¹² Now then, choose twelve men^(A) from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. ¹³ And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth^(B)—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream^(C) will be cut off^(D) and stand up in a heap.^(E)”

¹⁴ So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant^(F) went ahead^(G) of them. ¹⁵ Now the Jordan^(H) is at flood stage^(I) all during harvest.^(J) Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, ¹⁶ the water from upstream stopped flowing.^(K) It piled up in a heap^(L) a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,^(M) while the water flowing down^(N) to the Sea of the Arabah^(O) (that is, the Dead Sea^(P)) was completely cut off.^(Q) So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.^(R)

5 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast^(A) heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they^[a] had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear^(B) and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.