Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
In all their former marches the ark was carried in the centre of this immense camp; (see the scheme at the end of Numbers 2:2 of the book of Numbers;) but now it was to proceed at the head of the army, and to go before them, and at such a distance, about three quarters of a mile, that the whole camp might see it as their guide.