Twelve Memorial Stones from the Jordan – Bible Story for Kids

This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in Joshua 4, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.

A long time ago, the people of Israel were traveling across a river called the Jordan. After everyone had safely crossed, the Lord told Joshua to choose one man from each of the twelve tribes of Israel and tell them to pick up a big rock from the river where the priests had been standing. Joshua said to the twelve men, “Carry the rocks on your shoulders, and put them where we sleep tonight.”

When the children of the people of Israel saw the rocks, they would ask their parents, “What do these rocks mean?” Then their parents would say, “The Lord made a path for us to cross the river by stopping the water from flowing. The rocks are here to remind us that the Lord helped us get to the other side.” The Lord wanted the rocks to be a memory for the people of Israel to always remember what he had done for them.

So, Joshua called the priests carrying the ark of the Lord to come out of the river. The moment they stepped out, the water started to flow again. The people camped at a place called Gilgal, and Joshua placed the twelve rocks there too. Joshua told everyone to remember that the Lord had helped them cross the river, just like He had helped them cross the Red Sea.

Biblical Lessons

The Lord is powerful and can do amazing things.
It’s important to remember what the Lord has done for us.
We should share the stories of what the Lord has done for us with our children.
We should always give thanks to the Lord for His help.

Must-Read Christian Books

Page 1 of 3

Desiring God

John Piper

Piper unpacks "Christian Hedonism": that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him, grounded in Scripture.

Biblical Lessons

Related Stories

Must-Read Christian Books