﻿Joshua.
Chapter 3.
Joshua rose early in the morning, and he and all the people of Israel set out from Shittim. They came to the Jordan and lodged there before crossing over. 
At the end of three days, the officers went through the camp 
and commanded the people, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, with the Levitical priests carrying it, you must set out from your place and follow it. 
But keep a distance of about half a mile between you and it. Do not come near it, so that you may know the way to go, for you have never passed this way before.” 
Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” 
Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people.” So they lifted up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people. 
The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 
You must command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, ‘When you reach the edge of the waters of the Jordan, stand still in the Jordan.’” 
Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and hear the words of the LORD your God.” 
Joshua said, “By this you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. 
Look, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan. 
Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe. 
When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off. The waters flowing down from above will stand in a single heap.” 
So the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of the people. 
When those carrying the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark dipped into the edge of the water—the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the harvest season— 
the waters flowing down from above stopped and rose in a single heap very far away, at Adam, the city beside Zarethan. The waters flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, ran out and were cut off. The people crossed over opposite Jericho. 
The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan. 
