Joshua3

Joshua led the Israelites from Shittim to the Jordan River, where they prepared to cross. The Lord commanded that the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant should lead the way, with the people following at a distance. As the priests' feet touched the water, the Jordan River miraculously parted, allowing all Israel to pass over on dry ground.

Preparation and Logistics at the Jordan

1
Y'hoshua got up early in the morning, and they left Sheetim and came to the Yarden, he with all the people of Isra'el; they camped there before crossing. ​
2
After three days, the officials circulated through the camp ​
3
and gave the people these orders: "When you see the ark for the covenant of ADONAI your God and the cohanim, who are L'vi'im, carrying it, you are to leave your position and follow it. ​
4
But keep a distance between yourelves and it of about a thousand yards - don't come any closer, so that you will understand which way to go, because you haven't gone this way before." ​
5
Y'hoshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, because tomorrow ADONAI is going to work wonders among you." ​
6
Then Y'hoshua said to the cohanim, "Take the ark for the covenant, and go on ahead of the people." They took the ark for the covenant and went ahead of the people.

God Magnifies Joshua’s Authority

7
ADONAI said to Y'hoshua, "Starting today, I will make you great in full view of all Isra'el; so that they will know that just as I was with Moshe, so I will be with you. ​
8
Now you are to order the cohanim carrying the ark for the covenant as follows: 'When you come to the edge of the Yarden River, you are to stop in the Yarden itself.'"
9
Y'hoshua said to the people of Isra'el, "Come here, and listen to the words of ADONAI your God."
10
Then Y'hoshua said, "Here is how you will know that the living God is here with you and that, without fail, he will drive out from before you the Kena'ani, the Hitti, the Hivi, the P'rizi, the Girgashi, the Emori and the Y'vusi: ​
11
the ark for the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going on ahead of you across the Yarden. ​
12
Now choose yourselves twelve men out of the tribes of Isra'el, one man for each tribe.
13
As soon as the cohanim carrying the ark of ADONAI, the Lord of all the earth, put the soles of their feet in the water of the Yarden, the water of the Yarden will be cut off upstream and stand piled up like an embankment." ​

The Miraculous Crossing of the River

14
So the people left their tents to cross the Yarden, with the cohanim carrying the ark for the covenant ahead of the people.
15
When those carrying the ark had come to the Yarden, and the cohanim carrying the ark had waded into the water (for throughout harvest season the Yarden overflows its banks), ​
16
the water upstream stood piled up like an embankment for a great distance at Adam, the city next to Tzartan; so that the water flowing downstream toward the Sea of the 'Aravah, the Dead Sea, was completely cut off; and the people crossed over right by Yericho. ​
17
The cohanim carrying the ark for the covenant of ADONAI stood fast on dry ground in the middle of the Yarden, while all Isra'el crossed on dry ground, until the entire nation had finished crossing the Yarden. ​

Study Notes for Joshua 3

Verse 1

Shittim, located in the plains of Moab, was the final encampment of Israel before entering the Promised Land. The immediate lodging by the Jordan signifies the end of the long wilderness journey.

Verse 2

The three days of waiting served both a practical purpose (gathering intelligence or positioning) and a theological one, often preceding a major divine work (cf. Ex. 19:11).

Verse 3

Following the Ark signifies that God, represented by the Ark and the Covenant, is leading the way. The Ark served as the visible guide, replacing the pillar of cloud and fire used during the wilderness wandering.

Verse 4

The mandated distance of two thousand cubits (approximately 1,000 yards) emphasized the holiness of the Ark and ensured that the entire host of Israel could see it clearly as their point of direction.

Verse 5

To 'sanctify yourselves' meant ritual purification (washing clothes, abstaining from relations) in preparation for a direct, powerful encounter with the presence of God (cf. Ex. 19:10). The coming 'wonders' would establish Joshua’s authority.

Verse 7

This verse is crucial for the transition of power. God publicly affirms Joshua as Moses’s legitimate successor, ensuring that Israel would obey him just as they obeyed Moses.

Verse 10

The title 'the living God' contrasts Yahweh, the active, intervening deity of Israel, with the dead, ineffective idols of the surrounding nations. The seven nations listed signify the totality of the conquest promised by God.

Verse 11

Calling God the 'Lord of all the earth' emphasizes His universal sovereignty. This prepares the reader for a miracle that is not merely local, but a demonstration of power over creation itself.

Verse 13

The miracle is tied directly to the obedient action of the priests and the presence of the Ark. The stopping of the waters demonstrates God’s ability to control natural forces to fulfill His covenant promises.

Verse 15

The timing of the crossing, during the spring harvest, means the Jordan was at its flood stage, making a crossing humanly impossible. This detail elevates the miracle and underscores God's power.

Verse 16

The waters stopped far upstream, possibly near the city of Adam (about 18 miles north), indicating a massive, geographically widespread intervention and confirming the divine orchestration of the event.

Verse 17

The image of the priests standing 'firm on dry ground' recalls the precedent of the Red Sea crossing (Ex. 14). This event serves as a new 'Exodus' moment, confirming Israel’s identity as God’s redeemed people entering their inheritance.

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