"Ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God
giveth you."--_Deut. 12:10._
AFTER the children of Israel had been forty years living in the
wilderness, God led them into the beautiful land He had promised them.
But before they could come in they had to get across a river--a deep
river, with rocks on each side, and a stony bottom to it, and the water
running very fast indeed. The name of the river was Jordan. There was
no bridges to go over, and no boat to row them across; and not only all
the strong men, but all the women and little children, had to get over
it!
But nobody need be afraid when God is helping him. God told them what
to do. The priests, who were like clergymen to them, were to take the
ark--that is, the chest where the two tables of the Ten Commandments
were kept--and were to walk down into the river, without being afraid.
And they were brave men; they believed what God told them, and went
down into the swift stream in no fear of being drowned. And behold,
as soon as their feet touched the water it stopped flowing, and stood
still. No more water came down, and all the hosts of the children of
Israel went straight over the bottom of the river with dry feet.
The priests stood up in the middle all the time the others were going
over, and when everyone was safe on the other side they came after
them; and by-and-by the river came rushing down again in its own place,
for it was God who had commanded it to stop short, and make a dry place
for His people to pass over. And so they came into the land of Canaan
that He had promised them so long.
[Illustration: CARRYING THE ARK OVER JORDAN.--Josh. 3:17.]