‘ And he spoke to the children of Israel, saying, “When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What mean these stones?' Then you shall let your children know saying, ‘Israel came over this Jordan on dry land'.” '
The stones also stood as a witness to future generations of this amazing event when the people had crossed over the riverbed of Jordan at a time when it was in flood, because YHWH had held back the waters so that they could cross, and had immediately released them once they were across. For the question asked by the children compare Exodus 12:26; Exodus 13:8; Exodus 13:14; Deuteronomy 4:9; Deuteronomy 6:20-21; Deuteronomy 11:19; Deuteronomy 32:7. The teaching of children about YHWH and His activities on their behalf was considered of vital importance in Israel.