The Crossing Begun. ¹⁴ The people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. ¹⁵ When those bearing the ark came to the Jordan and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were immersed in the waters of the Jordan—which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest—^{[a] 16} the waters flowing from upstream halted, standing up in a single heap^(A) for a very great distance indeed, from Adam, a city in the direction of Zarethan; those flowing downstream toward the Salt Sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely.^[b] Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho. ¹⁷ The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the Jordan riverbed^(B) while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until the whole nation had completed the crossing of the Jordan.