| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing. | 1Bright and early the next morning Joshua and the Israelites left Shittim and came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing the river. |
| 2Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp, | 2After three days the leaders went through the camp |
| 3giving these instructions to the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, move out from your positions and follow them. | 3and commanded the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you must leave here and walk behind it. |
| 4Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about half a mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.” | 4But stay about three thousand feet behind it. Keep your distance so you can see which way you should go, for you have not traveled this way before." |
| 5Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do great wonders among you.” | 5Joshua told the people, "Ritually consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will perform miraculous deeds among you." |
| 6In the morning Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river.” And so they started out and went ahead of the people. | 6Joshua 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. |
| 7The LORD told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses. | 7The LORD told Joshua, "This very day I will begin to honor you before all Israel so they will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. |
| 8Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’” | 8Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, 'When you reach the bank of the Jordan River, wade into the water.'" |
| 9So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come and listen to what the LORD your God says. | 9Joshua told the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God!" |
| 10Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you. | 10Joshua continued, "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. |
| 11Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River! | 11Look! The ark of the covenant of the Ruler of the whole earth is ready to enter the Jordan ahead of you. |
| 12Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. | 12Now select for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe. |
| 13The priests will carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.” | 13When the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the LORD, the Ruler of the whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, the water coming downstream toward you will stop flowing and pile up." |
| 14So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. | 14So when the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. |
| 15It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, | 15When the ones carrying the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the surface of the water--(the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest time)-- |
| 16the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho. | 16the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing. It piled up far upstream at Adam (the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea). The people crossed the river opposite Jericho. |
| 17Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground. | 17The 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. |
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