Joshua 3 Comparison: American Standard Version vs Berean Study Bible
Joshua 3
1And 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.
2And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the midst of the camp;
3and they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
4Yet 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.
5And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves; for to-morrow Jehovah will do wonders among you.
6And 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.
7And Jehovah 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.
8And 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.
9And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of Jehovah your God.
10And 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.
11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into the Jordan.
12Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.
13And it shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of Jehovah, 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.
14And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over the Jordan, the priests that bare the ark of the covenant being before the people;
15and when they that bare the ark were come unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (for the Jordan overfloweth all its banks all the time of harvest),
16that 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: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel passed over on dry ground, until all the nation were passed clean over the Jordan.
Joshua 3
1Early the next morning Joshua got up and left Shittim with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.
2After three days the officers went through the camp
3and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.
4But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between yourselves and the ark. Do not go near it, so that you can see the way to go, since you have never traveled this way before.”
5Then Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
6And he said to the priests, “Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
7Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.
8Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.’”
9So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.”
10He continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.
11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go ahead of you into the Jordan.
12Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
13When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.”
14So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them.
15Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,
16the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
17The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation had crossed the Jordan.
Understanding American Standard Version vs Berean Study Bible in Joshua 3
American Standard Version (ASV)
A highly literal translation known for accuracy and adherence to the original Hebrew and Greek. Consistent word choices make it excellent for careful study and cross-referencing. A strong pick for readers who want a precise, classic-modern English Bible.
Berean Study Bible (BSB)
A modern translation balancing readability with faithfulness to the original texts. Written in clear, contemporary English for both reading and study. A strong all-around choice for daily use.
You are viewing a side-by-side comparison of Joshua 3 in the American Standard Version and Berean Study Bible. Comparing these two versions can help shed light on the nuances of the original text.
Key Comparison: Joshua 3:16
"that 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: and the people passed over right against Jericho."
"the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho."
