Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 3:11
Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
11. the Lord of all the earth ] A significant title of the Most High, at a time when the conquest of the Land was contemplated.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Into part of the river.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth,…. Some both Jewish and Christian interpreters, because there is a distinguishing accent on the word “covenant”, read the words “the ark of the covenant, even the Lord of all the earth”; so in some copies of our English Bible, as if the ark was called the Lord of all the earth, because of his presence and dwelling there; but, as Kimchi observes, either the word “ark” is wanting, or the word “covenant”, and may be supplied either thus,
“the ark of the covenant, the ark (I say) of the Lord of all the earth;”
or thus,
“the ark of the covenant, which is the covenant of the Lord of all the earth:”
the true meaning is what Abarbinel gives,
“the ark of the covenant of the Lord, who is the Lord of the whole earth;”
the Maker and possessor of the whole earth, the whole terraqueous globe; and can do what he pleases in the earth, or in the water; and can control the powers of nature, and do what is beyond them, things miraculous and astonishing:
passeth before you into Jordan; not only unto it, but into it, into the river itself; and, by the power of him whose presence was with it, the waters of Jordan were to be divided, to give them a passage through it as on dry land, and so it came to pass.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
After this inspiriting promise, Joshua informed the people what the Lord intended to do first: “ Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth will go before you into Jordan.” ‘adown is a genitive dependent upon , the strict subordination of the construct state being loosened in this case by the article before the nomen regens . The punctuators have therefore separated it from the latter by sakeph – katon , without thereby explaining it as in opposition or giving any support to the mistaken exposition of Buxtorff and Drusius, that “the ark of the covenant is called the ruler of the whole earth.” The description of Jehovah as “Lord of the whole earth,” which is repeated in Jos 3:13, is very appropriately chosen for the purpose of strengthening confidence in the omnipotence of the Lord. This epithet “exalted the government of God over all the elements of the world, that the Israelites might have no doubt that as seas and rivers are under His control, the waters, although liquid by nature, would become stable at His nod” ( Calvin). The expression, “ passeth over before you into Jordan,” is more precisely explained in the course of the narrative: the ark of the covenant went (was carried) before the people into the river, and then stood still, as the bulwark of the people, till the passage was completed; so that the word “before” indicates the protection which it would afford.
Jos 3:12-13 “ And take to you (i.e., appoint) twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, one for each tribe.” For what purpose is not stated here, but is apparent from what follows (Jos 4:2.). The choice or appointment of these men was necessarily commanded before the crossing commenced, as they were to stand by the side of Joshua, or near the bearers of the ark of the covenant, so as to be at hand to perform the duty to be entrusted to them (Jos 4:3.). Joshua then concludes by foretelling the miracle itself: “ It will come to pass, that when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord shall settle down in the water of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off; namely, the waters flowing down from above, and shall stand still as one heap.” “ Shall be cut off,” so as to disappear; namely, at the place where the priests stand with the ark of the covenant. This took place through the waters standing still as a heap, or being heaped up, at some distance above the standing-place. is an accusative of more precise definition. The expression is taken from the song of Moses (Exo 15:8).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
11. Behold the ark of the covenant, etc First he says that the ark of God will go before; and secondly, he explains for what purpose, namely, that Jordan may retire from its place, trembling, so to speak, at the presence of the Lord, as is said in the Psalms. (Psa 114:0.) The narrative introduced concerning the twelve men is parenthetical, as it only briefly alludes to what it will afterwards deliver more fully and clearly. At present let us merely understand, that while the ark went before, God displayed his power in guiding the people. And in this way there was a confirmation of the sanctity of the worship appointed by the Law, when the Israelites perceived that it was no empty symbol of his presence that God had deposited with them. For Jordan was compelled to yield obedience to God just as if it had beheld his majesty.
Let us however remember, that the only reason which induced the Lord to display his grace in the ark was because he had placed the tables of his covenant within it. Moreover, as the thing could not be easily credited, Joshua directs the mind of the people to the contemplation of the divine power, which surmounts all difficulties. The title of Ruler of the whole earth here applied to God is not insignificant, but extols his power above all the elements of nature, in order that the Israelites, considering how seas and rivers are subject to his dominion, might have no doubt that the waters, though naturally liquid, would become stable in obedience to his word.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) The ark of the covenant.The ten commandments are presented throughout this narrative as a covenant. So Exo. 34:28, the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. It must be remembered that a promise precedes all the commandments. I am Jehovah thy God. The ten words that follow are the testimony to His character who commanded the covenant. (See Silver Sockets, p. 28.) The thing signified by the dividing of Jordan does indeed exhibit the law as a covenant in a way that those who followed Joshua can hardly have conceived. But history must come before prophecy, if prophecy is to be understood.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth Here are four words grammatically dependent on one another, though slightly separated by the disjunctive accent. But this Hebrew accent by no means requires so strange a translation as that adopted by some scholars, which makes Lord of all the earth in apposition with ark of the covenant. This would be to make the ark of Jehovah identical with Jehovah. This claim of universal dominion for Jehovah, in contrast with the limited sway of the local gods of the pagans, not only enthrones Jehovah over all nations, but also over the forces of the material world. Perhaps no miracle of Jesus inspired such overwhelming awe in his disciples as his control of the winds and the waves.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“ Behold, the Ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth, passes over before you into Jordan.”
Joshua now added to ‘the Ark of the covenant’ the phrase ‘the Lord of all the earth’. He was probably remembering the words of Abraham ‘the Judge of all the earth’ (Gen 18:25) and Melchizedek’s words to Abraham, ‘God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth (Gen 14:19) and applying the idea to the present situation. Here He would be revealed as Lord of all the earth, not Judge (although the ideas merged in ancient times). It was as Lord of all the earth, and thus its controller, that He would be able to control the waters of the Jordan. The same phrase occurs in Jos 3:13, and nowhere else in Joshua, demonstrating its particular applicability to that ‘wonder’.
Comparison can be made with the Baal epic from Ugarit where it was said of Baal, ‘Baal the mighty is alive, the Prince, Lord of the earth, exists.’ If the Canaanites could think of Baal as ‘Lord of the earth’ how much more could Israel see YHWH as such. The difference was that Baal had died and come back to life in the round of the seasons while YHWH ever lives, as the Living God, but it does evidence that the title ‘Lord of the earth’ was contemporary with, and even prior to, Moses and Joshua.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jos 3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
Ver. 11. Behold the ark of the covenant, even the Lord of heaven and earth. ] Where the ark is, and where the ordinances are, there God is: hence the ark is called God’s face, Psa 105:4 yea, God’s self. Psa 132:5
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
the Lord of all the earth. Hebrew the Adon. of all the earth. A title connected with sovereignty in the earth. Compare Jos 3:11, Jos 3:13. Zec 6:5, the only three occurrences of this full title. See App-4.; and compare Psa 97:5. Mic 4:3. Zec 4:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the Lord: Jos 3:13, Psa 24:1, Isa 54:5, Jer 10:7, Mic 4:13, Zep 2:11, Zec 4:14, Zec 6:5, Zec 14:9
passeth: Jos 3:3-6, Isa 3:12
Reciprocal: Num 10:33 – went before Deu 9:3 – goeth over Act 7:45 – Which