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14 So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. 15 It 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, 16 the 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[a] until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.

17 Meanwhile, 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:16 Hebrew the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea.

14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant(A) went ahead(B) of them. 15 Now the Jordan(C) is at flood stage(D) all during harvest.(E) Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing.(F) It piled up in a heap(G) a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,(H) while the water flowing down(I) to the Sea of the Arabah(J) (that is, the Dead Sea(K)) was completely cut off.(L) So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.(M) 17 The priests(N) who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground,(O) while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.(P)

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