Joshua 3

The Ark Goes First, and the River Stands Still

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Orders for the Crossing

3:1Joshua rose early in the morning. They set out from Shittim, came to the Jordan, and lodged there before crossing.

3:2After three days, the scribes passed through the camp

3:3and commanded the people, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord our God, with our priests and the Levites carrying it, set out from your places and follow it.

3:4But let there be a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and it. Keep your position; do not approach it, so that you may know the way you are going, for you have not travelled this way before.”

3:5Joshua said to the people, “Purify yourselves for tomorrow, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

3:6Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and go ahead of the people.” The priests lifted up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and went before the people.

The Lord Begins to Exalt Joshua

3:7The Lord said to Joshua, “On this day I begin to exalt you before all the sons of Israel, so that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will also be with you.

3:8Now command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you enter the edge of the Jordan’s water, stand in the Jordan.’”

3:9Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Come here and hear the word of the Lord our God.”

3:10“By this you shall know that the living God is among you and will surely destroy before us the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, Amorites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.

3:11Look, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing the Jordan.

3:12Choose twelve men from the sons of Israel, one from each tribe.

3:13When the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth rest in the Jordan’s water, the Jordan’s water shall fail, and the water coming down shall stand.”

The Waters Stand and Israel Crosses

3:14The people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, and the priests lifted up the ark of the covenant of the Lord ahead of the people.

3:15As the priests carrying the ark of the covenant entered the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord dipped into the edge of the Jordan’s water—the Jordan was overflowing its whole bank, as in the days of wheat harvest—

3:16the waters coming down from above stood. One mass stood exceedingly far away, as far as the region of Kiriath-jearim. The water flowing down descended into the Sea of Arabah, the Salt Sea, until it failed completely. The people stood opposite Jericho.

3:17The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. All the sons of Israel crossed on dry ground until the whole people had finished crossing the Jordan.

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.