走過約旦河

約書亞清早起來,率領全體以色列人離開什亭,來到約旦河邊安營,等候過河。 過了三天,官長走遍各營,吩咐民眾說: 「你們看見做祭司的利未人抬著你們上帝耶和華的約櫃出發時,就要起身跟在後面。 這樣,你們就會知道路,因為你們從來沒有走過這條路。但你們要跟約櫃保持九百米的距離,不要走近約櫃。」 約書亞又對民眾說:「你們要潔淨自己,因為明天耶和華要在你們當中行奇事。」 約書亞又對祭司說:「抬起約櫃,率領民眾過河吧!」他們就抬起約櫃,走在民眾前面。

耶和華對約書亞說:「從今天開始,我要使你在以色列人面前得到尊榮,讓他們知道我與你同在,正如從前我跟摩西同在一樣。 你要吩咐抬約櫃的祭司走到約旦河邊,站在水中。」 約書亞對以色列人說:「你們要來聽你們的上帝耶和華的話。 10 今天你們會明白永活的上帝就在你們當中,祂必在你們面前趕走迦南人、赫人、希未人、比利洗人、革迦撒人、亞摩利人和耶布斯人。 11 看啊,天下之主的約櫃要在你們前面過約旦河。 12 現在,你們要從以色列的十二支派中選出十二個人來,每支派選一人。 13 當祭司抬著天下之主——耶和華的約櫃一踏進約旦河,往下流的河水必會止住,形成一道水堤。」

14-15 那時是收割的季節,河水高漲,淹沒兩岸。民眾拔營準備過河的時候,抬約櫃的祭司走在前頭,當他們的腳剛一踏進河水, 16 往下流的水立即止住了,在很遠的撒拉但附近的亞當城那裡漲成一道水牆。流入亞拉巴海,即鹽海的水被完全截斷了,民眾便走到對面的耶利哥。 17 以色列人過河的時候,抬耶和華約櫃的祭司站立在河中間的乾地上,直到所有人都從乾地上過了約旦河。

'約 書 亞 記 3 ' not found for the version: Chinese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version.

3 Joshua commandeth them to depart when the Ark removeth. 7 The Lord promiseth to exalt Joshua before the people. 9 Joshua’s exhortation to the people. 16 The waters part asunder while the people pass. 

Then Joshua rose very early, and they removed from Shittim, and came to [a]Jordan, he, and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they went over.

And after [b]three days, the officers went throughout the host,

And commanded the people, saying, When ye see the Ark of the covenant of the Lord your God and the Priests of the Levites bearing it, ye shall depart from your place, and go after it.

Yet shall there be a space between you and it, about [c]two thousand cubits by measure: ye shall not come near unto it, that ye may know the way, by the which ye shall go: for ye have not gone this way in times past.

(Now Joshua had said unto the people, (A)Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.)

Also Joshua spake unto the Priests, saying, Take up the Ark of the covenant, and go over before the people: so they took up the Ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

¶ Then the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, which shall know, that (B)as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee.

Thou shalt therefore command the Priests that bear the Ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the waters of Jordan, ye shall stand still [d]in Jordan.

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

10 And Joshua said, [e]Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will certainly cast out 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 world passeth before you into Jordan.

12 Now therefore take from among you [f]twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

13 And as soon as the soles of the feet of the Priests (that bear the Ark of the Lord God the Lord of all the world) shall stay in the waters of Jordan, the waters of Jordan shall be cut off: for the waters that come from above, (C)shall stand still upon an heap.

14 ¶ Then when the people were departed from their tents to go over Jordan, the Priests bearing the (D)Ark of the covenant, went before the people.

15 And as they that bare the Ark, came unto Jordan, and the feet of the Priests that bare the Ark were dipped in the brink of the water, ((E)for Jordan useth to fill all his [g]banks all the time of harvest)

16 Then the waters that came down from above, stayed and rose upon an heap, and departed far from the city of Adam that was beside Zaretan: but the waters that came down toward the Sea of the wilderness, even the salt Sea, failed and were cut off: so the people went right over against Jericho.

17 But the Priests that bare the Ark of the covenant of the Lord, stood dry within Jordan [h]ready prepared, and all the Israelites went over dry, until all the people were clean gone over through Jordan.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 3:1 Which according to the Hebrews was in March, and about 40 days after Moses’ death.
  2. Joshua 3:2 Which time was given for to prepare them victuals, Josh. 1:11.
  3. Joshua 3:4 Or, a mile.
  4. Joshua 3:8 Even in the channel where the stream had run, as verse 17.
  5. Joshua 3:10 By this miracle in dividing the water.
  6. Joshua 3:12 Which should set up twelve stones in remembrance of the benefit.
  7. Joshua 3:15 Because the river was accustomed at this time to be full, the miracle is so much the greater.
  8. Joshua 3:17 Either tarrying till the people were past, or as some read, sure, as though they had been upon the dry land.