Joshua 3:16 cpdv — the descending waters stood still in one place, and, swelling up like a mountain, they were seen from far away, from th…

Catholic Public Domain Version

"the descending waters stood still in one place, and, swelling up like a mountain, they were seen from far away, from the city that is called Adam, even as far as the place of Zarethan. But those that were lower ran down into the Sea of the Wilderness, (which is now called the Dead Sea,) until they entirely passed away. "

— Joshua 3:16, Catholic Public Domain Version

Read in Another Translation

5 of 21 translations

Joshua 3:16 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.”

  • ASV

    “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. ”

  • WEB

    “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. Then the people passed over right against Jericho.”

  • NET

    “the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing. It piled up far upstream at Adam(the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the rift valley(the Salt Sea). The people crossed the river opposite Jericho.”

  • DRB

    “The waters that came down from above stood in one place, and swelling up like a mountain, were seen afar off, from the city that is called Adom, to the place of Sarthan: but those that were beneath, ran down into the sea of the wilderness, (which now is called the Dead Sea) until they wholly failed.”

  • BBE

    “Then the waters flowing down from higher up were stopped and came together in a mass a long way back at Adam, a town near Zarethan; and the waters flowing down to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were cut off: and the people went across opposite Jericho.”

  • KJVA

    “That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.”

Joshua 3 — Context

13

And when the priests who are carrying the ark of the Lord, the God of the entire earth, will have placed the steps of their feet in the waters of the Jordan, the waters that are lower will run down and pass away, and those that are approaching above will stand together in a mass.”

14

And the people departed from their tents, so that they might cross the Jordan. And the priests who were carrying the ark of the covenant were advancing before them.

15

And as soon as they entered into the Jordan, and their feet were dipped in a portion of the water, (now the Jordan, since it was the time of the harvest, had filled the banks of its channel,)

16

the descending waters stood still in one place, and, swelling up like a mountain, they were seen from far away, from the city that is called Adam, even as far as the place of Zarethan. But those that were lower ran down into the Sea of the Wilderness, (which is now called the Dead Sea,) until they entirely passed away.

17

Then the people advanced opposite Jericho. And the priests who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord were standing, fully-dressed, upon dry soil in the midst of the Jordan, and all the people passed over, through the channel that was dried up.

Joshua 3:16 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Joshua 3:16 say?
Joshua 3:16 in the Catholic Public Domain Version reads: “the descending waters stood still in one place, and, swelling up like a mountain, they were seen from far away, from the city that is called Adam, even as far as the place of Zarethan. But those that were lower ran down into the Sea of the Wilderness, (which is now called the Dead Sea,) until they entirely passed away. ”
Where is Joshua 3:16 in the Bible?
Joshua 3:16 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Joshua, chapter 3, verse 16.
Who wrote Joshua?
Joshua is traditionally attributed to Joshua (traditional). Traditionally written by Joshua with later additions noting his death and burial. It was written c. 1405–1380 BC.
What is the book of Joshua about?
Joshua is the account of Israel's entry into Canaan under Moses' successor — the crossing of the Jordan, the fall of Jericho, the conquest of the land, and its division among the twelve tribes. It is a record of God's faithfulness to his covenant promise to Abraham.
What are the major themes of Joshua?
Joshua explores themes including Conquest, Faithfulness, Inheritance, Courage, Holy War. These themes shape the meaning and context of Joshua 3:16.
What translation should I read Joshua 3:16 in?
Joshua 3:16 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Joshua 3:16?
Joshua 3:16 reads (CPDV): “the descending waters stood still in one place, and, swelling up like a mountain, they were seen from far away, from the city that is called Adam, even as far as the place of Zarethan. But those that were lower ran down into the Sea of the Wilderness, (which is now called the Dead Sea,) until they entirely passed away. ” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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