Joshua 3
3
Israel Crosses the Jordan
1 Bright and early the next morning Joshua and the Israelites left Shittim and came to the Jordan.#tn Heb “And Joshua arose early in the morning and he and the Israelites left Shittim and came to the Jordan.” They camped there before crossing the river.#tn The words “the river,” though not in the Hebrew text, have been supplied in the translation for clarity. 2 After three days the leaders went through the camp 3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God#sn The ark of the covenant refers to the wooden chest that symbolized God’s presence among his covenant people. being carried by the Levitical priests, you must leave here#tn Heb “set out from your place.” and walk#tn Or “march.” behind it. 4 But stay about three thousand feet behind it.#tn Heb “But there should be a distance between you and it, about two thousand cubits in measurement.”sn The precise distance is uncertain, but the measurement designated אַמָּה (’ammah, “cubit”) was probably equivalent to approximately eighteen inches (one and one-half feet, or 45 cm) in length. Keep your distance#tn Heb “do not approach it.” so you can see#tn Heb “know.” which way you should go, for you have not traveled this way before.”
5 Joshua told the people, “Ritually consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform miraculous deeds among you.” 6 Joshua told the priests, “Pick up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.
7 The Lord told Joshua, “This very day I will begin to honor you before all Israel#tn Or more literally, “to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel.” so they will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. 8 Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, ‘When you reach the bank of the Jordan River,#tn Heb “the edge of the waters of the Jordan.” The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity. wade into the water.’”#tn Heb “stand in the Jordan.” Here the repetition of the word “Jordan” would be redundant according to contemporary English style, so it was not included in the translation.
9 Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God!” 10 Joshua continued,#tn Heb “said.” “This is how you will know the living God is among you and that he will truly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. 11 Look! The ark of the covenant of the Ruler#tn Or “Lord”; or “Master.” of the whole earth is ready to enter the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now select for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe. 13 When the feet#tn Heb “the soles of the feet.” of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Ruler#tn Or “Lord”; or “Master.” of the whole earth, touch#tn Or “rest in.” the water of the Jordan, the water coming downstream toward you will stop flowing and pile up.”#tn Heb “the waters of the Jordan, the waters descending from above, will be cut off so that they will stand in one pile.”
14 So when the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went#tn The verb, though not in the Hebrew, is added for clarification. ahead of them. 15 When the ones carrying the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the surface#tn Heb “dipped into the edge.” of the water – (the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest time)#tn Heb “and the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest.”sn The lengthy description of the priests’ arrival at the Jordan and the parenthetical reminder that the Jordan was at flood stage delay the climax of the story and add to its dramatic buildup. – 16 the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing.#tn Heb “the waters descending from above stood still.” It piled up far upstream#tn Heb “they stood in one pile very far away.” at Adam (the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea).#tn Heb “the [waters] descending toward the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) were completely cut off.”sn The Salt Sea is an ancient name for the Dead Sea. The people crossed the river opposite Jericho.#map For the location of Jericho see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1. 17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. All Israel crossed over on dry ground until the entire nation was on the other side.#tn Heb “and all Israel was crossing over on dry ground until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.”
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Joshua 3
3
1Then Ioshua rose very earely, and they remoued from Shittim, and came to Iorden, he, and all the children of Israel, and lodged there, before they went ouer. 2And after three dayes the officers went throughout the hoste, 3And commanded the people, saying, When ye see the Arke of the couenat of the Lord your God, and the Priestes of the Leuites bearing it, ye shall depart from your place, and goe after it. 4Yet there shalbe a space betweene you and it, about two thousande cubites by measure: ye shall not come neere vnto it, that ye may knowe the way, by the which ye shall goe: for ye haue not gone this way in times past. 5(Nowe Ioshua had saide vnto the people, Sanctifie your selues: for to morowe the Lord will doe wonders among you) 6Also Ioshua spake vnto the Priestes, saying, Take vp the Arke of the couenant, and goe ouer before the people: so they tooke vp the Arke of the couenant, and went before the people. 7Then the Lord saide vnto Ioshua, This day will I begin to magnifie thee in the sight of all Israel, which shall knowe, that as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee. 8Thou shalt therefore command the Priests that beare the Arke of the Couenant, saying, When ye are come to the brinke of the waters of Iorden, ye shall stande still in Iorden. 9Then Ioshua said vnto the children of Israel, Come hither, and heare the wordes of the Lord your God. 10And Ioshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the liuing God is among you, and that he will certainely cast out before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hiuites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Iebusites. 11Beholde, the Arke of the couenant of the Lord of all the worlde passeth before you into Iorden. 12Nowe therefore take from among you twelue men out of the tribes of Israel, out of euery tribe a man. 13And assoone as the soles of the feete of the Priestes (that beare the Arke of the Lord God the Lord of all the worlde) shall stay in the waters of Iorden, the waters of Iorden shall be cut off: for the waters that come from aboue, shall stande still vpon an heape. 14Then when the people were departed from their tentes to goe ouer Iorden, the Priestes bearing the Arke of the Couenant, went before people. 15And as they that bare the Arke came vnto Iorden, and the feete of the Priestes that bare the Arke were dipped in the brinke of the water, (for Iorden vseth to fill all his bankes all the time of haruest) 16Then the waters that came downe from aboue, stayed and rose vpon an heape and departed farre from the citie of Adam, that was beside Zaretan: but the waters that came downe towarde the Sea of the wildernes, euen the salt Sea, failed, and were cut off: so the people went right ouer against Iericho. 17But the Priestes that bare the Arke of the couenant of the Lord, stoode drie within Iorden readie prepared, and all the Israelites went ouer dry, vntill all the people were gone cleane ouer through Iorden.
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