1. And when they had crossed over, the Lord said to Joshua:
2. "Choose twelve men, one from each tribe,
3. and instruct them so that they may take from the midst of the channel of the Jordan, where the feet of the priests stood still, twelve very hard stones, which you shall station in the place of the camp, where you will pitch your tents this night."
4. And Joshua called twelve men, whom he had chosen from the sons of Israel, one from each tribe,
5. and he said to them: "Go before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and let each one carry from there one stone on your shoulders, according to the number of the sons of Israel,
6. so that it may be a sign among you. And when your sons will ask you, tomorrow, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?'
7. you shall respond to them: 'The waters of the Jordan failed before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, when the ark crossed over it. For this reason, these stones were placed as a monument for the sons of Israel, even forever.' "
8. Therefore, the sons of Israel did as Joshua instructed them, carrying twelve stones from the midst of the channel of the Jordan, just as the Lord had ordered him, according to the number of the sons of Israel, as far as the place where they made camp, and there they stationed them.
9. Similarly, Joshua positioned another twelve stones in the middle of the channel of the Jordan, where the priests stood who were carrying the ark of the covenant; and they are there, even to the present day.