Crossing the Jordan
Joshua 3
Joshua leads the people to the Jordan, where the priests bearing the ark of the covenant step into the river and the waters above stop flowing while those below drain away. All Israel crosses over on dry ground opposite Jericho while the priests stand with the ark in the midst of the riverbed.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonTHEREUPON Joshua arose early next morning, and removed from Sattin; and having come to the Jordan, they halted there some time before they crossed.
BrentonAnd Joshua rose up early in the morning, and departed from Sattin; and they came as far as Jordan, and lodged there before they crossed over.
GreekΚαὶ ὤρθρισεν Ἰησοῦς τοπρωῒ, καὶ ἀπῇρεν ἐκ Σαττὶν, καὶ ἤλθοσαν ἕως τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, καὶ κατέλυσαν ἐκεῖ πρὸ τοῦ διαβῆναι.
KJVAnd Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
JPSAnd Joshua rose up early in the morning, and they removed from Shittim, and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel; and they lodged there before they passed over.
2
ThomsonAnd after three days the officers went through the camp,
BrentonAnd it came to pass after three days, that the scribes went through the camp;
GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας διῆλθον οἱ γραμματεῖς διὰ τῆς παρεμβολῆς,
KJVAnd it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;
JPSAnd it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the midst of the camp;
3
Thomsonand gave a charge to the people, saying, When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord our God, and our priests, and the Levites carrying it, you shall remove from your places, and march after it.
Brentonand they charged the people, saying, When ye shall see the ark of the covenant of the Lord our God, and our priests and the Levites bearing it, ye shall depart from your places, and ye shall go after it.
Greekκαὶ ἐνετείλαντο τῷ λαῷ, λέγοντες, ὅταν ἴδητε τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς ἡμῶν καὶ τοὺς Λευίτας αἴροντας αὐτὴν, ἀπαρεῖτε ἀπὸ τῶν τόπων ὑμῶν, καὶ πορεύσεσθε ὀπίσω αὐτῆς.
KJVAnd they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
JPSand they commanded the people, saying: ‘When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
4
ThomsonBut let there be a considerable distance between you and it. You shall keep at the distance of about two thousand cubits. You must not come near it, that you may know the way you are to march; for you have never heretofore gone this way.
BrentonBut let there be a distance between you and it; ye shall stand as much as two thousand cubits from it. Do not draw nigh to it, that ye may know the way which ye are to go; for ye have not gone the way before.
GreekἈλλὰ μακρὰν ἔστω ἀναμέσον ὑμῶν καὶ ἐκείνης, ὅσον δισχιλίους πήχεις στήσεσθε· μὴ προσεγγίσητε αὐτῇ, ἵνα ἐπίστησθε τὴν ὁδὸν, ἣν πορεύσεσθε αὐτήν· οὐ γὰρ πεπόρευσθε τὴν ὁδὸν ἀπʼ ἐχθὲς καὶ τρίτης ἡμέρας.
KJVYet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
JPSYet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure; come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore.’
5
ThomsonThen Joshua said to the people, Purify yourselves against to-morrow; for to-morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.
BrentonAnd Joshua said to the people, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow, for to-morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἰησοῦς τῷ λαῷ, ἁγνίσασθε εἰς αὔριον, ὅτι αὔριον ποιήσει Κύριος ἐν ὑμῖν θαυμαστά.
KJVAnd Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.
JPSAnd Joshua said unto the people: ‘Sanctify yourselves; for to-morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.’
6
ThomsonAnd when Joshua said to the priests, Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and march before the people; and the priests had taken up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and were marching before the people,
BrentonAnd Joshua said to the priests, Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and go before the people: and the priests took up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and went before the people.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἰησοῦς τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν, ἄρατε τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου, καὶ προπορεύεσθε τοῦ λαοῦ· καὶ ᾖραν οἱ ἱερεῖς τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου, καὶ ἐπορεύοντο ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ λαοῦ.
KJVAnd Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
JPSAnd Joshua spoke unto the priests, saying: ‘Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass on before the people.’ And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
7
Thomsonthe Lord said to Joshua, This day I begin to exalt thee in the sight of all the children of Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
BrentonAnd the Lord said to Joshua, This day do I begin to exalt thee before all the children of Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so will I also be with thee.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Ἰησοῦν, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἄρχομαι ὑψῶσαί σε κατενώπιον πάντων υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, ἵνα γνῶσιν ὅτι καθότι ἤμην μετὰ Μωυσῆ, οὕτως ἔσομαι καὶ μετὰ σοῦ.
KJVAnd the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
JPSAnd the LORD said unto Joshua: ‘This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
8
ThomsonNow therefore command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, and say, Soon as you are come to a part of the water of the Jordan, you shall halt at the Jordan.
BrentonAnd now charge the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, As soon as ye shall enter on a part of the water of Jordan, then ye shall stand in Jordan.
GreekΚαὶ νῦν ἔντειλαι τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τοῖς αἴρουσι τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης, λέγων, ὠς ἂν εἰσέλθητε ἐπὶ μέρους τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ στήσεσθε.
KJVAnd thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
JPSAnd thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying: When ye are come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, ye shall stand still in the Jordan.’
9
ThomsonThen Joshua said to the sons of Israel, Draw near, and hear the word of the Lord our God.
BrentonAnd Joshua said to the children of Israel, Come hither, and hearken to the word of the Lord our God.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἰησοῦς τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ, προσαγάγετε ὧδε, καὶ ἀκούσατε τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν.
KJVAnd Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.
JPSAnd Joshua said unto the children of Israel: ‘Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.’
10
ThomsonBy this you will know that the living God is among you, and that he will surely root out from before you the Chananite, and the Chettite, and the Pherezite, and the Evite, and the Amorite, and Gergasite, and the Jebusite.
BrentonHereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and will utterly destroy from before our face the Chananite, and the Chettite and Pherezite, and the Evite, and the Amorite, and the Gergesite, and the Jebusite.
GreekἘν τούτῳ γνώσεσθε, ὅτι Θεὸς ζῶν ἐν ὑμῖν, καὶ ὀλοθρεύων ὀλοθρεύσει ἀπὸ προσώπου ἡμῶν τὸν Χαναναῖον, καὶ τὸν Χετταῖον, καὶ τὸν Φερεζαῖον, καὶ τὸν Εὐαῖον, καὶ τὸν Ἀμοῤῥαῖον, καὶ τὸν Γεργεσαῖον, καὶ τὸν Ἰεβουσαῖον.
KJVAnd Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
JPSAnd Joshua said: ‘Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite.
11
ThomsonBehold the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth is about to cross the Jordan;
BrentonBehold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over Jordan.
GreekἸδοὺ ἡ κιβωτὸς διαθήκης Κυρίου πάσης τῆς γῆς διαβαίνει τὸν Ἰορδάνην.
KJVBehold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
JPSBehold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth on before you over the Jordan.
12
Thomson—
BrentonChoose for yourselves twelve men of the sons of Israel, one of each tribe.
GreekΠροχειρίσασθε ὑμῖν δώδεκα ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, ἕνα ἀφʼ ἑκάστης φυλῆς.
KJVNow therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
JPSNow therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.
13
Thomsonand it shall come to pass, that when the feet of the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth shall rest in the water of the Jordan, the water of the Jordan shall fail, and the water which is coming down shall be stopped.
BrentonAnd it shall come to pass, when the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth rest in the water of Jordan, the water of Jordan below shall fail, and the water coming down from above shall stop.
GreekΚαὶ ἔσται, ὡς ἂν καταπαύσωσιν οἱ πόδες τῶν ἱερέων τῶν αἰρόντων τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου πάσης τῆς γῆς ἐν τῷ ὕδατι τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου ἐκλείψει, τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ τὸ καταβαῖνον στήσεται.
KJVAnd it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
JPSAnd it shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, even the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand in one heap.’
14
ThomsonSo the people removed from their tents to cross the Jordan, and the priests carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord before the people.
BrentonAnd the people removed from their tents to cross over Jordan, and the priests bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord before the people.
GreekΚαὶ ἀπῇρεν ὁ λαὸς ἐκ τῶν σκηνωμάτων αὐτῶν διαβῆναι τὸν Ἰορδάνην, οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς ᾔροσαν τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου πρότεροι τοῦ λαοῦ.
KJVAnd it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
JPSAnd it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over the Jordan, the priests that bore the ark of the covenant being before the people;
15
ThomsonAnd soon as the priests who were carrying the ark of the covenant came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests, who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, were dipped into a part of the water of the Jordan, though the Jordan overflowed all its banks, as in the days of wheat harvest, yet the waters coming down from above stopped.
BrentonAnd when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord entered upon Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were dipped in part of the water of Jordan; (now Jordan overflowed all its banks about the time of wheat harvest:)
GreekὩς δὲ εἰσεπορεύοντο οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ αἴροντες τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην, καὶ οἱ πόδες τῶν ἱερέων τῶν αἰρόντων τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου ἐβάφησαν εἰς μέρος τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ Ἰορδάνου· ὁ δὲ Ἰορδάνης ἐπληροῦτο καθʼ ὅλην τὴν κρηπίδα αὐτοῦ, ὡσεὶ ἡμέραι θερισμοῦ πυρῶν·
KJVAnd as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
JPSand when they that bore the ark were come unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bore the ark were dipped in the brink of the water—for the Jordan overfloweth all its banks all the time of harvest—
16
ThomsonThey stopped like one solid mass, reaching a great way back, even to a part of Kariathiarim; and the water below flowed down into the sea of Araba, the salt sea, until it was entirely gone, and the people stood over against Jericho.
Brentonthen the waters that came down from above stopped; there stood one solid heap very far off, as far as the region of Kariathiarim, and the lower part came down to the sea of Araba, the salt sea, till it completely failed; and the people stood opposite Jericho.
GreekΚαὶ ἔστη τὰ ὕδατα τὰ καταβαίνοντα ἄνωθεν, ἔστη πῆγμα ἓν ἀφεστηκὸς μακρὰν σφόδρα σφοδρῶς ἕως μέρους Καριαθιαρίμ· τὸ δὲ καταβαῖνον κατέβη εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν Ἄραβα θάλασσαν ἁλὸς, ἕως εἰς τὸ τέλος ἐξέλιπε· καὶ ὁ λαὸς εἱστήκει ἀπέναντι Ἱεριχώ.
KJVThat the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
JPSthat the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap, a great way off from Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off; and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17
ThomsonThen the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground, and all the children of Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had finished crossing the Jordan.
BrentonAnd the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry land in the midst of Jordan; and all the children of Israel went through on dry land, until all the people had completely gone over Jordan.
GreekΚαὶ ἔστησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ αἴροντες τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου ἐπὶ ξηρᾶς ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ Ἰορδάνου· καὶ πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ διέβαινον διὰ ξηρᾶς, ἕως συνετέλεσε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς διαβαίνων τὸν Ἰορδάνην.
KJVAnd the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
JPSAnd the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, while all Israel passed over on dry ground, until all the nation were passed clean over the Jordan.