Joshua 3:1 ¶ 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.
Joshua 3:2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;
Joshua 3:3 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.
Joshua 3:4 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.
The day after the spies returned they broke camp, and Joshua led the people to make camp on the shores of the Jordan. After three days, the leaders of the people went throughout the congregation and told them to be ready to follow when they saw the Levites carrying the ark of the covenant of “the LORD your God.” It was important to keep emphasizing that they were being led by the LORD, YHWH, the self-existent eternal God, their supreme authority—not just the voice of their leaders.
The people were to ensure that they kept at a distance of about 2000 cubits or about 1000 yards from the ark. It was the Levites who would actually lead them according to the LORD’s direction. Point is made that they were going where they had not gone before.
Joshua 3:5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.
Joshua 3:6 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.
Joshua then commanded the people to “sanctify” themselves, a reference to making sure they were ceremonially clean. He declared that the next day they would see the LORD work wondrous things.
As I continued to read, it became obvious that verse six picks up on the “morrow” referenced in verse 5. Joshua then commanded the priests to pick up the ark (in the proper way is implied) and take their position at the head of the congregation. If I remember correctly, the ark was usually behind the camp of Reuben.
JFB points out that it was “the priests,” the sons of Aaron, that were carrying the ark—not the Kohathites who usually carried the ark—a special emphasis to the fact that the LORD was in the lead, and this would be a holy war.
Joshua 3:7 ¶ 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.
Joshua 3:8 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.
The LORD then spoke again to Joshua and promised to make it clear to the people that He was with Joshua just as surely as He had been with Moses. Joshua was to give specific command to the priests that were carrying the ark. When they came to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, they were to step out into the water and stand still.
We will be told the rest as Joshua tells the people.
Joshua 3:9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.
Joshua 3:10 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.
Joshua 3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
Joshua 3:12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
Joshua 3:13 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.
Joshua did as he was commanded. He told the people of Israel to pay attention because he was going to explain what the LORD had told him was about to happen. This experience would testify to the fact that “the living God” is among them. (That same God is still alive and is not dead—no matter what the atheists choose to believe.) The LORD will not fail to drive out the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, Girgashites, the Amorites and the Jebusites from before them as they take possession of the land.
He told them that the ark of the covenant of the LORD would pass before them into the Jordan River. He made sure to emphasize that the LORD was supreme in authority not only over Israel, but also over all the earth. The people were to choose one man from each tribe to represent them (for a special purpose that will be revealed in the next chapter). When the soles of the feet of the priests that carried the ark of the LORD stood still in the Jordan River, the waters of the Jordan would stop flowing and stand up in a heap.
Wiersbe: “True spiritual leadership focuses the eyes of God’s people on the Lord and His greatness. If you are in a position of leadership, consider how you might draw attention to God’s glory and His promise rather than your own service.”
Joshua 3:14 ¶ 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;
Joshua 3:15 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,)
Joshua 3:16 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.
The people took down their tents and prepared to cross the river as instructed. Joshua notes that the Jordan was at flood stage at the time, the time of harvest. When the priests stepped into the Jordan River, the waters stopped flowing and stood up in a heap just like Joshua had said. The heap evidently piled up as far back as the city of Adam (about 20 miles upstream), near the city of Zaretan, and prevented their normal flow into the salt sea (that we know as the Dead Sea); only the water that was already past the priests flowed on to empty into the Dead Sea. The people then crossed the Jordan outside of Jericho—a miracle that mirrored the crossing of Israel at the Red Sea when the LORD delivered them out of Egypt.
JFB offers the following insight: “This was a stupendous miracle; Jordan takes its name, “the Descender,” from the force of its current, which, after passing the Sea of Galilee, becomes greatly increased as it plunges through twenty-seven “horrible rapids and cascades,” besides a great many lesser through a fall of a thousand feet, averaging from four to five miles an hour [LYNCH]. When swollen “in time of harvest,” it flows with a vastly accelerated current.”
Guzik made a great application: “We usually want the river to be dry before we even make a step; but God was truly calling Israel to step out in faith…. As we keep our eyes on, and follow behind our victorious Jesus, the river of impossibility will dry up.”
Wiersbe: “During most of the year, the Jordan River was about a hundred feet wide, but at the spring flood season, the river overflowed its banks and became a mile wide.”
Joshua 3:17 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.
The priests that carried the ark of the LORD stood firm on the dry ground in the middle of the Jordan as the entire congregation went across on dry ground.
This was quite a testimony to the fact that the LORD was with Joshua as he had been with Moses; all happened according to what he had told them.
Principle: The LORD does not hesitate to work the miraculous according to His purposes on behalf of those who follow Him in faith.
Joshua 4:1 ¶ And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
Joshua 4:2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
Joshua 4:3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
As I read through the chapter, I found the style of writing to be quite interesting. It seems that we are often being told what is coming and then backing up and restating some of what we have already been told.
Once all the people had made it across the Jordan River, the LORD tells Joshua to have the twelve men from each tribe (referenced in the previous chapter) to go back and take a stone (big enough to carry on one’s shoulder according to verse 5) out of the middle of the riverbed and leave them at the place where they were encamped that night.
Joshua 4:4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
Joshua 4:5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
Joshua 4:6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
Joshua 4:7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
Joshua 4:8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
Joshua did as the LORD commanded and had the twelve men that had already been chosen from each tribe to go before the ark of the LORD in the riverbed of the Jordan, pick up a stone to carry on his shoulder and bring it back. These stones were to be used to make a memorial that would be a testimony to future generations of the LORD’s miracle on behalf of the people in bringing them across the Jordan on dry ground.
Principle: Parents should always be ready to give an answer for the works of God that testify to His power, greatness, love and provision for His people.
Joshua 4:9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
This verse seems to indicate that Joshua personally made another memorial of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan River at the place where the priests stood with the ark as the people crossed over. Joshua notes that this memorial was still intact at the time he made this written record—indicating that it was some time after they had taken possession of the land.
Joshua 4:10 ¶ For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
Joshua 4:11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
Joshua 4:12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
Joshua 4:13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
It is noted that the priests remained standing in the middle of the river holding the ark until everything that the Lord had commanded Joshua to do had been completed.
Joshua also notes that the children of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh crossed over with the rest of the congregation in compliance with their promise. It is also noted that only 40,000 out of the much larger number previously identified as men eligible to go to war. Some commentators reason that it was probably those considered to be the best soldiers, leaving the other men to take care of their families.
Joshua 4:14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
As noted at the end of the previous chapter, this miracle testified to the people that the LORD was with Joshua in the same way that He had been with Moses. The people accordingly gave him the same respect that they had given Moses.
Joshua 4:15 And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
Joshua 4:16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.
Joshua 4:17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
Joshua 4:18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
Joshua 4:19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
The LORD told Joshua when to have the priests come out of the Jordan. When they did, the waters of the Jordan once again flowed as they had before the people crossed the river. It is noted that this was on the 10th day of the first month (the day normally designated for choosing the Passover lamb) and that they made camp at Gilgal east of Jericho.
Joshua 4:20 ¶ And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
Joshua 4:21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
Joshua 4:22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
Joshua 4:23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
Joshua 4:24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
The twelve stones which the leaders of each tribe had carried out of the riverbed of the Jordan were used to erect a memorial at their encampment in Gilgal. Joshua instructed the people to use it as a teaching opportunity for their children. When the children asked what it was, they were to tell them about the miracle of how the LORD brought the people of Israel across the Jordan River on dry land. They were to emphasize the truth that the LORD was their true king. They were to remind them that this miracle was just like the one the LORD used at the Red Sea to deliver the people from Egypt.
Joshua went on to declare that these miracles were intended to let all the people on earth know that the LORD is almighty in power and authority—unlike their false gods. These miracles were intended to cause the people of Israel to reverence the LORD “your God” forever—time without end.
Sadly, we know that this was not to be.
The New Bible Commentary made an interesting observation: “Memory plays an important role in any society. Without a memory a person loses identity, and without a history to sustain it a society and the world around it become virtually phantom. Any society that hopes to endure must become, as sociologists put it, ‘a community of memory and hope.’”