Joshua 3

The Israelites Cross the Jordan

1Joshua rose early in the morning, and they set out from Acacia Grove. And they came up to the Jordan, he and all the Israelites, and they spent the night there before they crossed over.[#Hebrew “Shittim”; #Literally “sons/children of Israel”]

2At the end of the three days the officers passed through the midst of the camp,

3and they commanded the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God you must set out from your place and go after it.

4But there will be a distance between you and it of about two thousand cubits in measurement. Do not come near it, so that you may know the way that you must go, for you have not passed on this way before.”[#That is, about 1 km; #Literally “from yesterday three days before”]

5And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, because tomorrow Yahweh will do wonders in your midst.”

6And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people.” And they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.[#Literally “before the presence of the people”; #Literally “before the presence of the people”]

7Then Yahweh said to Joshua, “This day I will begin exalting you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that I was with Moses, and I will be with you.[#Literally “in the eyes”]

8You will command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘At the moment that you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you will stand still in the Jordan.’ ”

9And Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here, and hear the words of Yahweh your God.”[#Literally “sons/children of Israel”]

10Joshua said, “By this you will know that the living God is in your midst, and he will certainly drive out the Canaanites from before you, and the Hittites, Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.[#Or “from your presence”]

11Look! The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is about to cross over ahead of you into the Jordan.[#Or “world”]

12So then, take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.[#Literally “one man for the tribe”]

13When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of Yahweh, Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off upstream, and they will stand still in one heap.[#Or “world”; #Literally “going down from above”]

14And it happened, when the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant were ahead of the people.[#Literally “before the presence of the people”]

15When those carrying the ark came up to the Jordan, and the priests carrying the ark dipped their feet in the edge of the water (the Jordan was flowing over its banks during all the days of harvest),

16the waters flowing down from above stood still; they stood up in one heap very far from Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while the waters flowing down to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.[#That is, the Dead Sea; #Literally “they were completed they were cut off”]

17And the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood firmly on the dry land in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation finished crossing the Jordan.

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