New International Version

New Living Translation

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

The Israelites Cross the Jordan

Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grovea and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.

2

After three days the officers went throughout the camp,

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Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp,

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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.

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giving these instructions to the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, move out from your positions and follow them.

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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.”

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Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about half a mileb behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.”

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

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Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do great wonders among you.”

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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.

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In the morning Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river.” And so they started out and went ahead of the people.

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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.

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The LORD told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses.

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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.’ ”

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Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’”

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

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So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come and listen to what the LORD your God says.

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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.

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Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you.

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

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Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River!

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

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

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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.”

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The priests will carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”

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So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.

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So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.

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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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It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge,

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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.

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the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Seac until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.

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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.

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Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.

Parallel

New International Version

New Living Translation

Joshua 3

Joshua 3