CHAPTER 3
Early the next morning
Joshua
got up
and left
Acacia Grove
with all
the Israelites.
They went
as
far as the Jordan,
where they camped
before
crossing over.
and commanded
the people:
“When you see
the ark
of the covenant
of the LORD
your God
being carried
by the Levitical
priests,
you
are to set out
from your positions
and follow
it.
But
keep a distance
of about two thousand
cubits
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.”
Then Joshua
told
the people,
“Consecrate yourselves,
for
tomorrow
the LORD
will do
wonders
among you.”
And he
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.
Now the LORD
said
to
Joshua,
“Today
I will begin
to exalt you
in the sight
of all
Israel,
so
they may know
that
I am
with you,
just as
I was
with
Moses.
Command
the priests
carrying
the ark
of the covenant:
‘When you reach
the edge
of the waters,
stand
in the Jordan.’”
He
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,
Hittites,
Hivites,
Perizzites,
Girgashites,
Amorites,
and Jebusites.
Behold,
the ark
of the covenant
of the Lord
of all
the earth
will go
ahead of you
into the Jordan.
When the feet
of the priests
who carry
the ark
of the LORD—
the Lord
of all
the earth—
touch down
in the waters
of the Jordan,
its
flowing
waters
will be cut off
and
stand up
in a
heap.”
So
when the people
broke camp
to cross
the Jordan,
the priests
carried
the ark
of the covenant
ahead of
them.
Now the Jordan
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,
the flowing
water
stood still.
It backed up
as far upstream
as Adam,
a city
in the area
of Zarethan,
while the water flowing
toward
the Sea
of the Arabah
(the Salt Sea)
was completely
cut off.
So the people
crossed over
opposite
Jericho.
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 over
the dry ground,
until
the entire
nation
had crossed
the Jordan.