Iosue 3
1 Igitur Iosue de nocte consurgens movit castra: egredientesque de Setim, venerunt ad Iordanem ipse, et omnes filii Israel, et morati sunt ibi tres dies.
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.
2 Quibus evolutis, transierunt præcones per castrorum medium,
Three days later those in charge of the people went through the camp
3 et clamare cœperunt: Quando videritis arcam fœderis Domini Dei vestri, et sacerdotes stirpis Leviticæ portantes eam, vos quoque consurgite, et sequimini præcedentes:
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.
4 sitque inter vos et arcam spatium cubitorum duum millium: ut procul videre possitis, et nosse per quam viam ingrediamini: quia prius non ambulastis per eam: et cavete ne appropinquetis ad arcam.
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!”
5 Dixitque Iosue ad populum: Sanctificamini: cras enim faciet Dominus inter vos mirabilia.
Then Joshua said to the people, “Make sure you are pure, because tomorrow the Lord is going to do amazing things among you.”
6 Et ait ad sacerdotes: Tollite arcam fœderis, et præcedite populum. Qui iussa complentes, tulerunt, et ambulaverunt ante eos.
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.
7 Dixitque Dominus ad Iosue: Hodie incipiam exaltare te coram omni Israel: ut sciant quod sicut cum Moyse fui, ita et tecum sim.
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.
8 Tu autem præcipe sacerdotibus, qui portant arcam fœderis, et dic eis: Cum ingressi fueritis partem aquæ Iordanis, state in ea.
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.’”
9 Dixitque Iosue ad filios Israel: Accedite huc, et audite verbum Domini Dei vestri.
So Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to what the Lord your God has to say to you.
10 Et rursum: In hoc, inquit, scietis quod Dominus Deus vivens in medio vestri est, et disperdet in conspectu vestro Chananæum et Hethæum, Hevæum et Pherezæum, Gergesæum quoque et Iebusæum, et Amorrhæum.
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.
11 Ecce, arca fœderis Domini omnis terræ antecedet vos per Iordanem.
Just watch—the Ark of the Agreement of the Lord of all the earth will cross in front of you through the Jordan.
12 Parate duodecim viros de tribubus Israel, singulos per singulas tribus.
Choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe.
13 Et cum posuerint vestigia pedum suorum sacerdotes qui portant arcam Domini Dei universæ terræ in aquis Iordanis, aquæ, quæ inferiores sunt, decurrent atque deficient: quæ autem desuper veniunt, in una mole consistent.
The moment the priests carrying the Ark step into the water the river will stop flowing and the water will pile up.”
14 Igitur egressus est populus de tabernaculis suis, ut transiret Iordanem: et sacerdotes, qui portabant arcam fœderis, pergebant ante eum.
So the people broke camp and set out to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the Ark ahead of them.
15 Ingressisque eis Iordanem, et pedibus eorum in parte aquæ tinctis (Iordanis autem ripas alvei sui tempore messis impleverat)
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.
16 steterunt aquæ descendentes in loco uno, et ad instar montis intumescentes apparebant procul ab urbe, quæ vocatur Adom usque ad locum Sarthan: quæ autem inferiores erant, in Mare Solitudinis (quod nunc vocatur Mortuum) descenderunt, usquequo omnino deficerent.
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.
17 Populus autem incedebat contra Iericho: et sacerdotes qui portabant arcam fœderis Domini, stabant super siccam humum in medio Iordanis accincti, omnisque populus per arentem alveum transibat.
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.
