9
Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan where the feet of the priests had stood while carrying the covenant chest. They are still there today.
Crossing completed
10 Meanwhile, the priests carrying the chest were standing in the middle of the Jordan. They stood there until every command that the LORD had ordered Joshua to tell the people had been carried out. This was exactly what Moses had commanded Joshua. The people crossed over quickly.
11
As soon as all the people had finished crossing, the LORD's chest crossed over. The priests then moved to the front of the people.
12
The people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over, organized for war ahead of the Israelites, exactly as Moses had told them.
13
Approximately forty thousand armed for war crossed over in the LORD's presence to the plains of Jericho, ready for battle.
14
The LORD made Joshua great in the opinion of all Israel on that day. So they revered him in the same way that they had revered Moses during all of his life.
15
The LORD said to Joshua,
16
"Command the priests carrying the chest containing the testimony to come up out of the Jordan."
17
So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up from the Jordan."
18
The priests carrying the LORD's covenant chest came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of their feet touched dry ground. At that moment, the water of the Jordan started flowing again. It ran as before, completely over its banks.
19
The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. They camped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.