Joshua 3 - GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Crossing the Jordan River

3 Joshua got up early the next morning. He and all the Israelites left Shittim. They came to the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.

2 Three days later the officers went through the camp. 3 They told the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the promise of the Lord your God and the Levitical priests who carry it, break camp and follow them. 4 However, stay about half a mile behind them. Don’t come any closer to them so that you will know which way to go because you have not gone this way before.”

5 Joshua told the people, “Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy because tomorrow the Lord will do miracles among you.”

6 Joshua also told the priests, “Take the ark of the promise, and go ahead of the people.” They did as they were told.

7 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to honor you in front of all the people of Israel. I will do this to let them know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. 8 Order the priests who carry the ark of the promise, ‘When you step into the water of the Jordan River, stand there.’ ”

9 So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here, and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 Joshua continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly force the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites out of your way. 11 Watch the ark of the promise of the Lord of the whole earth as it goes ahead of you into the Jordan River. 12 Choose one man from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. 13 The priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, will stand in the water of the Jordan. Then the water flowing from upstream will stop and stand up like a dam.”

14 So they broke camp to cross the Jordan River. The priests who carried the ark of the promise went ahead of the people. 15 (The Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest season.) [a] When the priests who were carrying the ark came to the edge of the Jordan River and set foot in 16 the water, the water stopped flowing from upstream. The water rose up like a dam as far away as the city of Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the Sea of the Plains (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. Then the people crossed from the east side ⌞of the Jordan River⌟ directly opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the Lord’s promise stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.

Footnotes

  1. 3:15 This sentence has been moved from verse 16 to express the complex Hebrew paragraph structure more clearly in English.

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Joshua 3 - World English Bible (WEB)

3 Joshua 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. 2 After three days, the officers went through the middle of the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ...
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Joshua 3 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Crossing the Jordan3 Then Joshua rose up early in the morning, and he and all Bnei-Yisrael set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan. They lodged there before crossing over. 2 Now it came about after three days that the officials went through the camp 3 and they charged the people saying, “When ...
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Joshua 3 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

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Joshua 3 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Israel Crosses the Jordan3 Early in the morning Joshua rose and set out from Shittim, with all the people of Israel; and they came to the Jordan, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “When you see the ar...
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Joshua 3 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Israel Crosses the Jordan3 Early in the morning Joshua rose and set out from Shittim with all the Israelites, and they came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing over. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “When you see the ark of the ...
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Joshua 3 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Israel Crosses the Jordan3 Early in the morning Joshua rose and set out from Shittim with all the Israelites, and they came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing over. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, ‘When you see the ark of the ...
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Joshua 3 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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Joshua 3 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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3 Joshua 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. 2 After three days the leaders went among the tents. 3 They told the people, “When you see the special box of the agreement of the Lord your God wit...
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Joshua 3 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Crossing the Jordan3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord yo...
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Joshua 3 - New International Version (NIV)

Crossing the Jordan3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim(A) and went to the Jordan,(B) where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days(C) the officers(D) went throughout the camp,(E) 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant(F...
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Israel Goes Across the Jordan River3 Early one morning Joshua and all the Israelites started out from Shittim. They went down to the Jordan River. They camped there before they went across it. 2 After three days the officers went all through the camp. 3 They gave orders to the people. They said, “...
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Joshua 3 - New English Translation (NET)

Israel Crosses the Jordan3 Bright and early the next morning Joshua and the Israelites left Shittim and came to the Jordan.[a] They camped there before crossing the river.[b] 2 After three days the leaders went through the camp 3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of t...
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