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Commentary on Joshua 3 verses 1–6
Rahab, in mentioning to the spies the drying up of the Red Sea (Jos 2:10), the report of which terrified the Canaanites more than anything else, intimates that those on that side the water expected that Jordan, that great defence of their country, would in like manner give way to them. Whether the Israelites had any expectation of it does not appear. God often did things for them which they looked not for, Isa 64:3. Now here we are told,
I. That they came to Jordan and lodged there, Jos 3:1. Though they were not yet told how they should pass the river, and were unprovided for the passing of it in any ordinary way, yet they went forward in faith, having been told (Jos 1:11) that they should pass it. We must go on in the way of our duty though we foresee difficulties, trusting God to help us through them when we come to them. Let us proceed as far as we can, and depend on divine sufficiency for that which we find ourselves not sufficient for. In this march Joshua led them, and particular notice is taken of his early rising as there is afterwards upon other occasions (Jos 6:12; Jos 7:16; Jos 8:10), which intimates how little he loved his ease, how much he loved his business, and what care and pains he was willing to take in it. Those that would bring great tings to pass must rise early. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty. Joshua herein set a good example to the officers under him, and taught them to rise early, and to all that are in public stations especially to attend continually to the duty of their place.
II. That the people were directed to follow the ark. Officers were appointed to go through the host to give these directions (v. 2), that every Israelite might know both what to do and what to depend upon.
1.They might depend upon the ark to lead them; that is, upon God himself, of whose presence the ark was an instituted sign and token. It seems, the pillar of cloud and fire was removed, else that would have led them, unless we suppose that it now hovered over the ark and so they had a double guide: honour was put upon the ark, and a defence upon that glory. It is called here the ark of the covenant of the Lord their God. What greater encouragement could they have than this, that the Lord was their God, a God in covenant with them? Here was the ark of the covenant; if God be ours, we need not fear any evil. He was nigh to them, present with them, went before them: what could come amiss to those that were thus guided, thus guarded? Formerly the ark was carried in the midst of the camp, but now it went before them to search out a resting-place for them (Num 10:33), and, as it were, to give them livery and seisin of the promised land, and put them in possession of it In the ark the tables of the law were, and over it the mercy-seat; for the divine law and grace reigning in the heart are the surest pledges of God's presence and favour, and those that would be led to the heavenly Canaan must take the law of God for their guide (if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments) and have the great propitiation in their eye, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
2.They might depend upon the priests and Levites, who were appointed for that purpose to carry the ark before them. The work of ministers is to hold forth the word of life, and to take care of the administration of those ordinances which are the tokens of God's presence and the instruments of his power and grace; and herein they must go before the people of God in their way to heaven.
3.The people must follow the ark: Remove from your place and go after it, (1.) As those that are resolved never to forsake it. Wherever God's ordinances are, there we must be; if they flit, we must remove and go after them. (2.) As those that are entirely satisfied in its guidance, that it will lead in the best way to the best end; and therefore, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. This must be all their car, to attend the motions of the ark, and follow it with an implicit faith. Thus must we walk after the rule of the word and the direction of the Spirit in every thing, so shall peace be upon us, as it now was upon the Israel of God. They must follow the priests as far as they carried the ark, but no further; so we must follow our ministers only as they follow Christ.
4.In following the ark, they must keep their distance, v. 4. They must none of them come within a thousand yards of the ark. (1.) They must thus express their awful and reverent regard to that token of God's presence, lest its familiarity with them should breed contempt. This charge to them not to come near was agreeable to that dispensation of darkness, bondage, and terror: but we now through Christ have access with boldness. (2.) Thus it was made to appear that the ark was able to protect itself, and needed not to be guarded by the men of war, but was itself a guard to them. With what a noble defiance of the enemy did it leave all it its friends half a mile behind except the unarmed priests that carried it as perfectly sufficient for its own safety and theirs that fallowed it! (3.) Thus it was the better seen by those that were to be led by it: That you may know the way by which you must go, seeing it, as it were, chalked out or tracked by the ark. Had they been allowed to come near it, they would have surrounded it, and none would have had the sight of it but those that were close to it; but, as it was put at such a distance before them, they would all have the satisfaction of seeing it, and would be animated by the sight. And it was with good reason that this provision was made for their encouragement: For you have not passed this way heretofore. This had been the character of all their way through the wilderness, it was an untrodden path, but this especially through Jordan. While we are here we must expect and prepare for unusual events, to pass ways that we have not passed before, and much more when we go hence; our way through the valley of the shadow of death is a way we have not gone before, which makes it the more formidable. But, if we have the assurance of God's presence, we need not fear; that will furnish us with such strength as we never had when we come to do a work we never did.
III. They were commanded to sanctify themselves, that they might be prepared to attend the ark; and with good reason: For tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you, v. 5. See how magnificently he speaks of God's works: he doeth wonders, and is therefore to be adored, admired, and trusted in. See how intimately acquainted Joshua was with the divine counsels: he could tell before-hand what god would do, and when. See what preparation we must make to receive the discoveries of God's glory and the communications of his grace: we must sanctify ourselves. This we must do when we are to attend the ark, and God by it is about to do wonders among us; we must separate ourselves from all other cares, devote ourselves to God's honour, and cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. The people of Israel were now entering into the holy land, and therefore must sanctify themselves. God was about to give them uncommon instances of his favour, which by meditation and prayer they must compose their minds to a very careful observation of, that they might give God the glory, and take to themselves the comfort, of these appearances.
IV. The priests were ordered to take up the ark and carry it before the people, v. 6. It was the Levites' work ordinarily to carry the ark, Num 4:15. But on this great occasion the priests were ordered to do it. And they did as they were commanded, took up the ark, and did not think themselves disparaged, went before the people, and did not thing themselves exposed; the ark they carried was both their honour and their defence. And now we may suppose that prayer of Moses used, when the ark set forward (Num 10:35), Rise up, Lord and let they enemies be scattered. Magistrates are here instructed to stir up ministers to their work, and to make use of their authority for the furtherance of religion. Ministers must likewise learn to go before in the way of God, and not to shrink nor draw back when dangers are before them. They mus expect to be most struck at, but they know whom they have trusted.
In conformity with these words, let us also ask God to grant us the ability to understand spiritually the crossing of the Jordan through Jesus [Joshua]. We say that Paul would have said also of this crossing, "I do not wish you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers all passed through the Jordan and all were baptized into Jesus in the Spirit and in the river."Jesus [Joshua], who succeeded Moses, was a type of Jesus the Christ who succeeded the dispensation through the law with the gospel proclamation. This is why, although they are all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, their baptism has a bitter and briny element, for they still fear their enemies and cry out to the Lord and to Moses, saying, "Did you bring us out to die in the wilderness because there were no graves in Egypt? Why did you do this to us, having brought us out of Egypt?"
But baptism into Jesus in the truly sweet and fresh river has many elements superior to that baptism, since the religion has by this time been clarified and received a proper order. The ark of the covenant of the Lord our God and the priests and Levites lead the way; the people follow the servants of God, which means that they follow those who are capable of understanding the commandment about purity. Jesus [Joshua] says to the people, "Purify yourselves tomorrow; the Lord will do wonders among us."
It is the ark of the covenant of the Lord in which the tablets of the law written by the hand of God are preserved. And everyone who is "truly Israel" proceeds around this ark of the covenant and is not far from it; but the Levites and the priests even carry it on their shoulders.For indeed whoever lives by a priestly religion and by holiness are themselves truly the priests and Levites of the Lord. It is not just those who seem to sit in the priestly assembly, but even more those who behave in a priestly manner. Their portion is the Lord, and they do not possess any portion on the earth. They carry the law of God on their shoulders, namely, by doing and accomplishing through their work those things that are written in the law.
It is the priestly and levitical order that stands by the ark of the covenant of the Lord in which the law of God is carried, doubtless, so that they may enlighten the people concerning the commandments of God. As the prophet says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, Lord, and a light for my paths." This light is kindled by the priests and Levites. Wherefore, if by chance anyone from this order "puts the kindled lamp under a bushel" and not "upon a lamp stand so that it may shine forth for all who are in the house," let him see what he must do when he begins to render an account of the light to the Lord for those who, receiving no illumination from the priests, walk in shadows and are blinded by the darkness of their sins.
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SUMMARY
Joshua 3:6 describes the pivotal moment when Joshua, acting under divine instruction, commands the consecrated priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant, the tangible symbol of God's active presence and covenant faithfulness, as the Israelites prepare to cross the miraculously divided Jordan River. This act of obedient faith, preceding a monumental divine intervention, underscores Yahweh's direct leadership and the foundational role of human trust in His sovereign plan for His people to enter and possess the Promised Land.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs Repetition of key phrases such as "ark of the covenant" and "before the people." This literary choice serves to emphasize the central role of the Ark and its vanguard position, reinforcing the theological truth that God, through His sacred presence, is actively leading His people. A clear instance of Divine Command and Fulfillment is evident, where Joshua's spoken word (representing God's will) is immediately followed by the priests' obedient action, creating a powerful sense of immediate consequence and divine orchestration. The narrative also utilizes profound Symbolism, with the Ark representing God's active, covenantal presence and the Jordan River serving as a formidable, symbolic barrier that only divine power can overcome. This echoes the earlier Red Sea crossing, establishing a new generation's foundational miracle and confirming God's faithfulness across time.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Joshua 3:6 profoundly illustrates the enduring theological principle that God's active presence is the ultimate guide and guarantor of success for His people. The Ark, as the tangible representation of God's covenant and throne, going before Israel, signifies that their victories and progress are not achieved by human strength, military strategy, or logistical prowess, but solely by divine leading and intervention. This event powerfully reinforces the theological truth that obedience to God's specific commands, even when those commands appear irrational or defy human logic from a human perspective, is the indispensable pathway to experiencing His miraculous power and fulfilling His sovereign promises. It establishes a consistent biblical pattern of divine initiative followed by human faith and obedience, which invariably leads to supernatural breakthrough and the realization of God's redemptive purposes for His people.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Joshua 3:6 serves as a powerful and timeless reminder that our spiritual journey often necessitates a courageous step of faith into the unknown, trusting implicitly in God's sovereign presence to lead the way. Just as the priests were called to step into the raging, flooded Jordan with no visible sign of the waters parting, we too are frequently asked to move forward in obedience when circumstances seem overwhelming, impossible, or contrary to our natural understanding. This verse challenges us to deeply consider what "Ark of the Covenant" we are called to follow in our lives today – what divine leading, biblical principle, or specific command from God we must prioritize and obey, even when it demands immense courage, a radical departure from our comfort zones, or a surrender of our own plans. It encourages us to cultivate a deeper, unwavering trust in God's active, preceding involvement in our lives, believing wholeheartedly that His presence goes before us, preparing the path, clearing obstacles, and making a way where there seems to be none. Our obedience, however small or daunting the initial step, can be the very catalyst for God's mighty work, transforming seemingly insurmountable obstacles into profound testimonies of His power, faithfulness, and provision.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was the Ark of the Covenant so important in this event?
Answer: The Ark of the Covenant was paramount because it represented the very presence of God Himself among His people and served as the tangible symbol of His covenant relationship with Israel. It contained the tablets of the Law, signifying God's holiness, His moral authority, and His unwavering commitment to His promises. By commanding the priests to carry the Ark into the Jordan first, God was demonstrating that He Himself was leading the way, not merely observing or passively enabling. This reinforced His active involvement, His supreme power to overcome any obstacle, and His faithfulness to bring His people into the Promised Land, just as He had miraculously led them out of Egypt (Exodus 25:10-22). Its presence guaranteed divine success.
What does this event teach us about leadership?
Answer: This event profoundly highlights the nature of divinely appointed leadership. Joshua, as Moses' successor, did not lead by his own strength, strategic brilliance, or charismatic personality, but by faithfully conveying and executing God's specific commands. His authority was unequivocally validated by God's miraculous intervention that immediately followed the people's obedience to his instructions. It teaches that true spiritual leadership involves diligently hearing from God, clearly communicating His will to the people, and courageously calling them to obedient action, trusting that God Himself will confirm His word and empower His servants to accomplish His purposes (Joshua 1:5-9).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Joshua 3:6, with the Ark of the Covenant leading Israel into the Promised Land through a miraculously parted Jordan, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate leading of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Just as the Ark symbolized God's holy presence and covenant, Jesus is the very embodiment of God's presence among humanity, the "Immanuel" or "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). He is the one who goes before His people, not into a physical land, but into the spiritual promised land of salvation, reconciliation, abundant life, and eternal fellowship with God. The priests' act of stepping into the flooded Jordan, trusting the Ark, mirrors the call to radical faith in Christ, who has already overcome the ultimate barrier of sin and death through His sacrificial death on the cross and triumphant resurrection (Hebrews 2:14-15). He is our true Ark, the living Covenant, through whom we access God's presence and inherit the spiritual blessings of the heavenly Canaan (Ephesians 1:3). Jesus is the "way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), leading us into the fullness of God's promises, fulfilling all the types and shadows of the Old Testament, and making the impossible possible for all who believe.