1 Joshua rose early in the morning. They left Shittim for Jordan. He and all the children of Israel lodged there before they crossed over.

2 After three days the officers went through the camp.

3 They commanded the people, saying: »When you see the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, you should leave here and follow it.

4 »You should keep a space of a thousand yards between you and the ark. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go: for you have not passed this way before.«

5 Joshua said to the people: »Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow Jehovah will do amazing things among you.«

6 Joshua spoke to the priests: »Take up the Ark of the Covenant, and pass over before the people.« So they took the Ark of the Covenant and went before the people.

7 Jehovah said to Joshua: »This day will I begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel. Now they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.

8 »You will command the priests that bear the Ark of the Covenant, saying: ‘When you come to the shore of the Jordan River you will stand still in the Jordan.’«

9 Joshua said to the children of Israel: »Come here and hear the words of Jehovah your God.«

10 Joshua said: »By this you shall know the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

11 »The Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah the God of all the earth passed over before you into Jordan.

12 »Take twelve men out of the tribes of Israel.

13 »As soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the Ark of Jehovah, the Lord of all the earth, set foot in the Jordan the waters of Jordan shall be cut off and they shall stand in a heap.«

14 When the people set out from their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant before the people and

15 As they carried the ark into the Jordan and the feet of the priests dipped into the water, for Jordan is at food stage at the time of harvest.

16 The waters stood and rose up upon a heap very far from the city Adam that is beside Zaretan. The waters that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off. The people passed over the Jericho.

17 The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan River. All the Israelites passed over the Jordan River on dry ground.