Yosua 3:14-17

3:14 So when the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ¹  ahead of them. 3:15 When the ones carrying the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the surface ²  of the water – (the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest time) ³  – 3:16 the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing. ⁴  It piled up far upstream ⁵  at Adam (the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea). ⁶  The people crossed the river opposite Jericho. ⁷  3:17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. All Israel crossed over on dry ground until the entire nation was on the other side. ⁸ 

Yosua 4:10-12

4:10 Now the priests carrying the ark of the covenant were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people was accomplished, in accordance with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people went across quickly, 4:11 and when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed as the people looked on. ⁹  4:12 The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed for battle ahead of the Israelites, just as Moses had instructed them.

Yosua 4:23

4:23 For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you while you crossed over. It was just like when the Lord your God dried up the Red Sea before us while we crossed it. ¹⁰ 

[3:14]  ¹ tn The verb, though not in the Hebrew, is added for clarification.

[3:15]  ² tn Heb “dipped into the edge.”

[3:15]  ³ tn Heb “and the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest.”

[3:15]  sn The lengthy description of the priests’ arrival at the Jordan and the parenthetical reminder that the Jordan was at flood stage delay the climax of the story and add to its dramatic buildup.

[3:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “the waters descending from above stood still.”

[3:16]  ⁵ tn Heb “they stood in one pile very far away.”

[3:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “the [waters] descending toward the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) were completely cut off.”

[3:16]  sn The Salt Sea is an ancient name for the Dead Sea.

[3:16]  ⁷ map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[3:17]  ⁸ tn Heb “and all Israel was crossing over on dry ground until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.”

[4:11]  ⁹ tn Heb “in the presence of the people.”

[4:23]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “just as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea when he dried [it] up before us while we crossed over.”