Joshua 3

1 Early the next morning Joshua got up and left Shittim with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.

2 After three days the officers went through the camp

3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.

4 But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between yourselves and the ark. Do not go near it, so that you can see the way to go, since you have never traveled this way before.”

5 Then Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”

6 And he said to the priests, “Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.

7 Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.

8 Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.’”

9 So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.”

10 He continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go ahead of you into the Jordan.

12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

13 When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.”

14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them.

15 Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,

16 the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation had crossed the Jordan.

1 ¶ And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;

3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed [this] way heretofore.

5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

7 ¶ And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, [so] I will be with thee.

8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.

10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God [is] among you, and [that] he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.

12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, [that] the waters of Jordan shall be cut off [from] the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

14 ¶ And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;

15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

16 That the waters which came down from above stood [and] rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that [is] beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, [even] the salt sea, failed, [and] were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

1 And Joshua arose early, and they departed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there overnight, before they passed over.

2 And after three days the captains passed through the camp.

3 And they commanded the people, saying: When ye shall see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests of the Levites bearing it, then go out from your place, and follow it.

4 But that between you and her there be a space of two thousand cubits. Ye shall not come nigh unto her, that ye may know by what way ye must go: for ye went not that way before.

5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do a miracle among you.

6 And he said unto the priests, Carry the ark of the covenant, and go before the people. So they bare the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee before all Israel, that they may know how I was with Moses, even so with thee.

8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come forward into the waters of Jordan, then stand still.

9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come near, and hear the words of the LORD your God.

10 And he said, By this ye shall know that there is a living God among you, and that he will drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Gergosites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Ruler of all the earth shall pass before you into Jordan.

12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe one.

13 And it shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the ruler of all the earth, are let down into the waters of Jordan, that the waters which flow down from above into Jordan shall be cut off, and shall stand upon a heap.

14 And when the people went forth out of their tents to pass over Jordan, and the priests bare the ark of the covenant before the people

15 And they came to Jordan, and dipped their feet in the water before them, (and Jordan was full upon all his banks all the harvest time.)

16 And the waters stood, which came down from above, set up over a heap, very far from the people of the city that lieth on the side of Zartan: but the waters that ran down to the sea, even to the salt sea, abated and were consumed. So the people went over against Jericho.

17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were dry in the midst of Jordan. And all Israel passed through dry, until all the people were all come over Jordan.