^4:19The people went up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month¹⁸ and camped in Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.¹⁹^4:20Now Joshua set up in Gilgal the²⁰ twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. ^4:21He told the Israelites, “When your children someday ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones represent?’²¹^4:22explain²² to your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan River²³ on dry ground.’ ^4:23For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you while you crossed over. It was just like when the Lord your God dried up the Red Sea before us while we crossed it.²⁴^4:24He has done this so²⁵ all the nations²⁶ of the earth might recognize the Lord’s power²⁷ and so you might always obey²⁸ the Lord your God.”

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Footnotes

18 The first month was the month Abib (= late March-early April in the modern calendar). The Passover in Egypt also occurred on the tenth day of the first month (Exod 12:2; 13:4).
19 For location see ; ; ; ; ; .
20 Heb “these,” referring specifically to the twelve stones mentioned in vv. 3–7.
21 Heb “What are these stones?”
22 Heb “make known.”
23 Heb “crossed this Jordan”; the word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
24 Heb “just as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea when he dried [it] up before us while we crossed over.”
25 Heb “in order that.”
26 Or “peoples.”
27 Heb “know the hand of the Lord that it is strong.”
28 Heb “fear.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and camped at Gilgal on the eastern limits of Jericho. Then Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan, and he said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’ you should tell your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the water 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. This is so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord’s hand is strong, and so that you may always fear the Lord your God.”

NLTNew Living Translation

The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. Then they camped at Gilgal, just east of Jericho. It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River.

Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho. And those twelve stones that they took from the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. And he said to the Israelites, “When your children ask in the future their parents, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’ you will let your children know by saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’ For Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you, until you had crossed, just as Yahweh your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up before us until we had crossed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of Yahweh is strong, so that you may fear Yahweh your God forever.”

KJV 1900King James Version

And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.

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