Crossing the Jordan 1 UDB Joshua and all the other Israelites got up early the next morning. They left their camp at the Acacias and went down to the Jordan River. They camped there before they crossed over the river. BSB BSB: Early the next morning Joshua got up and left Shittim with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.
2 UDB After three days, the officers went through the middle of the camp. BSB BSB: After three days the officers went through the camp
3 UDB They instructed the people, "As soon as you see the priests, some of the descendants of Levi, carrying the sacred chest of Yahweh your God, then you will know it is time to leave this place and follow the sacred chest. BSB BSB: and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.
4 UDB Keep nine hundred meters away from it. Do not come closer than that to it. You do not know the way you should go, since you have not gone this way before." BSB BSB: But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between yourselves and the ark. Do not go near it, so that you can see the way to go, since you have never traveled this way before.”
5 UDB Then Joshua told the people, "Perform the ceremonies needed to make yourselves acceptable to Yahweh and to give him honor, because tomorrow he is going to do things for you that will amaze you." BSB BSB: Then Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
6 UDB Then Joshua said to the priests, "Carry the chest and go in front of the people." So they lifted up the sacred chest and went in front of the people. BSB BSB: And he said to the priests, “Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
7 UDB Then Yahweh said to Joshua, "This is the day that I will begin to show all people of Israel that you are a great leader. Then they will honor you and know that, as I was with Moses, I am with you. BSB BSB: Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.
8 UDB Tell the priests who are carrying the sacred chest, 'When you come to the edge of the Jordan River, stand still in the Jordan.'" BSB BSB: Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.’”
9 UDB Then Joshua said to the people of Israel, "Come here and listen to what Yahweh your God has said. BSB BSB: So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.”
10 UDB This is how you will know that God, who can do anything, is among you. With your own eyes you will see how he will take away the land from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. BSB BSB: He continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.
11 UDB See! The sacred chest that belongs to the God who rules over all the earth is about to be carried into the Jordan River ahead of you. BSB BSB: Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go ahead of you into the Jordan.
12 UDB So choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel. BSB BSB: Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
13 UDB When the priests who are carrying the chest set their feet in the waters of the Jordan River, the water will stop flowing. The water coming from upstream will stop and stay in one heap. It will not flow down the river." BSB BSB: When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.”
14 UDB So when the Israelites crossed the river, the priests who were carrying sacred chest went in front of them. BSB BSB: So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them.
15 UDB And as soon as the priests reached the edge of the Jordan River and stepped into the water (now it was the springtime, when the river floods over its banks), BSB BSB: Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,
16 UDB the water stopped flowing and it piled up far upstream. The water did not flow in the Jordan from the town called Adam, near Zarethan, all the way down to the Sea of Arabah (which is called the Dead Sea), so the people were able to cross the river near Jericho. BSB BSB: the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
17 UDB The priests who were carrying the sacred chest of Yahweh stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan River; they continued to stand there until all the people of Israel crossed the river on dry ground. BSB BSB: The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation had crossed the Jordan.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.