Joshua 3:14-4:7

New International Version

¹⁴ So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant^(A) went ahead^(B) of them. ¹⁵ Now the Jordan^(C) is at flood stage^(D) all during harvest.^(E) Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, ¹⁶ the water from upstream stopped flowing.^(F) It piled up in a heap^(G) a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,^(H) while the water flowing down^(I) to the Sea of the Arabah^(J) (that is, the Dead Sea^(K)) was completely cut off.^(L) So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.^{(M) 17} The priests^(N) who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground,^(O) while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.^(P)

4 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan,^(Q) the Lord said to Joshua, ² “Choose twelve men^(R) from among the people, one from each tribe, ³ and tell them to take up twelve stones^(S) from the middle of the Jordan,^(T) from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.^(U)”

⁴ So Joshua called together the twelve men^(V) he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, ⁵ and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan.^(W) Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, ⁶ to serve as a sign^(X) among you. In the future, when your children^(Y) ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’^{(Z) 7} tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off^(AA) before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial^(AB) to the people of Israel forever.”