Joshua 3:14-17

New Living Translation

¹⁴So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. ¹⁵It 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, ¹⁶the 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.

¹⁷Meanwhile, 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

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

Joshua 3:14-17

New International Version

¹⁴So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant^(A) went ahead^(B) of them. ¹⁵Now 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, ¹⁶the 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) ¹⁷The 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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Joshua 3:14-17

King James Version

¹⁴And 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;

¹⁵And 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,)

¹⁶That 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.

¹⁷And 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.

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