Joshua 3

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Early in the morning, Joshua struck camp and set out from Shittim with al the Israelites. They went asfar as the Jordan and there they camped before they crossed.	1 Early the next morning, Joshua moved with all the Israelites from Shittim to the Jordan, where they lodged before crossing over.
2 Three days later, the officials went through the camp	2 Three days later the officers went through the camp
3 and gave the people these instructions, 'When you see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your Godbeing carried by the levitical priests, you wil leave your position and fol ow it,so that you may know which way totake, since you have never gone this way before.	3 and issued these instructions to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD, your God, which the levitical priests will carry, you must also break camp and follow it,
4 Between you and the ark, however, keep a distance of about two thousand cubits: do not go near it.'	4 that you may know the way to take, for you have not gone over this road before. But let there be a space of two thousand cubits between you and the ark. Do not come nearer to it."
5 Joshua said to the people, 'Sanctify yourselves, since tomorrow Yahweh wil work wonders among you.'	5 Joshua also said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will perform wonders among you."
6 Joshua then said to the priests, 'Take up the ark of the covenant and cross at the head of the people.'They took up the ark of the covenant and moved to the head of the people.	6 And he directed the priests to take up the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people; and they did so.
7 Yahweh said to Joshua, 'This very day, I shal begin to make you great in the eyes of al Israel so thatthey will know that, as I was with Moses, so I shal be with you.	7 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know I am with you, as I was with Moses.
8 Now, give this order to the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, "When you have reached the brinkof the waters of the Jordan, you must halt in the Jordan itself." '	8 Now command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant to come to a halt in the Jordan when they reach the edge of the waters."
9 To the Israelites, Joshua then said, 'Come closer and hear the words of Yahweh your God.'	9 So Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD, your God."
10 Joshua said, 'By this, you are to know that the living God is with you and without a doubt wil expel theCanaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites before you.	10 He continued: "This is how you will know that there is a living God in your midst, who at your approach will dispossess the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.
11 Look, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth is about to move into the Jordan at yourhead.	11 The ark of the covenant of the LORD of the whole earth will precede you into the Jordan.
12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe.	12 (Now choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel.)
13 As soon as the priests carrying the ark of Yahweh, Lord of the whole earth, have set the soles of theirfeet in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan wil be cut off; the upper waters flowing down wil stopas a single mass.'	13 When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, it will cease to flow; for the water flowing down from upstream will halt in a solid bank."
14 Accordingly, when the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of thecovenant ahead of the people.	14 The people struck their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them.
15 As soon as the bearers of the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the arktouched the waters -- the Jordan is in spate throughout the harvest season-	15 No sooner had these priestly bearers of the ark waded into the waters at the edge of the Jordan, which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest,
16 the upper waters stood stil and formed a single mass over a great distance, at Adam, the town nearZarethan, while those flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely separated. Thepeople crossed opposite Jericho.	16 than the waters flowing from upstream halted, backing up in a solid mass for a very great distance indeed, from Adam, a city in the direction of Zarethan; while those flowing downstream toward the Salt Sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely. Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood firm on dry ground in mid-Jordan, whileal Israel crossed on dry ground, until the whole nation had completed its crossing of the Jordan.	17 While all Israel crossed over on dry ground, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD remained motionless on dry ground in the bed of the Jordan until the whole nation had completed the passage.