(א) וַיְהִי֙ כַּאֲשֶׁר־תַּ֣מּוּ כָל־הַגּ֔וֹי לַעֲב֖וֹר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן (פ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ מִן־הָעָ֔ם שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר אֲנָשִׁ֑ים אִישׁ־אֶחָ֥ד אִישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד מִשָּֽׁבֶט׃ (ג) וְצַוּ֣וּ אוֹתָם֮ לֵאמֹר֒ שְׂאֽוּ־לָכֶ֨ם מִזֶּ֜ה מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן מִמַּצַּב֙ רַגְלֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים הָכִ֖ין שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה אֲבָנִ֑ים וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּ֤ם אוֹתָם֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם וְהִנַּחְתֶּ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם בַּמָּל֕וֹן אֲשֶׁר־תָּלִ֥ינוּ ב֖וֹ הַלָּֽיְלָה׃ (ס)
(1) When the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, (2) “Select twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, (3) and instruct them as follows: Pick up twelve stones from the spot exactly in the middle of the Jordan, where the priests’ feet are standing; take them along with you and deposit them in the place where you will spend the night.”
- Where had the Israelites just finished crossing?
- Why were twelve men, specifically, chosen?
- What did the twelve men do?
(ה) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ עִ֠בְרוּ לִפְנֵ֨י אֲר֧וֹן ה' אֱלֹֽקֵיכֶ֖ם אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וְהָרִ֨ימוּ לָכֶ֜ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶ֤בֶן אַחַת֙ עַל־שִׁכְמ֔וֹ לְמִסְפַּ֖ר שִׁבְטֵ֥י בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ו) לְמַ֗עַן תִּֽהְיֶ֛ה זֹ֥את א֖וֹת בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־יִשְׁאָל֨וּן בְּנֵיכֶ֤ם מָחָר֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֛ה הָאֲבָנִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לָכֶֽם׃ (ז) וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֣ם לָהֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִכְרְת֜וּ מֵימֵ֤י הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ מִפְּנֵי֙ אֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־ה' בְּעָבְרוֹ֙ בַּיַּרְדֵּ֔ן נִכְרְת֖וּ מֵ֣י הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וְ֠הָיוּ הָאֲבָנִ֨ים הָאֵ֧לֶּה לְזִכָּר֛וֹן לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
(5) and Joshua said to them, “Walk up to the Ark of the LORD your God, in the middle of the Jordan, and each of you lift a stone onto his shoulder—corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. (6) This shall serve as a symbol among you: in time to come, when your children ask, ‘What is the meaning of these stones for you?’ (7) you shall tell them, ‘The waters of the Jordan were cut off because of the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant; when it passed through the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ And so these stones shall serve the people of Israel as a memorial for all time.”
- How were the men carrying the stones? What does that tell you about the size of the stones?
- What question will children in the next generation ask?
- What will be the response to this question?
(ח) וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֣ן בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֘ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ֒ וַיִּשְׂא֡וּ שְׁתֵּֽי־עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה אֲבָנִ֜ים מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר ה' אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ לְמִסְפַּ֖ר שִׁבְטֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּעֲבִר֤וּם עִמָּם֙ אֶל־הַמָּל֔וֹן וַיַּנִּח֖וּם שָֽׁם׃ (ט) וּשְׁתֵּ֧ים עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה אֲבָנִ֗ים הֵקִ֣ים יְהוֹשֻׁעַ֮ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ תַּ֗חַת מַצַּב֙ רַגְלֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים נֹשְׂאֵ֖י אֲר֣וֹן הַבְּרִ֑ית וַיִּ֣הְיוּ שָׁ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ (י) וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֞ים נֹשְׂאֵ֣י הָאָר֗וֹן עֹמְדִים֮ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ עַ֣ד תֹּ֣ם כָּֽל־הַ֠דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֨ה ה' אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־הָעָ֔ם כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה מֹשֶׁ֖ה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ וַיְמַהֲר֥וּ הָעָ֖ם וַֽיַּעֲבֹֽרוּ׃
(8) The Israelites did as Joshua ordered. They picked up twelve stones, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel, from the middle of the Jordan—as the LORD had charged Joshua—and they took them along with them to their night encampment and deposited them there. (9) Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the spot where the feet of the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant had stood; and they have remained there to this day. (10) The priests who bore the Ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until all the instructions that the LORD had ordered Joshua to convey to the people had been carried out. And so the people speedily crossed over, just as Moses had assured Joshua in his charge to him.
- There are two sets of 12 stones mentioned in this section of text.
- Where are the first 12 from? Where are they placed? By whom?
- Where are the second 12 placed? By whom?
- During this time, where were the priests?
(יא) וַיְהִ֛י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־תַּ֥ם כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לַֽעֲב֑וֹר וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ר אֲרוֹן־ה' וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃ (יב) וַ֠יַּעַבְרוּ בְּנֵי־רְאוּבֵ֨ן וּבְנֵי־גָ֜ד וַחֲצִ֨י שֵׁ֤בֶט הַֽמְנַשֶּׁה֙ חֲמֻשִׁ֔ים לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (יג) כְּאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף חֲלוּצֵ֣י הַצָּבָ֑א עָבְר֞וּ לִפְנֵ֤י ה' לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה אֶ֖ל עַֽרְב֥וֹת יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ (ס) (יד) בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא גִּדַּ֤ל ה' אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ בְּעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּֽרְא֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יָרְא֥וּ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֖ה כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיָּֽיו׃ (פ)
(11) And when all the people finished crossing, the Ark of the LORD and the priests advanced to the head of the people. (12) The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh went across armed in the van of the Israelites, as Moses had charged them. (13) About forty thousand shock troops went across, at the instance of the LORD, to the steppes of Jericho for battle. (14) On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, so that they revered him all his days as they had revered Moses.
- What was unique about the situation of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh?
- In this section, are they fulfilling their promise or not?
- How many of them are ready to battle? Where will they be battling?
(טו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ לֵאמֹֽר׃ (טז) צַוֵּה֙ אֶת־הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים נֹשְׂאֵ֖י אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת וְיַעֲל֖וּ מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ (יז) וַיְצַ֣ו יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ אֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר עֲל֖וּ מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ (יח) וַ֠יְהִי בעלות [כַּעֲל֨וֹת] הַכֹּהֲנִ֜ים נֹשְׂאֵ֨י אֲר֤וֹן בְּרִית־ה' מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן נִתְּק֗וּ כַּפּוֹת֙ רַגְלֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים אֶ֖ל הֶחָרָבָ֑ה וַיָּשֻׁ֤בוּ מֵֽי־הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ לִמְקוֹמָ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ כִתְמוֹל־שִׁלְשׁ֖וֹם עַל־כָּל־גְּדוֹתָֽיו׃
(15) The LORD said to Joshua, (16) “Command the priests who bear the Ark of the Pact to come up out of the Jordan.” (17) So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” (18) As soon as the priests who bore the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant came up out of the Jordan, and the feet of the priests stepped onto the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan resumed their course, flowing over its entire bed as before.
- Where were the priests this whole time? What were they holding?
- What happened when they moved?
- What other story from Tanakh does this remind you of?
(יט) וְהָעָ֗ם עָלוּ֙ מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן בֶּעָשׂ֖וֹר לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ בַּגִּלְגָּ֔ל בִּקְצֵ֖ה מִזְרַ֥ח יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ (כ) וְאֵת֩ שְׁתֵּ֨ים עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה הָֽאֲבָנִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָקְח֖וּ מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן הֵקִ֥ים יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ בַּגִּלְגָּֽל׃ (כא) וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר אֲשֶׁר֩ יִשְׁאָל֨וּן בְּנֵיכֶ֤ם מָחָר֙ אֶת־אֲבוֹתָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֖ה הָאֲבָנִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (כב) וְהוֹדַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּיַּבָּשָׁה֙ עָבַ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן הַזֶּֽה׃ (כג) אֲשֶׁר־הוֹבִישׁ֩ ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֜ם אֶת־מֵ֧י הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן מִפְּנֵיכֶ֖ם עַֽד־עָבְרְכֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂה֩ ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֧ם לְיַם־ס֛וּף אֲשֶׁר־הוֹבִ֥ישׁ מִפָּנֵ֖ינוּ עַד־עָבְרֵֽנוּ׃ (כד) לְ֠מַעַן דַּ֜עַת כָּל־עַמֵּ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶת־יַ֣ד ה' כִּ֥י חֲזָקָ֖ה הִ֑יא לְמַ֧עַן יְרָאתֶ֛ם אֶת־ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֖ם כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ (ס)
(19) The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. (20) And Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. (21) He charged the Israelites as follows: “In time to come, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of those stones?’ (22) tell your children: ‘Here the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry land.’ (23) For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you crossed, just as the LORD your God did to the Sea of Reeds, which He dried up before us until we crossed. (24) Thus all the peoples of the earth shall know how mighty is the hand of the LORD, and you shall fear the LORD your God always.”
Imagine that you are the grandchild of someone who crossed the Jordan River with Joshua. Write out a conversation between you and your grandparent when you see the monument of 12 stones for the first time.