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.
And Joshua riseth early in the morning, and they journey from Shittim, and come in unto the Jordan, he and all the sons of Israel, and they lodge there before they pass over.
2 Three days later those in charge of the people went through the camp
And it cometh to pass, at the end of three days, that the authorities pass over into the midst 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.
and command the people, saying, 'When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then ye journey from your place, and have gone after 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!”
only, a distance is between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure; ye do not come near unto it, so that ye know the way in which ye go, for ye have not passed over in the way heretofore.'
5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Make sure you are pure, because tomorrow the Lord is going to do amazing things among you.”
And Joshua saith unto the people, 'Sanctify yourselves, for to-morrow doth Jehovah do in your midst wonders.'
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.
And Joshua speaketh unto the priests, saying, 'Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people;' and they take up the ark of the covenant, and go before the 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.
And Jehovah saith unto Joshua, 'This day I begin to make thee great in the eyes of all Israel, so that they know that as I was with Moses I am with thee;
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.’”
and thou, thou dost command the priests bearing the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye come unto the extremity of the waters of the Jordan — in the Jordan ye stand.'
9 So Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to what the Lord your God has to say to you.
And Joshua saith unto the sons of Israel, 'Come nigh hither, and hear the words of Jehovah 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.
and Joshua saith, 'By this ye know that the living God [is] in your midst, and He doth certainly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite:
11 Just watch—the Ark of the Agreement of the Lord of all the earth will cross in front of you through the Jordan.
lo, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into Jordan;
12 Choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe.
and now, take for you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, one man — one man for a tribe;
13 The moment the priests carrying the Ark step into the water the river will stop flowing and the water will pile up.”
and it hath been, at the resting of the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of Jehovah, Lord of all the earth, in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan are cut off — the waters which are coming down from above — and they stand — one heap.'
14 So the people broke camp and set out to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the Ark ahead of them.
And it cometh to pass, in the journeying of the people from their tents to pass over the Jordan, and of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before 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.
and at those bearing the ark coming in unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark have been dipped in the extremity of the waters (and the Jordan is full over all its banks all the days of 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.
that the waters stand; those coming down from above have risen — one heap, very far above Adam the city, which [is] at the side of Zaretan; and those going down by the sea of the plain, the Salt Sea, have been completely cut off; and the people have passed through over-against 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.
and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah stand on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan — established, and all Israel are passing over on dry ground till that all the nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan.
