Joshua 3:2-17 ▼

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 {YHWH Eloheikem} 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 <3,000 ft / 914.4 m> 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 (YHWH saves) told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD {YHWH} will do wonders among you⁺.”

6 And he (YHWH saves) 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 {YHWH} said to Joshua (YHWH saves), “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel (he wrestles with God), so they may know that I am with you just as I was with Moses (drawn out).

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

9 So Joshua (YHWH saves) told the Israelites (God prevails), “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem}.”

10 He (YHWH saves) 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 (merchants), Hittites, Hivites (villagers), Perizzites, Girgashites (dwelling on clay), Amorites (sayers), and Jebusites (Jerusalemites).

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord {Adonai} of all the earth will go ahead of you⁺ into the Jordan (flowing down).

12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel (he wrestles with God), one from each tribe.

13 When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD {YHWH}—the Lord {Adonai} of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan (flowing down), 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 (flowing down), the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them.

15 Now the Jordan (flowing down) 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 (red), a city in the area of Zarethan (their distress), while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho (city of palms).

17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD {YHWH} stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan (flowing down), while all Israel (he wrestles with God) crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation had crossed the Jordan.