| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Bright and early the next morning Joshua and the Israelites left Shittim and came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing the river. | 1Joshua started early the next morning and left the Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing. |
| 2After three days the leaders went through the camp | 2After three days the officers went through the camp |
| 3and commanded the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you must leave here and walk behind it. | 3and commanded the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God carried by the Levitical priests, you must break camp and follow it. |
| 4But stay about three thousand feet behind it. Keep your distance so you can see which way you should go, for you have not traveled this way before." | 4But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don't go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven't traveled this way before." |
| 5Joshua told the people, "Ritually consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will perform miraculous deeds among you." | 5Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, because the LORD will do wonders among you tomorrow." |
| 6Joshua told the priests, "Pick up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people. | 6Then 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. |
| 7The LORD told Joshua, "This very day I will begin to honor you before all Israel so they will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. | 7The LORD spoke to Joshua: "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they will know that I will be with you just as I was with Moses. |
| 8Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, 'When you reach the bank of the Jordan River, wade into the water.'" | 8Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan." |
| 9Joshua told the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God!" | 9Then Joshua told the Israelites, "Come closer and listen to the words of the LORD your God." |
| 10Joshua continued, "This is how you will know the living God is among you and that he will truly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. | 10He said: "You will know that the living God is among you and that He will certainly dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites |
| 11Look! The ark of the covenant of the Ruler of the whole earth is ready to enter the Jordan ahead of you. | 11when the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth goes ahead of you into the Jordan. |
| 12Now select for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe. | 12Now choose 12 men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. |
| 13When the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the LORD, the Ruler of the whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, the water coming downstream toward you will stop flowing and pile up." | 13When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, come to rest in the Jordan's waters, its waters will be cut off. The water flowing downstream will stand up in a mass." |
| 14So when the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. | 14When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people. |
| 15When the ones carrying the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the surface of the water--(the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest time)-- | 15Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan, their feet touched the water at its edge |
| 16the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing. It piled up far upstream at Adam (the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea). The people crossed the river opposite Jericho. | 16and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a mass that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the Sea of the Arabah (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho. |
| 17The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. All Israel crossed over on dry ground until the entire nation was on the other side. | 17The priests carrying the ark of the LORD's covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan. |
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