走过约旦河

约书亚清早起来,率领全体以色列人离开什亭,来到约旦河边安营,等候过河。 过了三天,官长走遍各营,吩咐民众说: “你们看见做祭司的利未人抬着你们上帝耶和华的约柜出发时,就要起身跟在后面。 这样,你们就会知道路,因为你们从来没有走过这条路。但你们要跟约柜保持九百米的距离,不要走近约柜。” 约书亚又对民众说:“你们要洁净自己,因为明天耶和华要在你们当中行奇事。” 约书亚又对祭司说:“抬起约柜,率领民众过河吧!”他们就抬起约柜,走在民众前面。

耶和华对约书亚说:“从今天开始,我要使你在以色列人面前得到尊荣,让他们知道我与你同在,正如从前我跟摩西同在一样。 你要吩咐抬约柜的祭司走到约旦河边,站在水中。” 约书亚对以色列人说:“你们要来听你们的上帝耶和华的话。 10 今天你们会明白永活的上帝就在你们当中,祂必在你们面前赶走迦南人、赫人、希未人、比利洗人、革迦撒人、亚摩利人和耶布斯人。 11 看啊,天下之主的约柜要在你们前面过约旦河。 12 现在,你们要从以色列的十二支派中选出十二个人来,每支派选一人。 13 当祭司抬着天下之主——耶和华的约柜一踏进约旦河,往下流的河水必会止住,形成一道水堤。”

14-15 那时是收割的季节,河水高涨,淹没两岸。民众拔营准备过河的时候,抬约柜的祭司走在前头,当他们的脚刚一踏进河水, 16 往下流的水立即止住了,在很远的撒拉但附近的亚当城那里涨成一道水墙。流入亚拉巴海,即盐海的水被完全截断了,民众便走到对面的耶利哥。 17 以色列人过河的时候,抬耶和华约柜的祭司站立在河中间的干地上,直到所有人都从干地上过了约旦河。

Israel Crosses the Jordan

Joshua got up early in the morning; then he and all the children of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they spent the night there before they crossed [the river]. And it happened at the end of three days that the officers went throughout the camp, and they commanded the people, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from where you are and follow it. However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about 2,000 cubits (3,000 ft.) by measurement. Do not come near it, [a]so that you may [be able to see the ark and] know the way you are to go, for you have not passed this way before.”

Then Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves [for His purpose], for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders (miracles) among you.” Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over [the river] ahead of the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went on ahead of the people.

The Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to magnify and exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that just as I was with Moses, I will [also] be with you. You shall command the priests who carry the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here, and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will, without fail, drive out from before you the [b]Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you [leading the way] into the Jordan. 12 So now take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe. 13 When the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, [come to] rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing down from above will be cut off, and they will stand in one mass [of water].”

14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan with the priests who were carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and when those who were carrying the ark came up to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were submerged at the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all of its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters which were flowing down from above stopped and rose up in one mass a great distance away at [c]Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan. Those [waters] flowing downward toward the sea of the Arabah, the [d]Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed [the river] opposite Jericho.(A) 17 And while all [the people of] Israel crossed over on dry ground, the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan [riverbed], until all the nation had finished crossing over the Jordan.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 3:4 The implication is that coming too close to the ark would invite the divine punishment of death, and that the people can only follow the ark if they keep a safe distance.
  2. Joshua 3:10 The various tribal groups populating the land of Canaan were the descendants of Canaan, the youngest son of Ham, the son of Noah. Gen 10:15-19.
  3. Joshua 3:16 The city of Adam was located about sixteen miles up the river from Jericho.
  4. Joshua 3:16 I.e. Dead Sea.

And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;

And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.

And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God.

10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that 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 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.

12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;

15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

Israel Crosses the Jordan

Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out (A)from [a]Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. So it was, (B)after three days, that the officers went through the camp; and they commanded the people, saying, (C)“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, (D)and the priests, the Levites, [b]bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. (E)Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

And Joshua said to the people, (F)“Sanctify[c] yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, (G)“Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.”

So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

And the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to (H)exalt[d] you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, (I)as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. You shall command (J)the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, (K)you shall stand in the Jordan.’ ”

So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that (L)the living God is among you, and that He will without fail (M)drive out from before you the (N)Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites: 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of (O)the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore, (P)take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. 13 And it shall come to pass, (Q)as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, (R)the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they (S)shall stand as a heap.”

14 So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the (T)ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and (U)the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the (V)Jordan overflows all its banks (W)during the whole time of harvest), 16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away [e]at Adam, the city that is beside (X)Zaretan. So the waters that went down (Y)into the Sea of the Arabah, (Z)the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; (AA)and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 3:1 Heb. Shittim
  2. Joshua 3:3 carrying
  3. Joshua 3:5 Consecrate
  4. Joshua 3:7 make you great
  5. Joshua 3:16 Qr., many mss. and vss. from Adam

And Yehoshua rose early in the boker; and they set out from Sheetim, and came to the Yarden, he and Kol Bnei Yisroel, and camped there before they crossed over.

And it came to pass after shloshet yamim, that the Shoterim went through the Machaneh;

And they commanded HaAm, saying, When ye see the Aron Brit Hashem Eloheichem, and the Kohanim who are Levi’im bearing it, then ye shall move out from your makom, and follow after it.

Yet there shall be a rachok (distance, space) between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure; come not near unto it, that ye have da’as of the Derech by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

And Yehoshua said unto HaAm, Set yourselves apart as kodesh; for tomorrow Hashem will do nifla’ot among you.

And Yehoshua spoke unto the Kohanim, saying, Take up the Aron HaBrit, and cross over before HaAm. And they took up the Aron HaBrit, and went before HaAm.

And Hashem said unto Yehoshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of kol Yisroel, that they may know that, as I was with Moshe, so I will be with thee.

And thou shalt command the Kohanim that bear the Aron HaBrit, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of the Yarden, ye shall stand still in the Yarden.

And Yehoshua said unto the Bnei Yisroel, Come here, and hear the Divrei Hashem Eloheichem.

10 And Yehoshua said, Hereby ye shall have da’as that the El Chai is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Kena’ani, and the Chitti, and the Chivi, and the Perizzi, and the Girgashi, and HaEmori, and the Yevusi.

11 Hinei, the Aron HaBrit Adon Kol HaAretz passeth over before you into the Yarden.

12 Now therefore take you Shnei Asar Ish out of the Shivtei Yisroel, out of every tribe an ish.

13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the Kohanim bearing the Aron Hashem, Adon Kol HaAretz, shall rest in the waters of the Yarden, that the waters of the Yarden shall be cut off from the waters that flow down from above; and they shall stand in a heap.

14 So it came to pass, when HaAm moved out from their ohalim, to cross over the Yarden, and the Kohanim bearing the Aron HaBrit ahead of HaAm;

15 And as they bearing the Aron were come unto the Yarden, and the feet of the Kohanim bearing the Aron touched the edge of the mayim, (for the Yarden overfloweth all its banks all the days of katzir [harvest]),

16 That the waters which flowed down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Tzartan; and that which flowed down toward Yam HaAravah, the Yam HaMelach was completely cut off; and HaAm crossed over right by Yericho.

17 And the Kohanim bearing the Aron Brit Hashem stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Yarden, and Kol Yisroel passed over on dry ground, until Kol HaGoy were passed completely over the Yarden.