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Joshua 4:6

Parents and childrenGratitude

4 So Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe,

5 and said to them, “Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of Israel,

to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’

7 you are to 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 were cut off.’ Therefore these stones will be a memorial to the Israelites forever.”

8 Thus the Israelites did as Joshua had commanded them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each tribe of Israel, just as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them to the camp, where they set them down.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
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?
WEB
that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’
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?
DARBY
that this may be a sign in your midst. When your children ask hereafter, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
BLB
so that this may be a sign among you⁺ when your⁺ children ask hereafter, saying, ‘What [are] these stones to you⁺?’
ÅB
Disse steiner skal være et tegn blant dere. Når deres barn i fremtiden spør: Hva er dette for steiner?
OTB
Dette skal tjene som et tegn blant dere. I fremtiden, når deres barn spør: 'Hva betyr disse steinene?'
B1930
Disse stener skal være et tegn blandt eder. Når eders barn i fremtiden spør: Hvad er dette for stener?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Exodus 13:14

    In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

    Read in context

  • Joshua 4:21

    Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’

    Read in context

  • Psalms 44:1

    We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us the work You did in their days, in the days of old.

    Read in context

  • Deuteronomy 6:20–21

    In the future, when your son asks, “What is the meaning of the decrees and statutes and ordinances that the LORD our God has commanded you?”

    Read in context

  • Deuteronomy 11:19

    Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

    Read in context

  • Joshua 22:27

    Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 38:19

    The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness.

    Read in context

  • Psalms 71:18

    Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, until I proclaim Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.

    Read in context