Joshua 3 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Joshua 3 (WEBP)

[1] Joshua got up early in the morning; and they moved from Shittim and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel. They camped there before they crossed over.
[2] After three days, the officers went through the middle of the camp;
[3] and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of Yahweh your God’s covenant, and the Levitical priests bearing it, then leave your place and follow it.
[4] Yet there shall be a space between you and it of about two thousand cubits by measure—don’t come closer to it—that you may know the way by which you must go; for you have not passed this way before.”
[5] Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow Yahweh will do wonders among you.”
[6] Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and cross over before the people.” They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
[7] Yahweh said to Joshua, “Today I will 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] You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’ ”
[9] Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of Yahweh your God.”
[10] Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite out from before you.
[11] Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over before you into the Jordan.
[12] Now therefore take twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.
[13] It shall be that when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan will be cut off. The waters that come down from above shall stand in one heap.”
[14] When the people moved from their tents to pass over the Jordan, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant being before the people,
[15] and when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark had dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest),
[16] the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap a great way off, at 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. Then the people passed over near Jericho.
[17] The priests who bore the ark of Yahweh’s covenant stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the nation had passed completely over the Jordan.

Joshua 3:4 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters, so 2,000 cubits is about 920 meters.
Joshua 3:11 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Joshua 3 (KJVS)

[1] And 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 ().
[2] And it came to pass after three days , that the officers () went () through the host ;
[3] And 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] Yet 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] And Joshua said () unto the people , Sanctify () yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do () wonders () among you.
[6] And 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 .
[7] And 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] And 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 .
[9] And Joshua said () unto the children of Israel , Come hither (), and hear () the words of the LORD your God .
[10] And 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 .
[11] Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over () before you into Jordan .
[12] Now therefore take () you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel , out of every tribe a man .
[13] And 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 .
[14] And 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 ;
[15] And 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 ,)
[16] That 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 .
[17] And 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 .

Young’s Literal Translation

Joshua 3 (YLT)

[1] And Joshua riseth early in the morning, and they journey from Shittim, and come in unto the Jordan, he and all the sons of Israel, and they lodge there before they pass over.
[2] And it cometh to pass, at the end of three days, that the authorities pass over into the midst of the camp,
[3] and command the people, saying, ‘When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then ye journey from your place, and have gone after it;
[4] only, a distance is between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure; ye do not come near unto it, so that ye know the way in which ye go, for ye have not passed over in the way heretofore.’
[5] And Joshua saith unto the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves, for to-morrow doth Jehovah do in your midst wonders.’
[6] And Joshua speaketh unto the priests, saying, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people;’ and they take up the ark of the covenant, and go before the people.
[7] And Jehovah saith unto Joshua, ‘This day I begin to make thee great in the eyes of all Israel, so that they know that as I was with Moses I am with thee;
[8] and thou, thou dost command the priests bearing the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye come unto the extremity of the waters of the Jordan-in the Jordan ye stand.’
[9] And Joshua saith unto the sons of Israel, ‘Come nigh hither, and hear the words of Jehovah your God;
[10] and Joshua saith, ‘By this ye know that the living God is in your midst, and He doth certainly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite:
[11] lo, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into Jordan;
[12] and now, take for you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, one man-one man for a tribe;
[13] and it hath been, at the resting of the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of Jehovah, Lord of all the earth, in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan are cut off-the waters which are coming down from above-and they stand-one heap.’
[14] And it cometh to pass, in the journeying of the people from their tents to pass over the Jordan, and of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people,
[15] and at those bearing the ark coming in unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark have been dipped in the extremity of the waters (and the Jordan is full over all its banks all the days of harvest)-
[16] that the waters stand; those coming down from above have risen-one heap, very far above Adam the city, which is at the side of Zaretan; and those going down by the sea of the plain, the Salt Sea, have been completely cut off; and the people have passed through over-against Jericho;
[17] and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah stand on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan-established, and all Israel are passing over on dry ground till that all the nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan.