Joshua — Chapter 3
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1Early the next morning Joshua got up and left Shittim with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.
2After three days the officers went through the camp
3and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.
4But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between yourselves and the ark. Do not go near it, so that you can see the way to go, since you have never traveled this way before.”
5Then Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
6And he said to the priests, “Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
7Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.
8Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.’”
9So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.”
10He continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.
11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go ahead of you into the Jordan.
12Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
13When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.”
14So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them.
15Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,
16the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
17The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation had crossed the Jordan.
1And 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.
2And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;
3And 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.
4Yet 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.
5And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.
6And 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.
7And 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.
8And 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.
9And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.
10And 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.
11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
12Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
13And 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.
14And 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;
15And 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,)
16That 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.
17And 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.
1And Joshua rose up early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel; and they lodged there before they passed over.
2And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the midst of the camp;
3and they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
4Yet 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.
5And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow Jehovah will do wonders among you.
6And 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.
7And Jehovah 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.
8And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, ye shall stand still in the Jordan.
9And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of Jehovah your God.
10And 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 Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite.
11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into the Jordan.
12Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.
13And it shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of Jehovah, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, even the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand in one heap.
14And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over the Jordan, the priests that bare the ark of the covenant being before the people;
15and when they that bare the ark were come unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (for the Jordan overfloweth all its banks all the time of harvest,)
16that 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.
17And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel passed over on dry ground, until all the nation were passed clean over the Jordan.
1Bright and early the next morning Joshua and the Israelites left Shittim and came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing the river.
2After three days the leaders went through the camp
3and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you must leave here and walk behind it.
4But stay about 3,000 feet behind it. Keep your distance so you can see which way you should go, for you have not traveled this way before.”
5Joshua told the people, “Ritually consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform miraculous deeds among you.”
6Joshua told the priests, “Pick up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.
7The Lord told Joshua, “This very day I will begin to honor you before all Israel, so they will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.
8Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, ‘When you reach the bank of the Jordan River, wade into the water.’”
9Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God!”
10Joshua continued, “This is how you will know the living God is among you and that he will truly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.
11Look! The ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth is ready to enter the Jordan ahead of you.
12Now select for yourselves 12 men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe.
13When the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, the water coming downstream toward you will stop flowing and pile up.”
14So when the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.
15When the ones carrying the ark reached the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the surface of the water—(the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest time)—
16the 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.
17The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. All Israel crossed over on dry ground until the entire nation was on the other side.
1Joshua got up early in the morning; and they moved from Shittim, and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel. They camped there before they crossed over.
2After three days, the officers went through the middle of the camp;
3and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of Yahweh your God’s covenant, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then leave your place, and follow it.
4Yet there shall be a space between you and it of about two thousand cubits by measure—don’t come closer to it—that you may know the way by which you must go; for you have not passed this way before.”
5Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow Yahweh will do wonders among you.”
6Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and cross over before the people.” They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
7Yahweh said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
8You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’”
9Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of Yahweh your God.”
10Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite out from before you.
11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over before you into the Jordan.
12Now therefore take twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.
13It shall be that when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan will be cut off. The waters that come down from above shall stand in one heap.”
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 Yahweh’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.
Summary
After three days camped by the Jordan, the officers instruct the people to follow the ark of the covenant, carried by the priests, keeping a distance of about two thousand cubits behind it (vv. 1-4). Joshua tells the people to consecrate themselves because the LORD will do wonders among them the next day, and God promises to exalt Joshua before all Israel just as He was with Moses (vv. 5-7). As the priests carrying the ark step into the Jordan, the water flowing downstream is cut off and piles up far upstream near Adam, while the water below drains away, letting Israel cross on dry ground opposite Jericho (vv. 8-16). The priests stand firm in the middle of the riverbed until the entire nation has passed over (v. 17).
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- Shittim to the Jordan: Israel moves from camp to the river's edge (about 7 miles west)
- Jordan River: At flood stage during spring harvest — normally fordable but now overflowing its banks
- Adam (Zarethan): City about 15 miles upstream where waters were cut off, allowing a wide dry crossing
Places on this map
- Jordan RiverIsrael / Jordan borderRuns about 65 miles as the crow flies from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, dropping from 700 to 1,400 feet below sea level. Narrow enough to wade at most fords, it was still the boundary that divided wilderness from inheritance. Wikipedia
- NileEgyptEgypt's only real water source, flooding every summer and leaving the silt that made the valley farmable. Because the whole country depended on it, turning it to blood was an attack on Egypt's economy and its gods at once. Wikipedia
Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes the faith required of the priests: they had to step INTO the flooded river before it parted. The miracle did not precede faith — faith preceded the miracle. He also notes the parallel with Christian baptism: passing through water into new life, leaving the old behind. The ark (God's presence) goes first into the danger.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Joshua -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Preparing Before the Miracle (v.5) — Joshua tells the people to consecrate themselves the day before God does wonders among them. What preparation of heart do you need before you'll see God move in your circumstances?
- God Establishes His Servants (v.7) — God promises to exalt Joshua before all Israel just as He had been with Moses. Are you trying to build your own credibility, or are you trusting God to establish you in His timing?
- A Promise Before the Proof (v.13) — God tells Joshua exactly what will happen the moment the priests' feet touch the water, before anyone has stepped in. How comfortable are you acting on God's word before you've seen the evidence?
- Faith Steps Into the Flood (v.15) — The priests carrying the ark had to walk into the rain-swollen river before the waters stopped, not after. What "flood" is God asking you to step into before you see Him make a way?
- Standing Firm Until the Job Is Done (v.17) — The priests hold their position in the middle of the riverbed until every last Israelite has crossed safely. Where is God calling you to stay faithfully in place until others have made it through?