Joshua 3
1 Joshua rose early in the morning, and they set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, he and all the Israelites. They spent the night there before crossing.
2 At the end of three days, the officers went through the camp.
3 They commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, set out from where you are and follow it.
4 But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and it, by measure. Do not come near it, so that you may know the way you must go, because you have never traveled this way before.”
5 Joshua said to the people: “Consecrate yourselves, because tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
6 Joshua said to the priests: “Take up the ark of the covenant and go ahead of the people.” They took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.
7 The LORD said to Joshua: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that just as I was with Moses, I will be with you.
8 You shall command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters of the Jordan, stand still in the Jordan.’”
9 Joshua said to the Israelites: “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.”
10 Joshua said: “By this you will know that the living God is among you, and that he will surely drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.
11 Look, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going ahead of you into the Jordan.
12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe.
13 When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off. The waters flowing down from above will stand in a single heap.”
14 When the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of the people.
15 When those carrying the ark reached the Jordan, the feet of the priests carrying the ark became wet at the edge of the water—the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the entire harvest season.
16 The waters flowing down from above stopped; they rose in a single heap, very far away, at Adam, the city beside Zarethan. The waters flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people crossed opposite Jericho.
17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan.
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