Crossing the Jordan

3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim^(A) and went to the Jordan,^(B) where they camped before crossing over. ² After three days^(C) the officers^(D) went throughout the camp,^{(E) 3} giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant^(F) of the Lord your God, and the Levitical^(G) priests^(H) carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. ⁴ Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits^[a](I) between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

⁶ to serve as a sign^(A) among you. In the future, when your children^(B) ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’^{(C) 7} tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off^(D) before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial^(E) to the people of Israel forever.”

¹³ About forty thousand armed for battle^(A) crossed over^(B) before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.

¹⁴ That day the Lord exalted^(C) Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to Joshua,

6 Now the gates of Jericho^(A) were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

² Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered^(B) Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. ³ March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. ⁴ Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns^(C) in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.^{(D) 5} When you hear them sound a long blast^(E) on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout;^(F) then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”