Crossing the Jordan

1  וַיַּשְׁכֵּם֩ (And rose early) יְהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ (Joshua) בַּבֹּ֜קֶר (in the morning), וַיִּסְע֣וּ (and they set out) מֵֽהַשִּׁטִּ֗ים (from Shittim) וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ (and came) עַד־ (to) הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן (the Jordan), ה֖וּא (he) וְכָל־ (and all) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel), וַיָּלִ֥נוּ (and they lodged) שָׁ֖ם (there) טֶ֥רֶם (before) יַעֲבֹֽרוּ׃ (they passed over).

2  וַיְהִ֕י (And it came to pass) מִקְצֵ֖ה (after) שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת (three) יָמִ֑ים (days), וַיַּעַבְר֥וּ (that passed over) הַשֹּׁטְרִ֖ים (the officers) בְּקֶ֥רֶב (in the midst) הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ (of the camp), 3  וַיְצַוּוּ֮ (and they commanded) אֶת־ (-) הָעָ֣ם (the people), לֵאמֹר֒ (saying), כִּרְאֽוֹתְכֶ֗ם (When you⁺ see) אֵ֣ת (-) אֲר֤וֹן (the ark) בְּרִית־ (of the covenant) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH) אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם (your⁺ God), וְהַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ (and the priests) הַלְוִיִּ֔ם (the Levites) נֹשְׂאִ֖ים (lifting) אֹת֑וֹ (it), וְאַתֶּ֗ם (and you⁺) תִּסְעוּ֙ (shall set out) מִמְּק֣וֹמְכֶ֔ם (from your⁺ place) וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֖ם (and go) אַחֲרָֽיו׃ (after it). 4  אַ֣ךְ׀ (Yet) רָח֣וֹק (a space) יִהְיֶ֗ה (there shall be) בֵּֽינֵיכֶם֙ (between you⁺) וּבֵינוֹ (and between it), כְּאַלְפַּ֥יִם (about two thousand) אַמָּ֖ה (cubits) בַּמִּדָּ֑ה (by measure). אַֽל־ (Not) תִּקְרְב֣וּ (do come near) אֵלָ֗יו (to it), לְמַ֤עַן (so) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) תֵּֽדְעוּ֙ (you⁺ may know) אֶת־ (-) הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ (the way) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) תֵּֽלְכוּ־ (you⁺ must go) בָ֔הּ (in it), כִּ֣י (for) לֹ֧א (not) עֲבַרְתֶּ֛ם (you⁺ have passed) בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ (by this way) מִתְּמ֥וֹל (from yesterday) שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃ס (and the day before yesterday).

5  וַיֹּ֧אמֶר (And said) יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ (Joshua) אֶל־ (to) הָעָ֖ם (the people), הִתְקַדָּ֑שׁוּ (Sanctify yourselves), כִּ֣י (for) מָחָ֗ר (tomorrow) יַעֲשֶׂ֧ה (will do) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֖ם (among you⁺) נִפְלָאֽוֹת׃ (wonders). 6  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And spoke) יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ (Joshua) אֶל־ (to) הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים (the priests), לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), שְׂאוּ֙ (Take up) אֶת־ (-) אֲר֣וֹן (the ark) הַבְּרִ֔ית (of the covenant) וְעִבְר֖וּ (and pass over) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the faces) הָעָ֑ם (of the people). וַיִּשְׂאוּ֙ (And they took up) אֶת־ (-) אֲר֣וֹן (the ark) הַבְּרִ֔ית (of the covenant) וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ (and went) לִפְנֵ֥י (before the faces) הָעָֽם׃ס (of the people).

7  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ (Joshua), הַיּ֣וֹם (The day) הַזֶּ֗ה (this) אָחֵל֙ (I will begin) גַּדֶּלְךָ֔ (to exalt you) בְּעֵינֵ֖י (in the eyes) כָּל־ (of all) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Israel), אֲשֶׁר֙ (so that) יֵֽדְע֔וּן (they may know) כִּ֗י (that) כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (as) הָיִ֛יתִי (I was) עִם־ (with) מֹשֶׁ֖ה (Moses), אֶהְיֶ֥ה (I will be) עִמָּֽךְ׃ (with you). 8  וְאַתָּ֗ה (And You) תְּצַוֶּה֙ (shall command) אֶת־ (-) הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים (the priests) נֹשְׂאֵ֥י (who bear) אֲרֽוֹן־ (the ark) הַבְּרִ֖ית (of the covenant), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), כְּבֹאֲכֶ֗ם (When you⁺ have come) עַד־ (to) קְצֵה֙ (the edge) מֵ֣י (of the water) הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן (of the Jordan), בַּיַּרְדֵּ֖ן (in the Jordan) תַּעֲמֹֽדוּ׃פ (you⁺ shall stand).

9  וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (And said) יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ (Joshua) אֶל־ (to) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel), גֹּ֣שׁוּ (Draw near) הֵ֔נָּה (here), וְשִׁמְע֕וּ (and listen) אֶת־ (-) דִּבְרֵ֖י (to the words) יְהוָ֥ה (of YHWH) אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם׃ (your⁺ God). 10  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ (Joshua), בְּזֹאת֙ (By this) תֵּֽדְע֔וּן (you⁺ shall know) כִּ֛י (that) אֵ֥ל (God) חַ֖י (the living) בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם (is among you⁺), וְהוֹרֵ֣שׁ (and dispossessing) יוֹרִ֣ישׁ (He will dispossess) מִ֠פְּנֵיכֶם (from before you⁺) אֶת־ (-) הַכְּנַעֲנִ֨י (the Canaanite), וְאֶת־ (and) הַחִתִּ֜י (the Hittite), וְאֶת־ (and) הַחִוִּ֗י (the Hivite), וְאֶת־ (and) הַפְּרִזִּי֙ (the Perizzite), וְאֶת־ (and) הַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֔י (the Girgashite), וְהָאֱמֹרִ֖י (and the Amorite), וְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃ (and the Jebusite). 11  הִנֵּה֙ (Behold), אֲר֣וֹן (the ark) הַבְּרִ֔ית (of the covenant) אֲד֖וֹן (of the Lord) כָּל־ (of all) הָאָ֑רֶץ (the earth) עֹבֵ֥ר (is passing over) לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם (before you⁺) בַּיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ (into the Jordan).

12  וְעַתָּ֗ה (And now) קְח֤וּ (take) לָכֶם֙ (for yourselves) שְׁנֵ֣י (two) עָשָׂ֣ר (and ten) אִ֔ישׁ (men) מִשִּׁבְטֵ֖י (from the tribes) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel), אִישׁ־ (man) אֶחָ֥ד (one), אִישׁ־ (man) אֶחָ֖ד (one) לַשָּֽׁבֶט׃ (for a tribe). 13  וְהָיָ֡ה (And it shall come to pass) כְּנ֣וֹחַ (at the resting) כַּפּ֣וֹת (the soles) רַגְלֵ֣י (of the feet) הַכֹּהֲנִ֡ים (of the priests) נֹשְׂאֵי֩ (who bear) אֲר֨וֹן (the ark) יְהוָ֜ה (of YHWH) אֲד֤וֹן (the Lord) כָּל־ (of all) הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ (the earth) בְּמֵ֣י (in the waters) הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן (of the Jordan), מֵ֤י (that the waters) הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ (of the Jordan) יִכָּ֣רֵת֔וּן (shall be cut off)— הַמַּ֥יִם (the waters) הַיֹּרְדִ֖ים (that come down) מִלְמָ֑עְלָה (from above)— וְיַעַמְד֖וּ (and they shall stand) נֵ֥ד (as a heap) אֶחָֽד׃ (one).

14  וַיְהִ֗י (And it came to pass), בִּנְסֹ֤עַ (in the journeying) הָעָם֙ (of the people) מֵאָ֣הֳלֵיהֶ֔ם (from their camp) לַעֲבֹ֖ר (to pass over) אֶת־ (-) הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן (the Jordan), וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים (and of the priests) נֹֽשְׂאֵ֛י (bearing) הָאָר֥וֹן (the ark) הַבְּרִ֖ית (of the covenant) לִפְנֵ֥י (before) הָעָֽם׃ (the people)

15  וּכְב֞וֹא (coming in) נֹשְׂאֵ֤י (and at those bearing) הָֽאָרוֹן֙ (the ark) עַד־ (to) הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן (the Jordan), וְרַגְלֵ֤י (and the feet) הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ (of the priests) נֹשְׂאֵ֣י (who bore) הָֽאָר֔וֹן (the ark) נִטְבְּל֖וּ (being dipped) בִּקְצֵ֣ה (into the edge) הַמָּ֑יִם (of the water) וְהַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן (and for the Jordan) מָלֵא֙ (overflows) עַל־ (on) כָּל־ (all) גְּדוֹתָ֔יו (its banks) כֹּ֖ל (all) יְמֵ֥י (of the days) קָצִֽיר׃ (of the harvest)) 16  וַיַּעַמְד֡וּ (that stood still) הַמַּיִם֩ (the waters) הַיֹּרְדִ֨ים (those coming down) מִלְמַ֜עְלָה (from above) קָ֣מוּ (and rose) נֵד־ (in a heap) אֶחָ֗ד (one) הַרְחֵ֨ק (far away) מְאֹ֜ד (very) בָאָדָם (at Adam), הָעִיר֙ (the city) אֲשֶׁר֙ (that is) מִצַּ֣ד (beside) צָֽרְתָ֔ן (Zaretan). וְהַיֹּרְדִ֗ים (So the waters that went down) עַ֣ל (into) יָ֧ם (the Sea) הָעֲרָבָ֛ה (of the Arabah) יָם־ (Sea) הַמֶּ֖לַח (the Salt) תַּ֣מּוּ (failed), נִכְרָ֑תוּ (having been cut off), וְהָעָ֥ם (and the people) עָבְר֖וּ (passed over) נֶ֥גֶד (opposite) יְרִיחֽוֹ׃ (Jericho). 17  וַיַּעַמְד֣וּ (And stood) הַכֹּהֲנִ֡ים (the priests) נֹ֠שְׂאֵי (who bore) הָאָר֨וֹן (the ark) בְּרִית־ (of the covenant) יְהוָ֜ה (of YHWH) בֶּחָֽרָבָ֛ה (on dry ground) בְּת֥וֹךְ (in the midst) הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן (of the Jordan) הָכֵ֑ן (firm), וְכָל־ (and all) יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (Israel) עֹֽבְרִים֙ (passed over) בֶּחָ֣רָבָ֔ה (on dry ground) עַ֤ד (until) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) תַּ֙מּוּ֙ (had finished) כָּל־ (all) הַגּ֔וֹי (the people) לַעֲבֹ֖ר (passing over) אֶת־ (-) הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ (the Jordan).