<p class="bodytext">Bright and early the next morning Joshua had the priests pick up the ark of the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="1" />

Look! The ark of the covenant of the Ruler<n id="1" /> of the whole earth is ready to enter the Jordan ahead of you.

and when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the <sc>Lordsc> and the priests crossed as the people looked on.<n id="1" />

&#8220;Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenantal laws<n id="1" /> to come up from the Jordan.&#8221;

And he told<n id="1" /> the army,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Move ahead<n id="3" /> and march around the city, with armed troops going ahead of the ark of the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;p>

So Joshua made sure they marched the ark of the <sc>Lordsc> around the city one time.<n id="1" /> Then they went back to the camp and spent the night there.<n id="2" />p>

Joshua told the priests, &#8220;Pick up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.&#8221; So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.p>

<p class="bodytext">So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and instructed them, &#8220;Pick up the ark of the covenant, and seven priests must carry seven rams&#8217; horns in front of the ark of the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;

The seven priests carrying the seven rams&#8217; horns before the ark of the <sc>Lordsc> marched along blowing their horns. Armed troops marched ahead of them, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark of the <sc>Lordsc> blowing rams&#8217; horns.

Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, &#8216;When you reach the bank of the Jordan River,<n id="1" /> wade into the water.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

and commanded the people: &#8220;When you see the ark of the covenant of the <sc>Lordsc> your God<n id="1" /> being carried by the Levitical priests, you must leave here<n id="2" /> and walk<n id="3" /> behind it.

When the feet<n id="1" /> of the priests carrying the ark of the <sc>Lordsc>, the Ruler<n id="2" /> of the whole earth, touch<n id="3" /> the water of the Jordan, the water coming downstream toward you will stop flowing and pile up.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

Joshua told them, &#8220;Go in front of the ark of the <sc>Lordsc> your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes.

tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing<n id="1" /> before the ark of the covenant of the <sc>Lordsc>. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing.<n id="2" /> These stones will be a lasting memorial for the Israelites.&#8221;p>

Joshua also set up twelve stones<n id="1" /> in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very day.p>

The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the <sc>Lordsc> came up from the middle of the Jordan, and as soon as they set foot on dry land,<n id="1" /> the water of the Jordan flowed again and returned to flood stage.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Joshua tore his clothes;<n id="1" /> he and the leaders<n id="2" /> of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the <sc>Lordsc> until evening<n id="3" /> and threw dirt on their heads.<n id="4" />

All the people,<n id="1" /> rulers,<n id="2" /> leaders, and judges were standing on either side of the ark, in front of the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the <sc>Lordsc>. Both resident foreigners and native Israelites were there.<n id="3" /> Half the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and the other half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s servant had previously instructed to them to do for the formal blessing ceremony.<n id="4" />