Joshua 3
1 Early the following morning Joshua and the Israelites set out from Shittim and arrived at the banks of the Jordan. There they all spent the night before crossing over.
Joshua got up early in the morning, and they set out from Shittim. They came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and they camped there before they crossed over.
2 Three days later those in charge of the people went through the camp
After three days, the officers went through the middle of the camp;
3 telling the people, “When you see the Ark of the Agreement of the Lord your God carried by the priests, the Levites, you must leave the place where you are and follow it.
they commanded the people, “When you see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and the priests from the Levites carrying it, you must leave this place and follow it.
4 That way you'll know which way to go, since you haven't been here before. Leave about 3,000 feet between you and the Ark. Don't go near it!”
There must be a distance between you and it of about two thousand cubits. Do not come close to it, so that you can see which way to go, since you have not gone this way before.”
5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Make sure you are pure, because tomorrow the Lord is going to do amazing things among you.”
Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves tomorrow, for Yahweh will do wonders among you.”
6 Joshua spoke to the priests, “Pick up the Ark of the Agreement and go before the people.” So they picked up the Ark of the Agreement and went ahead of the people.
Then Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass in front of the people.” So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went in front of people.
7 The Lord said to Joshua, “What I do today will confirm you as great leader in the sight of all the Israelites, so that they'll realize that just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
Yahweh said to Joshua, “This day I will make you a great man in the eyes of all Israel. They will know that as I was with Moses, I will be with you.
8 Tell the priests carrying the Ark of the Agreement, ‘When you get to the edge of the Jordan, take a few steps into the water and then stop.’”
You will command the priests who carry the ark of the covenant, 'When you have come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you must stand still in the Jordan River.'”
9 So Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to what the Lord your God has to say to you.
Then Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here, and listen to the words of Yahweh your God.
10 This is how you will know that the living God is right here with you,” he told them. “You can be sure that he will drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.
By this you will know that the living God is among you and will drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
11 Just watch—the Ark of the Agreement of the Lord of all the earth will cross in front of you through the Jordan.
Look! The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth crosses over ahead of you into the Jordan.
12 Choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe.
Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each.
13 The moment the priests carrying the Ark step into the water the river will stop flowing and the water will pile up.”
When the soles of the feet of the priests that carry the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and even the waters that flow down from upstream will stop flowing and they will stand in one heap.”
14 So the people broke camp and set out to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the Ark ahead of them.
So when the people set out to cross over the Jordan, the priests that carried the ark of the covenant went ahead of the people.
15 As it was harvest season, the Jordan was full of water, overflowing its banks. But at the very moment the priests carrying the Ark stepped into the water, the river stopped flowing.
As soon as those who were carrying the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of those who carried the chest were dipped in the edge of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of the harvest),
16 The water piled up a long way upstream, at the town of Adam, near Zarethan, while downstream no more water flowed into the Dead Sea. So the people crossed over, opposite Jericho.
the waters that flowed down from upstream stood up in one heap. The water stopped flowing from a great distance. The waters stopped flowing from Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, all the way down to the sea of the Negev, the Salt Sea. The people crossed over near Jericho.
17 The priests carrying the Ark stood on the dried-up riverbed of the Jordan as all the people went by, staying there until everyone had crossed over on dry ground.
The priests that carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until all the people of Israel crossed over on dry ground.
