Font Size
Jozua 3
Het Boek
Jozua 3
Het Boek
De overtocht door de Jordaan
3 De volgende morgen in alle vroegte, verlieten Jozua en het hele volk Sittim. Diezelfde avond bereikten zij de oever van de Jordaan, waar zij enige dagen hun kamp opsloegen alvorens over te steken. 2-4 Op de derde dag gingen enkele aanvoerders het kamp door en gaven de volgende instructies: ‘Wanneer u de Levitische priesters de ark van het verbond met de Here, uw God, ziet dragen, volg hen dan. Waar wij heengaan, bent u nog nooit geweest, daarom zullen zij u de weg wijzen. Blijf echter ongeveer een kilometer achter hen, met een duidelijke ruimte tussen de ark en u, zorg ervoor dat u niet dichterbij komt.’
5 Toen droeg Jozua iedereen op zich te heiligen. ‘Morgen,’ zei hij, ‘zal de Here een groot wonder verrichten.’ 6 De volgende ochtend gaf Jozua de priesters de opdracht: ‘Neem de ark op en leid ons over de rivier!’ En zo gingen zij vóór het volk uit.
7 ‘Vandaag,’ zei de Here tegen Jozua, ‘zal Ik u grote eer geven, zodat heel Israël weet dat Ik net zo met u ben als Ik met Mozes was. 8 Geef de priesters die de ark dragen, opdracht dat zij in het water gaan staan zodra ze bij de oever van de Jordaan zijn aangekomen.’ 9 Jozua riep het volk bijeen en zei: ‘Kom hier en luister naar wat de Here, uw God, heeft gezegd. 10 Vandaag zal het u duidelijk worden dat de levende God in uw midden is en dat Hij vast en zeker de Kanaänieten, Hethieten, Chiwwieten, Perizzieten, Girgasieten, Amorieten en Jebusieten zal verdrijven. 11 Want de ark van het verbond van God, die de Here van de hele aarde is, zal u over de rivier leiden! 12 Kies nu twaalf mannen, één uit elke stam, voor een speciale opdracht. 13,14 Wanneer de priesters die de ark van de Here dragen met hun voeten het water aanraken, zal de rivier ophouden met stromen. Het water dat van bovenaf komt, zal als een dam blijven staan!’ Dit gebeurde in het oogstseizoen en de Jordaan was al buiten zijn oevers getreden. Toen het volk zich in beweging zette en de voeten van de priesters die de ark van het verbond droegen het water raakten, 15,16 begon het rivierwater zich plotseling ver stroomopwaarts bij de stad Adam, dichtbij Zarethan, op te hopen alsof het een dam was! Het water beneden dat punt stroomde verder naar de Zoutzee, tot de rivierbedding droog stond. Toen stak het hele volk de rivier over ter hoogte van Jericho. 17 De priesters die de ark droegen, stonden op het droge midden in de Jordaan en bleven daar, terwijl het hele volk aan hen voorbij trok.
Joshua 3
New International Version
Joshua 3
New International Version
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.”
5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves,(J) for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things(K) among you.”
6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.
7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you(L) in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.(M) 8 Tell the priests(N) who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”
9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God(O) is among you(P) and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites,(Q) Hivites, Perizzites,(R) Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.(S) 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth(T) will go into the Jordan ahead of you.(U) 12 Now then, choose twelve men(V) from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth(W)—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream(X) will be cut off(Y) and stand up in a heap.(Z)”
14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant(AA) went ahead(AB) of them. 15 Now the Jordan(AC) is at flood stage(AD) all during harvest.(AE) Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing.(AF) It piled up in a heap(AG) a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,(AH) while the water flowing down(AI) to the Sea of the Arabah(AJ) (that is, the Dead Sea(AK)) was completely cut off.(AL) So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.(AM) 17 The priests(AN) who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground,(AO) while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.(AP)
Footnotes
- Joshua 3:4 That is, about 3,000 feet or about 900 meters
Joshua 3
New King James Version
Joshua 3
New King James Version
Israel Crosses the Jordan
3 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. 2 So it was, (B)after three days, that the officers went through the camp; 3 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. 4 (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.”
5 And Joshua said to the people, (F)“Sanctify[c] yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” 6 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.
7 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. 8 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.’ ”
9 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
- Joshua 3:1 Heb. Shittim
- Joshua 3:3 carrying
- Joshua 3:5 Consecrate
- Joshua 3:7 make you great
- Joshua 3:16 Qr., many mss. and vss. from Adam
Joshua 3
English Standard Version
Joshua 3
English Standard Version
Israel Crosses the Jordan
3 Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out (A)from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 (B)At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by (C)the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. 4 (D)Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits[a] in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” 5 Then Joshua said to the people, (E)“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” 6 And Joshua said to the priests, (F)“Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to (G)exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, (H)as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command (I)the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, (J)you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that (K)the living God is among you and that he will without fail (L)drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of (M)the Lord of all the earth[b] (N)is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore (O)take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, (P)from each tribe a man. 13 And (Q)when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, (R)the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall (S)stand in one heap.”
14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing (T)the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and (U)the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now (V)the Jordan overflows all its banks (W)throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside (X)Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of (Y)the Arabah, (Z)the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, (AA)and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
Footnotes
- Joshua 3:4 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
- Joshua 3:11 Hebrew the ark of the covenant, the Lord of all the earth
Het Boek (HTB)
Het Boek Copyright © 1979, 1988, 2007 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.