8. So the Israelites obeyed Joshua. They carried twelve rocks from the middle of the Jordan River. There was one rock for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. They did this as the Lord had commanded Joshua. The men carried the rocks with them. Then they put the rocks at the place where they made their camp.
9. Joshua also put twelve rocks in the middle of the Jordan River. He put them at the place where the priests had stood while carrying the Holy Box. These rocks are still there today.
10. The Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people what to do. This is what Moses had said Joshua must do. So the priests carrying the Holy Box stood in the middle of the river until everything was done. Meanwhile, the people hurried across the river.
11. After the people finished crossing the river, the priests carried the Lord’S Holy Box to the front of the people.
12. The men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh obeyed Moses. These men crossed the river in front of the other people. These men were prepared for war. They were going to help the rest of the Israelites take the land God had promised to give them.
13. About 40,000 soldiers, prepared for war, passed before the Lord. They were marching toward the plains of Jericho.
14. That day the Lord made Joshua a great man to all the Israelites. From that time on, they respected Joshua just as they had Moses.
15. Then the Lord said to Joshua,
16. “Command the priests carrying the Box that holds the Agreement to come out of the river.”
17. So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come out of the Jordan River.”