Crossing the Jordan

1Joshua got up early in the morning; and they moved from Shittim and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel. They camped there before they crossed over. 2After three days, the officers went throughout the camp; 3and they commanded the people, saying, “When y’all see the ark of the covenant of YHWH y’all’s God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, y’all are to set out from y’all’s place and follow it. 4However, there must be a distance between y’all and it of about 2,000 cubits+3:4 1,000 feet or 920 meters. by measure. Y’all must not come any closer to it, so that y’all may know the way to go, since y’all have not passed this way before.”

5Joshua said to the people, “Y’all must consecrate yourselves*, for tomorrow YHWH will do wonders among y’all.”

6Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Y’all take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead the people.” They took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead the people.

7YHWH said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8You are to command the priests who carry the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When y’all come to the edge of the Jordan’s waters, y’all are to stand still in the Jordan.’”

9Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Y’all come and listen the words of YHWH y’all’s God.” 10Joshua said, “By this y’all will know that the living God is among y’all, and that ʜᴇ will drive-drive out before y’all the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite. 11Look, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over ahead of y’all into the Jordan. 12Now therefore, y’all are to select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for every tribe. 13When the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of YHWH, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off. The waters coming downstream will stand in one heap.”

14So when the people left their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests who carried the ark of the covenant ahead the people, 15and when those who carried the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark had dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest), 16the waters coming downstream stood and rose up in one heap a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan. The waters flowing toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. Then the people passed over near Jericho. 17The priests who bore the ark of YHWH’s covenant stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the nation had passed completely over the Jordan.