1 Joshua {Yehoshua: Appointed Leader} rose early in the morning, and they set out from Shittim. They came to the Jordan, he and all the Israelites, and they lodged there before they crossed {avar: pass over}.
2 And it came to pass after the end of three days that the officers {shoterim: community overseers} went through the midst of the camp {machaneh: camp gathering}.
3 And they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant {brit: binding pledge} of the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheikhem, Covenant King}, and the priests, the Levites, carrying it, you shall set out from your place and go after it.”
4 But a distance {rachoq: mandated separation} shall exist between you and it, about two thousand cubits {ammah: unit of length} by measure; do not come near it, so that you may know the way you must go, for you have not passed this way before.
5 And Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves {hitqaddeshu: set yourselves apart}, for tomorrow the LORD {YHWH, Miracle Worker} will do wonders among you.”
6 Joshua {yehoshua: appointed leader} said to the priests, “Lift up the ark {aron: sacred chest} of the covenant and cross over in front of the people.” Then they lifted up the ark of the covenant and walked in front of the people.
7 And the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Leader} said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you great {gadel: raise in status} in the eyes of all Israel, so that they may know that just as I was with Moses, I will be with you.”
8 And you shall command the priests {kohanim: sacred ministers} carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, “When you arrive at the edge {ketzeh: boundary marker} of the waters of the Jordan, in the Jordan you shall stand.”
9 And Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Draw near {goshu: come closer with intent} here and hear the words of the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheichem: Covenant Leader}.”
10 And Joshua said, “By this you will know that the living God {el chai: God who is active and present} is among you {b'kirb'khem: in your very midst}, and He will certainly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite.”
11 See, the ark of the covenant {berit: solemn binding agreement} of the Lord {Adon, Supreme Master} of all the earth is going ahead of you into the Jordan.
12 And now, take for yourselves twelve {shnei asar: two-of-ten} men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe {shevet: tribal unit}.
13 And it shall be that when the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Ruler}—the Lord {adon: Supreme Master} of all the earth—rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, the waters descending from upstream, and they will stand in one heap {ned: Piled Mass}.
14 And it happened as the people departed from their tents to cross the Jordan that the priests bearing the ark of the covenant {berit: binding agreement} went before the people {am: gathered assembly}.
15 And as those carrying the ark {aron: sacred chest} came up to the Jordan, and the priests’ feet—those carrying the ark—were dipped at the water’s edge (now the Jordan is full upon all its banks all the days of harvest {katsir: grain cutting season}).
16 And the waters {mayim: material substance} that were descending from above stood still; they rose as one heap far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan {Tsartan: landmark settlement}. Then those descending toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off, and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
17 And the priests bearing the ark {aron: Sacred Chest} of the covenant of the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Presence} stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was crossing on dry ground until the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan.