1 J oshua got up early in the morning. He and all the people of Israel left Shittim and came to the Jordan. And they stayed there before they crossed.

Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed.

2 A fter three days the leaders went among the tents.

At the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp;

3 T hey told the people, “When you see the special box of the agreement of the Lord your God with the religious leaders carrying it, leave your places and follow it.

and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

4 T hen you may know the way to go, for you have not passed this way before. But stay about 1, 000 long steps away from it. Do not come near it.”

However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2, 000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.”

5 T hen Joshua said to the people, “Make yourselves holy. For tomorrow the Lord will do powerful works among you.”

Then Joshua said to the people, “ Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

6 J oshua said to the religious leaders, “Take up the special box of the agreement and cross over in front of the people.” So they took up the special box of the agreement and went in front of the people.

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

7 T he Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to give you honor in the eyes of all Israel. Then they may know that I will be with you just as I have been with Moses.

Now the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you.

8 T ell the religious leaders who are carrying the special box of the agreement, ‘When you come to the water of the Jordan River, stand still in it.’”

You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’”

9 T hen Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here. Listen to the words of the Lord your God.”

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

10 A nd Joshua said, “You will know that the living God is among you because He will be sure to drive away from in front of you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite and the Jebusite.

Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite.

11 S ee, the special box of the agreement of the Lord of All the earth is crossing over in front of you in the Jordan.

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

12 N ow choose twelve men from the families of Israel, one man for each family.

Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

13 T he religious leaders who carry the special box of the agreement of the Lord of All the earth, will rest their feet in the water of the Jordan. Then the water of the Jordan will be cut off. The water flowing down from above will gather together in one place.”

It shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above will stand in one heap.”

14 S o the people left their tents to cross the Jordan. The religious leaders carried the special box of the agreement in front of the people.

So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people,

15 T hey carried it to the Jordan and put their feet in the water. (For the Jordan water floods during the time of gathering grain.)

and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest),

16 T hen the water flowing down from above stood and rose up in one place far away at Adam, the city beside Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, was all cut off. So the people crossed beside Jericho.

the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.

17 T he religious leaders who carried the special box of the agreement of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. And all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had crossed the Jordan.

And 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 crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.