12. The men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh obeyed Moses. These men crossed the river in front of the other people. These men were prepared for war. They were going to help the rest of the Israelites take the land God had promised to give them.
13. About 40,000 soldiers, prepared for war, passed before the Lord. They were marching toward the plains of Jericho.
14. That day the Lord made Joshua a great man to all the Israelites. From that time on, they respected Joshua just as they had Moses.
15. Then the Lord said to Joshua,
16. “Command the priests carrying the Box that holds the Agreement to come out of the river.”
17. So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come out of the Jordan River.”
18. The priests obeyed Joshua. They carried the Box of the Lord’S Agreement with them and came out of the river. When their feet touched the land on the other side of the river, the water in the river began flowing again. The water again overflowed its banks just as it had before the people crossed.
19. The people crossed the Jordan River on the tenth day of the first month and camped at Gilgal, east of Jericho.