3Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.H3091H7925H1242H5265H7851H935H3383H1121H3478H3885H56742Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp,H7097H7969H3117H7860H5674H7130H42643giving these instructions to the people: "When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, move out from your positions and follow them.H6680H5971H559H7200H727H1285H3068H430H3548H3881H5375H5265H4725H1980H3104Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don't come any closer."H7350H505H520H4060H7126H3045H1870H3212H5674H1870H8543H80325Then Joshua told the people, "Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do great wonders among you."H3091H559H5971H6942H4279H3068H6213H6381H71306In the morning Joshua said to the priests, "Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river." And so they started out and went ahead of the people.H3091H559H3548H559H5375H727H1285H5674H6440H5971H5375H727H1285H3212H6440H59717The LORD told Joshua, "Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses.H3068H559H3091H3117H2490H1431H5869H3478H3045H48728Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: 'When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.'"H6680H3548H5375H727H1285H559H935H7097H4325H3383H5975H33839So Joshua told the Israelites, "Come and listen to what the LORD your God says.H3091H559H1121H3478H5066H8085H1697H3068H43010Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you.H3091H559H3045H2416H410H7130H3423H3423H6440H3669H2850H2340H6522H1622H567H298311Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River!H727H1285H113H776H5674H6440H338312Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.H3947H8147H6240H376H7626H3478H259H7626H37613The priests will carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall."H3709H7272H3548H5375H727H3068H113H776H5117H4325H3383H4325H3383H3772H4325H3381H4605H5975H259H506714So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.H5971H5265H168H5674H3383H3548H5375H727H1285H6440H597115It 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,H5375H727H935H3383H7272H3548H5375H727H2881H7097H4325H3383H4390H1415H3117H710516the 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 until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.H4325H3381H4605H5975H6965H259H5067H3966H7368H5892H121H6654H6891H3381H3220H6160H4417H3220H8552H3772H5971H5674H340517Meanwhile, 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.H3548H5375H727H1285H3068H5975H3559H2724H8432H3383H3478H5674H2724H1471H5674H8552H5674H3383
Des Moines, IA
and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.H3091
