1When all the people had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua,
2“Choose twelve men from among the people, one man from each tribe,
3and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the spot where the priests’ feet stand firm, carry them with you, and set them down at the place where you will spend the night.’”
4So Joshua called the twelve men he had chosen from the Israelites, one man from each tribe,
5and he said to them, “Cross ahead of the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites.
6This will serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
7you shall tell them, ‘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. These stones are to be a memorial to the Israelites forever.’”