The Crossing of the Jordan River

¹ Joshua rose early in the morning. They all left Shittim and came to Jordan and lodged there before they passed over.

² After 3 days, the officers went through the host. ³ They commanded the people:

When you see the ark of the covenant of Anu and the priests the Levites bearing it, then leave your place and follow it.

⁴ But leave a space of around 2,000 cubits between you and it. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go: for you have not passed this way before.

Joshua

⁵ [To the People] Sanctify yourselves: Tomorrow, Anu will do wonders among you.

Joshua

⁶ [To the priests] Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass before the people.

So they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

Anu

⁷ [To Joshua] This day will I begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.

⁸ Command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant. Tell them that when they come to the brink of the water of Jordan, they should stand still in Jordan.

Joshua

⁹ [To the Israelites] Anu says: ¹⁰ the living Anu is among you. He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and the Jebusites. ¹¹ Behold, the ark of the covenant passes over before you into Jordan.

¹² Take 12 men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. ¹³ As soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of Anu shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above. They shall stand on an heap.

¹⁴ And so the people left from their tents, to pass over Jordan as well as the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people.

¹⁵ The river Jordan overflowed its banks during the harvest time. As the priests who carried the ark came into the river, ¹⁶ The waters which came down from above stood and rose up on an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan.

Those that came down towards the sea of the plain, even the salt sea failed and were cut off. And the people passed over right against Jericho.

¹⁷ The priests that carried the ark of the covenant of Anu stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan river. All the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all passed over the Jordan river.