Israel Crosses the Jordan

Israel Crosses the Jordan

And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. Jos. 3:1

And Joshua rose... This expression is found thirty-five times in Scripture. It means before or at the dawning of the day (Jos. 6:15; 2Ki. 3:22; Mat. 20:1; Mar. 16:2; John 20:1).

and they removed... From Shittim to Jordan was about eight miles. They camped by the Jordan ready to cross into Canaan (Jos. 3:1).

And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; Jos. 3:2

came to pass... This refers to the end of three days after the spies had returned with the good report. They evidently camped on the Jordan for three days (Jos. 3:1-2).

And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. Jos. 3:3

And they commanded... When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it. This was the sign for the people to begin entering Canaan. The ark carried by the priests and Levites was to move first and then the people were to follow 2,000 cubits behind of it (Jos. 3:3-4).

then ye shall... This simply means that Israel was not to start until it was that far from them, for the ark stopped in the middle of Jordan and all the people passed by it in the crossing (Jos. 3:17; 4:10).

Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. Jos. 3:4

there shall be... At 18 inches to a cubit, 2,000 cubits would be 3,000 ft.—a little over half a mile.

that ye may... The 3,000 ft. distance enabled all the camp to see the ark and follow it as their guide to a place they had never been.

And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. Jos. 3:5

And Joshua said... The 3rd prophecy in Joshua (Jos. 3:5, fulfilled on the morrow, Jos. 3:15-17). Next, Jos. 3:7.

Sanctify yourselves... Sanctify means to set apart. Here the people did this by washing their clothes and their bodies in preparation to see the great miracles that would take place the next day.

And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. Jos. 3:6

Take up the... This command initiated the days of wonders which God promised to show Israel. The Lord then told Joshua how they would make the crossing.

And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. Jos. 3:7

the Lord said... The 4th prophecy in Joshua (Jos. 3:7-8, fulfilled: Jos. 3:15; Jos. 4:14). Next, Jos. 3:10.

This day will... The Lord explained to Joshua that this miracle would magnify or exalt him as the leader of the people. It was time to establish Joshua’s credentials as God’s representative to guide Israel. See Jos. 4:14.

And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. Jos. 3:8

When ye are... What better way to accomplish this than for Joshua to direct their passage through a miraculously parted river? After the crossing the people did in fact revere Joshua (Jos. 4:14), knowing that God was with him (Jos. 3:7; cf. 1:5, 1:9).

And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God. Jos. 3:9

Joshua said unto... Six commands—crossing Jordan:

1. When you see the ark and the priests and Levites bearing it, go after it (Jos. 3:3).

2. Do not start until the ark is 2,000 cubits from you (Jos. 3:4).

3. Sanctify yourselves to see wonders tomorrow (Jos. 3:5).

4. Take up the ark and pass over before the people (Jos. 3:6).

5. Command the priests to stand still when they come to the brink of the Jordan (Jos. 3:8).

6. Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God (Jos. 3:9).

hear the words... All true prophecies are the words of God, for they are given as people are moved by the Holy Spirit (Act. 3:21; 2Ti. 3:15-17; 2Pe. 1:21).

And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Jos. 3:10

And Joshua said... The 5th prophecy in Joshua (Jos. 3:10-13, fulfilled, Jos. 3:15-16). Next, Jos. 6:2.

Two predictions by Joshua:

1. Without fail, God will drive nations out before you.

2. As soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that carry the ark of the Lord rest in the waters of Jordan, the waters shall be cut off from above and stand in a heap (Jos. 3:13).

from before you... The Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Seven great nations listed here, the same ones that are in Deut. 7:1-5, and partially listed many other times (Jos. 1:4; 9:1; 12:8; 17:15; 24:11; Gen. 15:18-21; Exo. 3:8, 3:17; 13:5; 23:23, 23:28; 33:2, 33:11; 34:11; Deut. 20:17).

Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Jos. 3:11

into Jordan... Further, besides opening a way across the flooded Jordan, the living God would also drive out the seven groups of people inhabiting the land as listed above.

Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. Jos. 3:12

Now therefore... The Lord commanded there be 12 men, one man from every tribe.

And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. Jos. 3:13

the waters of... Six marvelous works of God:

1. The Red Sea was divided (Psm. 114:3; Exo. 14:1-31).

2. The Jordan was divided (Psm. 114:3; Jos. 3:13; 2Ki. 2:8, 2:14).

3. Mountains skipped like rams (Psm. 114:4).

4. Hills jumped like lambs (Psm. 114:4-7).

5. The rock poured out rivers of water (Psm. 114:8; Exo. 17:6; Num. 20:8-13).

6. Fountains of water came out of solid flint rock (Psm. 114:8; Num. 20:8-13).

And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; Jos. 3:14

it came to pass... The day of the crossing of the Jordan, the day when Israel was to enter Canaan, finally arrived. The people folded their tents and followed the ark-bearing priests to the brink of the Jordan. It was the time of the barley harvest, the month of Nisan (March-April), the first month of their year (Jos. 4:19).

And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) Jos. 3:15

And as they... The river was at flood stage — a foreboding sight to the priests and people and a severe test of their faith. Would they hesitate in fear or would they advance in faith, believing that what God had promised (about the water stopping, Jos. 3:13).

and the feet... Dramatic things happened the moment the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stepped into the muddy, swirling waters. The water from upstream stopped flowing (cf. Jos. 3:13). Piling up at a town called Adam, waters from other streams were completely cut off so as not to enter the Jordan. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. This is reminiscent of the Red Sea crossing (cf. Exo. 15:8; Psm. 78:13).

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. Jos. 3:16

down from above... The waters continued to flow and rise up like a dam filling up until a huge heap covered the whole country above the place where Israel was crossing.

far from the... The waters continued to heap up as far as the city of Adam which is about 20 miles north of the Jericho ford. From the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, the Jordan passes with at least 27 large rapids and many smaller ones. It averages 4 to 5 miles an hour, but is much swifter when the waters are swollen, as at this time of the year. The inhabitants of Jericho, depending on Jordan’s overflow to protect them from Israel, were not ready for their crossing.

even the... The waters from here to the Dead Sea were dried up, making a wide passage of several miles.

And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. Jos. 3:17

passed over on... The river bed and banks where the waters had overflowed were dry, not wet and muddy. This miracle allowed the stock, wagons, and other things to cross without being bogged down in mud or sand.