走过约旦河
1约书亚清早起来，率领全体以色列人离开什亭，来到约旦河边安营，等候过河。 2过了三天，官长走遍各营，吩咐民众说： 3“你们看见做祭司的利未人抬着你们上帝耶和华的约柜出发时，就要起身跟在后面。 4这样，你们就会知道路，因为你们从来没有走过这条路。但你们要跟约柜保持九百米的距离，不要走近约柜。” 5约书亚又对民众说：“你们要洁净自己，因为明天耶和华要在你们当中行奇事。” 6约书亚又对祭司说：“抬起约柜，率领民众过河吧！”他们就抬起约柜，走在民众前面。
7耶和华对约书亚说：“从今天开始，我要使你在以色列人面前得到尊荣，让他们知道我与你同在，正如从前我跟摩西同在一样。 8你要吩咐抬约柜的祭司走到约旦河边，站在水中。” 9约书亚对以色列人说：“你们要来听你们的上帝耶和华的话。 10今天你们会明白永活的上帝就在你们当中，祂必在你们面前赶走迦南人、赫人、希未人、比利洗人、革迦撒人、亚摩利人和耶布斯人。 11看啊，天下之主的约柜要在你们前面过约旦河。 12现在，你们要从以色列的十二支派中选出十二个人来，每支派选一人。 13当祭司抬着天下之主——耶和华的约柜一踏进约旦河，往下流的河水必会止住，形成一道水堤。”
14-15那时是收割的季节，河水高涨，淹没两岸。民众拔营准备过河的时候，抬约柜的祭司走在前头，当他们的脚刚一踏进河水， 16往下流的水立即止住了，在很远的撒拉但附近的亚当城那里涨成一道水墙。流入亚拉巴海，即盐海的水被完全截断了，民众便走到对面的耶利哥。 17以色列人过河的时候，抬耶和华约柜的祭司站立在河中间的干地上，直到所有人都从干地上过了约旦河。
Israel Goes Across the Jordan River
1Early one morning Joshua and all the Israelites started out from Shittim. They went down to the Jordan River. They camped there before they went across it. 2After three days the officers went all through the camp. 3They gave orders to the people. They said, “Watch for the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. The priests, who are Levites, will be carrying it. When you see it, you must move out from where you are and follow it. 4Then you will know which way to go. You have never gone this way before. But don’t go near the ark. Stay about 1,000 yards away from it.”
5Joshua said to the people, “Set yourselves apart to the Lord. Tomorrow he’ll do amazing things among you.”
6Joshua said to the priests, “Go and get the ark of the covenant. Walk on ahead of the people.” So they went and got it. Then they walked on ahead of them.
7The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to honor you in the eyes of all the Israelites. Then they will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses. 8Speak to the priests who carry the ark of the covenant. Tell them, ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan River, go into the water and stand there.’ ”
9Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here. Listen to what the Lord your God is saying. 10You will soon know that the living God is among you. He will certainly drive out the people now living in the land. He’ll do it to make room for you. He’ll drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11The ark will go into the Jordan River ahead of you. It’s the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth. 12Choose 12 men from the tribes of Israel. Choose one from each tribe. 13The priests will carry the ark of the Lord. He’s the Lord of the whole earth. As soon as the priests step into the Jordan, it will stop flowing. The water that’s coming down the river will pile up in one place. That’s how you will know that the living God is among you.”
14So the people took their tents down. They prepared to go across the Jordan River. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15The water of the Jordan was going over its banks. It always does that at the time the crops are being gathered. The priests came to the river. Their feet touched the water’s edge. 16Right away the water coming down the river stopped flowing. It piled up far away at a town called Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down to the Dead Sea was completely cut off. So the people went across the Jordan River opposite Jericho. 17The priests carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. They stopped in the middle of the river and stood on dry ground. They stayed there until the whole nation of Israel had gone across on dry ground.
