New International Version

New King James Version

Crossing the Jordan

Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.

1

Israel Crosses the Jordan

Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from [a]Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.

2

After three days the officers went throughout the camp,

2

So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp;

3

giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.

3

and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, [b]bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

4

Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubitsa between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

4

Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

5

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

5

And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify[c] yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders 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.

6

Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.”
So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

7

And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.

7

And the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt[d] you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.

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.’ ”

8

You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’ ”

9

Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.

9

So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.”

10

This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.

10

And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites:

11

See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.

11

Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan.

12

Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

12

Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every 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.”

13

And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as 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.

14

So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people,

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,

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and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest),

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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 (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

16

that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away [e]at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

17

The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

17

Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.

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New International Version

New King James Version

Joshua 3

Joshua 3