NET Bible
"The stones will be a reminder to you. When your children ask someday,‘Why are these stones important to you?’"
— Joshua 4:6, NET Bible
“That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?”
“that this may be a sign among you, that, when your children ask in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? ”
“that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in time to come, saying, 'What do you mean by these stones?'”
“That it may be a sign among you: and when your children shall ask you tomorrow, saying: What means these stones?”
“So that this may be a sign among you; when your children say to you in time to come, What is the reason for these stones?”
“That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?”
Instruct them,‘Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.’”
Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per tribe.
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.
The stones will be a reminder to you. When your children ask someday,‘Why are these stones important to you?’
tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing. These stones will be a lasting memorial for the Israelites.”
The Israelites did just as Joshua commanded. They picked up twelve stones, according to the number of the Israelite tribes, from the middle of the Jordan as the LORD had instructed Joshua. They carried them over with them to the camp and put them there.
Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very day.