Joshua 4:5 nasb — and Joshua said to them, "Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you ta…

NASB

"and Joshua said to them, "Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel."

— Joshua 4:5, NASB

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Joshua 4:5 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:”

  • ASV

    “and Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of Jehovah your God into the midst of the 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; ”

  • WEB

    “Joshua said to them, "Pass over before the ark of Yahweh your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;”

  • NET

    “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.”

  • DRB

    “And he said to them: Go before the ark of the Lord your God to the midst of the Jordan, and carry from thence every man a stone on your shoulders, according to the number of the children of Israel,”

  • BBE

    “And he said to them, Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of Jordan, and let every one of you take up a stone on his back, one for every tribe of the children of Israel:”

  • KJVA

    “And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:”

Joshua 4 — Context

2

"Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe,

3

and command them, saying, 'Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.'"

4

So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe;

5

and Joshua said to them, "Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.

6

"Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?'

7

then you shall say to them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.' So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever."

8

Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there.

Joshua 4:5 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Joshua 4:5 say?
Joshua 4:5 in the NASB reads: “and Joshua said to them, "Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.”
Where is Joshua 4:5 in the Bible?
Joshua 4:5 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Joshua, chapter 4, verse 5.
Who wrote Joshua?
Joshua is traditionally attributed to Joshua (traditional). Traditionally written by Joshua with later additions noting his death and burial. It was written c. 1405–1380 BC.
What is the book of Joshua about?
Joshua is the account of Israel's entry into Canaan under Moses' successor — the crossing of the Jordan, the fall of Jericho, the conquest of the land, and its division among the twelve tribes. It is a record of God's faithfulness to his covenant promise to Abraham.
What are the major themes of Joshua?
Joshua explores themes including Conquest, Faithfulness, Inheritance, Courage, Holy War. These themes shape the meaning and context of Joshua 4:5.
What translation should I read Joshua 4:5 in?
Joshua 4:5 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Joshua 4:5?
Joshua 4:5 reads (NASB): “and Joshua said to them, "Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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