1. And it came to pass, when all the people were completely passed over Jordan, that the LORD spoke unto Joshua, saying,
2. Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3. And command them, saying, Take from here out of the midst of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and you shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where you shall lodge this night.
4. Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5. And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
6. That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean you by these stones?
7. Then you shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel forever.
8. And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spoke unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
10. For the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hastened and passed over.
11. And it came to pass, when all the people were completely passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.