Crossing the Jordan
1
Early in the morning Joshua and all the Isrelites set out from Shittim
and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.
2
After three days the officers went throughout the camp,
3
giving orders to the people: "When you see theark of the covenant of the LORD
your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it,
you sre to move out from your positions and follow it.
4
Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.
But keep a distance of abouta thousand yards between you and the ark;
do not go near it."
5
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow
the LORD will do amazing things among you."
6
Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on
ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.
7
And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you
in the eyes of Israel, so they may know that I am with you
as I was with Moses.
8
Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant:
'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters,
go and stand in the river.' "
9
Joshua said to the Israelites,
"Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.
10
This is how you will know that living God is among you and that
he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites,
Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.
11
See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth
will go into the Jordan ahead of you.
12
Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
13
And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD - the Lord of
all the earth set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream
will be cut off and stand up in a heap.
14
So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan,
the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.
15
Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest.
Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan
and their feet touched the water's edge,
16
the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap
a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,
while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea)
was completely cut off. Sothe people crossed over opposite Jericho.
17
The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm
on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by
until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.