Bible fact · Direct biblical statement
The Jordan stopped at flood time
Israel crossed the Jordan at harvest time, when it overflowed its banks; the water stopped as the priests' feet touched it. Joshua 3:14–17
Discover why
"When those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan... (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest), the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap." Joshua 3:15–16
The priests stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until all the people had crossed. They set up twelve stones as a memorial. Joshua 3:17Joshua 4:1–7
Read the passage
Joshua 3:14–17 WEB
14When the people moved from their tents to pass over the Jordan, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant being before the people, 15and when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark had dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest), 16the 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 near Jericho. 17The priests who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the nation had passed completely over the Jordan.
For children
When the priests carrying the special box stepped into the river, the water stopped flowing, and everyone walked across!