Joshua 4:6,21-24
Joshua 4:6 New International Version (NIV)
to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’
Joshua 4:21-24 New International Version (NIV)
He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”
Joshua 4:4-7 The Message (MSG)
Joshua called out the twelve men whom he selected from the People of Israel, one man from each tribe. Joshua directed them, “Cross to the middle of the Jordan and take your place in front of the Chest of GOD, your God. Each of you heft a stone to your shoulder, a stone for each of the tribes of the People of Israel, so you’ll have something later to mark the occasion. When your children ask you, ‘What are these stones to you?’ you’ll say, ‘The flow of the Jordan was stopped in front of the Chest of the Covenant of GOD as it crossed the Jordan—stopped in its tracks. These stones are a permanent memorial for the People of Israel.’”
Joshua 4:19-22-23-24 The Message (MSG)
The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. They set up camp at The Gilgal (The Circle) to the east of Jericho. Joshua erected a monument at The Gilgal, using the twelve stones that they had taken from the Jordan. And then he told the People of Israel, “In the days to come, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What are these stones doing here?’ tell your children this: ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ “Yes, GOD, your God, dried up the Jordan’s waters for you until you had crossed, just as GOD, your God, did at the Red Sea, which had dried up before us until we had crossed. This was so that everybody on earth would recognize how strong GOD’s rescuing hand is and so that you would hold GOD in solemn reverence always.” * * *
Joshua 4:6 King James Version (KJV)
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?
Joshua 4:21-24 King James Version (KJV)
And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
Joshua 4:6 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
Joshua 4:21-24 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
He said to the sons of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’ For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”
Joshua 4:6 New Century Version (NCV)
They will be a sign among you. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these rocks mean?’
Joshua 4:21-24 New Century Version (NCV)
Then he spoke to the Israelites: “In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these rocks mean?’ Tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry land. The LORD your God caused the water to stop flowing until you finished crossing it, just as the LORD did to the Red Sea. He stopped the water until we crossed it. The LORD did this so all people would know he has great power and so you would always respect the LORD your God.’ ”
Joshua 4:6 American Standard Version (ASV)
that this may be a sign among you, that, when your children ask in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
Joshua 4:21-24 American Standard Version (ASV)
And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For Jehovah your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as Jehovah your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were passed over; that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of Jehovah, that it is mighty; that ye may fear Jehovah your God for ever.
Joshua 4:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
Joshua 4:21-24 New King James Version (NKJV)
Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”
Joshua 4:6 Amplified Bible (AMP)
so that this may be a sign among you; when your children ask later, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
Joshua 4:21-24 Amplified Bible (AMP)
He said to the sons of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’ For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, just as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; so that all the peoples of the earth may know [without any doubt] and acknowledge that the hand of the LORD is mighty and extraordinarily powerful, so that you will fear the LORD your God [and obey and worship Him with profound awe and reverence] forever.”
Joshua 4:6 New Living Translation (NLT)
We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’
Joshua 4:21-24 New Living Translation (NLT)
Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the LORD your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever.”
Joshua 4:6 The Passion Translation (TPT)
The stones will always be a sign to you. Someday, when your children ask you, ‘Why are these stones so important?’
Joshua 4:21-24 The Passion Translation (TPT)
He told the Israelites, “In time to come, when children ask their fathers, ‘Why are these stones so important?’ tell them, ‘Here is the place where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground!’ For your God, YAHWEH, dried up the waters of the Jordan before your eyes until you crossed over, just as YAHWEH your God did for us years ago; he dried up the Red Sea while we crossed over! He has done these miracles so that all the earth will be in awe of the mighty power of YAHWEH and that you might always obey YAHWEH your God!”
Joshua 4:6 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’
Joshua 4:21-24 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”