in the Jordan until all the men had finished crossing the Jordan. Then the priests came out of the Jordan, and when their feet touched the stones on the other side, the Jordan overflowed its banks again.
The Israelites had seen the waters of the Jordan stop flowing so that they could cross on foot. But when the priests had finished crossing the Jordan, the waters had started to flow again. Therefore, the people had seen how God had dried up the Jordan for them to cross on foot. The people knew this mighty work of God would not be forgotten. It is recorded in scripture that the people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. There they camped in Gilgal, on the east of Jericho. Joshua laid the twelve stones in the Jordan where the men carrying the ark had stood. This chapter is also about the stones taken from the Jordan and the group of twelve stones that Joshua laid in the Jordan as a memorial to the people of Israel. Joshua told the Israelites that when their children asked what the stones meant, they should say that God had made the Jordan River stop flowing so that His people could cross on foot. This way, the Israelites' children would always know that God had brought them safely across the Jordan River. Joshua told the people that the Jordan River crossing was like the miracle at the Red Sea. God had dried up the waters of the Red Sea to allow His people to cross over, and He had made the waters of the Jordan stop flowing so that His people could walk across on foot. These were the greatest miracles that God had performed for his people.
Joshua said that God had worked these miracles so that all the people of the earth might know that the Lord's hand was mighty. The Israelites had also known that they should always fear and reverence the Lord. By reminding the people of this miracle, God was ensuring that the Israelites would always remember how greatly He had blessed them.
This chapter is mostly devoted to the men who carried the ark. They remained in the middle of the Jordan River until everyone had crossed. These men's dedication to God showed that the Lord's hand was mighty. The twelve men had each picked up a stone from the Jordan's middle, and Joshua had laid out a group of stones to mark this miracle for the people of Israel to see.
The men carrying the ark had been the first to cross, and they had helped the whole nation cross the Jordan. God had chosen them to help lead His people. The Israelites had to remember this miracle because it signified the end of the journey through the wilderness and the beginning of the conquest of Canaan. God had told Joshua to make sure that the people of Israel would always remember this miracle.
In Joshua 4, the Israelites' children are mentioned. God had known the people of Israel would not live to see the end of their journey through the wilderness. The people of Israel had experienced so many miracles that they might forget about them.
But God had commanded Joshua to make sure that the Israelites remembered that He had brought them out of Egypt. The children of Israel would be able to look back on all the wonders God had done for them and tell their children about them. By reminding the Israelites of all these miracles, God had given them an opportunity to retell the story to their children.
God had told Joshua to order the Israelites to make a memorial to show that He had brought them out of the wilderness. The people of Israel had come a long way since they had first crossed the Jordan River. When they reached the end of their journey, they were able to see Canaan, the land that God had promised to them. God had promised Israel that if they obeyed His commandments, He would give them this land. The Israelites had crossed the Jordan because God had told them to. This crossing was a sign that God had blessed Israel.
Joshua 4 is a chapter of remembrance. The Israelites would always remember that God had brought them safely across the Jordan. The stones that Joshua had laid out as a memorial were a constant reminder to the people of what God had done for them. Each time the people saw these stones, they would be able to tell their children what this miracle meant to them.
At the end of Joshua 4, the Israelites had safely crossed the Jordan River. The priests had returned to the western bank, and the Jordan had resumed its normal flow. The people had built their memorial at Gilgal, near Jericho. The Israelites were now prepared to conquer Canaan.
God told Joshua to order twelve men to carry twelve stones from the Jordan's middle after the whole Israelite nation had crossed the Jordan on foot. The men had been chosen earlier by Joshua. Each of the twelve sons of Israel would take a stone from the Jordan. Each tribe would have a stone to remember how God had caused the Jordan to stop flowing for the Israelites to cross the river on foot.
Joshua told the Israelites that when their children asked what the stones meant, they should explain that God had allowed Israel to cross the Jordan on foot. Then the children would know that God had done this mighty work for them.
Therefore, the stones would be a reminder to the people of what God had done. The Israelites would keep telling their children about how God had made the Jordan River stop flowing until the people of Israel forgot about it. The Israelites were to ensure that the memory of this miracle was passed down from generation to generation. The twelve men did what Joshua had told them. Each of the twelve sons of Israel took a stone from the Jordan and brought it to the place where the Israelites would spend the night.
Joshua laid the stones as a memorial. The priests carrying the ark remained in the Jordan until all the men had finished crossing the Jordan. Then the priests came out of the Jordan, and when their feet touched the stones on the other side, the Jordan overflowed its banks again.
The Israelites had seen the waters of the Jordan stop flowing so that they could cross on foot. But when the priests had finished crossing the Jordan, the waters had started to flow again. Therefore, the people had seen how God had dried up the Jordan for them to cross on foot. The people knew this mighty work of God would not be forgotten. It is recorded in scripture that the people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. There they camped in Gilgal, on the east of Jericho. Joshua laid the twelve stones in the Jordan where the men carrying the ark had stood. This chapter is also about the stones taken from the Jordan and the group of twelve stones that Joshua laid in the Jordan as a memorial to the people of Israel. Joshua told the Israelites that when their children asked what the stones meant, they should say that God had made the Jordan River stop flowing so that His people could cross on foot. This way, the Israelites' children would always know that God had brought them safely across the Jordan River. Joshua told the people that the Jordan River crossing was like the miracle at the Red Sea. God had dried up the waters of the Red Sea to allow His people to cross over, and He had made the waters of the Jordan stop flowing so that His people could walk across on foot. These were the greatest miracles that God had performed for his people.
Joshua said that God had worked these miracles so that all the people of the earth might know that the Lord's hand was mighty. The Israelites had also known that they should always fear and reverence the Lord. By reminding the people of this miracle, God was ensuring that the Israelites would always remember how greatly He had blessed them.
This chapter is mostly devoted to the men who carried the ark. They remained in the middle of the Jordan River until everyone had crossed. These men's dedication to God showed that the Lord's hand was mighty. The twelve men had each picked up a stone from the Jordan's middle, and Joshua had laid out a group of stones to mark this miracle for the people of Israel to see.
The men carrying the ark had been the first to cross, and they had helped the whole nation cross the Jordan. God had chosen them to help lead His people. The Israelites had to remember this miracle because it signified the end of the journey through the wilderness and the beginning of the conquest of Canaan. God had told Joshua to make sure that the people of Israel would always remember this miracle.
In Joshua 4, the Israelites' children are mentioned. God had known the people of Israel would not live to see the end of their journey through the wilderness. The people of Israel had experienced so many miracles that they might forget about them.
But God had commanded Joshua to make sure that the Israelites remembered that He had brought them out of Egypt. The children of Israel would be able to look back on all the wonders God had done for them and tell their children about them. By reminding the Israelites of all these miracles, God had given them an opportunity to retell the story to their children.
God had told Joshua to order the Israelites to make a memorial to show that He had brought them out of the wilderness. The people of Israel had come a long way since they had first crossed the Jordan River. When they reached the end of their journey, they were able to see Canaan, the land that God had promised to them. God had promised Israel that if they obeyed His commandments, He would give them this land. The Israelites had crossed the Jordan because God had told them to. This crossing was a sign that God had blessed Israel.
Joshua 4 is a chapter of remembrance. The Israelites would always remember that God had brought them safely across the Jordan. The stones that Joshua had laid out as a memorial were a constant reminder to the people of what God had done for them. Each time the people saw these stones, they would be able to tell their children what this miracle meant to them.
At the end of Joshua 4, the Israelites had safely crossed the Jordan River. The priests had returned to the western bank, and the Jordan had resumed its normal flow. The people had built their memorial at Gilgal, near Jericho. The Israelites were now prepared to conquer Canaan.