4:3 Instruct them, ‘Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests2 stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.’ ”

4:4 Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per tribe. 4:5 Joshua told them, “Go in front of the ark of the Lord your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes. 4:6 The stones3 will be a reminder to you.4 When your children ask someday, ‘Why are these stones important to you?’ 4:7 tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing5 before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing.6 These stones will be a lasting memorial for the Israelites.”