Joshua 3

1 Early [at the break of day, in the morning watch] the next morning Joshua [the leader, God is salvation] got up and left Shittim [the Valley of Acacias, a place of rest] with all [every single one, the entire congregation] the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. They went as far as [till, up to the point of] the Jordan [the river of separation, a boundary], where they camped [lodged, spent the night] before [prior to, in anticipation of] crossing over [passing from one side to the other, transitioning]. word study 2 After [at the end of, following] three [a period of testing, a trio of days] days [a 24-hour period or a figurative space of time] the officers [officials, overseers, or rulers] went through [passed over, transitioned, or crossed] the camp [a group of people, an army, or an encampment, in the midst of] word study 3 and commanded [gave orders, instructed] the people: “When you see [behold, perceive] the ark [chest, container] of the covenant [agreement, promise] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God] being carried [lifted, borne] by the Levitical [descendants of Levi] priests, you are to set out [depart, journey] from your positions [places, locations] and follow [go after, pursue] it. word study 4 But keep a distance [about 3,000 feet, a considerable space] of about two thousand cubits [a unit of measurement, roughly the length of a forearm] between yourselves and the ark [a sacred chest]. Do not go near [come not close, approach not] it, so that you can see [know, perceive] the way [path, journey] to go, since you have never traveled [passed, gone] this way [road, path] before [previously, heretofore].” word study 5 Then Joshua [the leader] told the people, “Consecrate [set apart, sanctify] yourselves, for tomorrow [the next day, a future time] the LORD [Yehovah] will do [perform, accomplish] wonders [miraculous works, amazing things] among you [in your midst, internally].” word study 6 And he said [spoke, commanded] to the priests [spiritual leaders, those who serve God], “Take [lift, carry] the ark [chest, container] of the covenant [promise, agreement] and go [cross over, transition] on ahead [before, in front] of the people [nation, community].” So they carried [lifted, bore] the ark of the covenant and went [walked, proceeded] ahead [before, in front] of them. word study 7 Now the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Joshua [the leader who helped the Israelites return from exile], “Today [this day, a new beginning] I will begin [to initiate, to start something new] to exalt [to magnify, to make great] you in the sight [in the eyes, in the presence] of all [every single one, the entire nation] Israel, so they may know [to ascertain by seeing, to learn and understand] that I am with [together with, in accompaniment] you just as [in the same manner, exactly like] I was with [accompanied, supported] Moses [the Israelite leader who received the law from God]. word study 8 Command [give orders, instruct] the priests [spiritual leaders, those who serve God] carrying the ark [a chest, container] of the covenant [a promise, agreement between God and His people]: ‘When you reach [come to, arrive at] the edge [brink, border] of the waters [liquid, source of refreshment], stand [remain, be stationary] in the Jordan [the river].’” word study 9 So Joshua [the leader] told the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob], “Come here [draw near, approach] and listen [hear and obey] to the words [divine messages, declarations] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God].” word study 10 He continued, “This [by this sign, hereby] is how you will know [perceive, understand, be aware] that the living [having life, eternal] God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] is among [in the midst of, dwelling with] you and that He will surely [without fail, certainly] drive out [dispossess, expel] before you the Canaanites [inhabitants of Canaan], Hittites [descendants of Heth], Hivites [members of an ancient tribe], Perizzites [a Canaanite tribe], Girgashites [natives of Canaan], Amorites [a Canaanite tribe], and Jebusites [inhabitants of Jebus]. word study 11 Behold [look, see], the ark [chest, container of the covenant] of the covenant [promise, agreement] of the Lord [Adonay, Master] of all [everything, the whole] the earth [land, world] will go ahead [pass over, cross] of you into the Jordan [river, boundary]. word study 12 Now [at this time] choose [take, select] twelve [two times six] men [individuals] from the tribes [clans, families] of Israel [God’s people], one [a single, unique] from each [every] tribe [family group]. word study 13 When the feet [soles, the base of the foot] of the priests who carry the ark [a chest, container of the covenant] of the LORD [Yehovah]—the Lord [Adonai, the supreme ruler] of all the earth [the land, the world]—touch down [rest, come to a standstill] in the waters [the flowing stream] of the Jordan [the river], its flowing waters [the current, the stream] will be cut off [stopped, severed] and will stand up [rise, be piled] in a heap [a mound, a pile].” word study 14 So when the people [a nation, the Israelites] broke camp [set out, departed from their tents] to cross [pass over, transition] the Jordan [the river, a key location], the priests [spiritual leaders, those who serve God] carried [lifted, bore] the ark [a chest, the container of the Ten Commandments] of the covenant [a promise, an agreement between God and people] ahead of them [before, in front of the people]. word study 15 Now the Jordan [overflowing its banks, full to the brim] overflows its banks throughout the harvest season [time of grain-cutting, when crops are gathered]. But as soon as the priests [serving God, leading in worship] carrying the ark [a box or chest, the Ark of the Covenant] reached the Jordan [a key location, a river] and their feet [the lowest part of the body] touched the water’s edge [the brink, the border of the river], word study 16 the flowing water [piled up] stood still [like a heap, in one place]. It backed up [rose up, swelled] as far upstream as Adam [a place of red earth], a city [a town, a settlement] in the area of Zarethan [a place of desert plains], while the water [liquid, source of refreshment] flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah [the desert plain, the wilderness] (the Salt Sea [a body of water]) was completely cut off [failed, stopped flowing]. So the people [a nation, a group of individuals] crossed over [passed through, transitioned] opposite Jericho [a city, a place of conquest]. word study 17 The priests [ministers of God, spiritual leaders] carrying the ark [a box or chest] of the covenant [a promise or agreement between God and His people] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] stood firm [to stand in a strong sense, unwavering] on dry ground [a dry and barren land, devoid of water] in the middle [the center or midst] of the Jordan [a key location, a river], while all [every single one, the entirety] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] crossed over [to pass from one side to the other, to transition] the dry ground [a dry and barren land, devoid of water], until [as far as, up to the point] the entire nation [a large group of people, a Gentile] had crossed [to pass from one side to the other, to transition] the Jordan [a key location, a river]. word study