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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 3:1

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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.

Ch. Jos 3:1-13. The Preparation for the Passage of Jordan

1. they removed from Shittim ] They descended from the upper terraces of the valley of Jordan, from “the Grove of Acacias,” to the level of the river.

to Jordan ] Speaking strictly, Jordan has a threefold bank:

( a) The lowest, at the edge of the river, which in spring is frequently inundated, owing to the melting of the snow on Hermon;

( b) The middle bank, which is covered with a rich vegetation;

( c) An upper bank, which overhangs the river.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The acacia groves (Exo 25:5 note) of Shittim on both sides of Jordan line the upper terraces of the valley (compare 2Ki 6:4). They would be in this part at some six miles distance from the river itself.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Jos 3:1

Joshua rose early in the morning.

Early rising

Why does Joshua rise early in the morning? He has important and responsible duties to discharge during the day, and this may be one reason. Perhaps this has been his habit during a long succession of years, and now it is as easy and natural to him as breathing. Much has been said by some in favour of early rising, and it has been the practice of many distinguished men. Franklin wrote these words, The morning has gold in its mouth. Dean Swift declared that he never knew any man come to greatness and eminence who lay in bed of a morning. Doddridge, Barnes, Wesley, Judge Hale, and others we could name, always rose before five oclock in the morning. As we look upon these sayings, and consider these examples, should we affirm that early rising is the imperative duty of every man? There are certain persons who live to do evil, only evil, and that continually. The longer they remain in bed the better it will be for themselves and others. There are some Who live a life of sheer indolence. Since their sleeping and waking hours are equal, so far as others are concerned, it is of no importance when they rise. In these times, too, when day is turned into night, there are multitudes, especially in our large cities and towns, who cannot go to rest till a late hour, and to whom early rising is therefore a physical impossibility. Besides, no hard and fast line can be drawn regarding measures of sleep, because some require more than others. We believe it would be highly beneficial to the bodies, the minds, and the souls of all, if the old custom–early to bed and early to rise–were constantly observed. Let every individual, however, endeavour to discharge every duty which is legitimately imposed upon him; and whether this is done by day or by night, he will fill up the outline of work which God gives to him, and find acceptance in His sight. (A. McAuslane.)

They removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan.

Advance

is the strong word that gathers up the teaching of the chapter.

1. The advance was from a notable past. Finis had been written to the first volume of the history of Israel; bondage its preface, vengeance its introduction, mercy its continual illumination. Sin had made their forty years a wilderness, in which they wandered from one oasis to another of heavenly grace set as with palm-trees and wells of water. And the present was rich and satisfying. Eastern Palestine was overflowing with honey and oil and milk. The stately oaks of Bashan, its sheep and goats and mighty bulls waiting to be herded among their riches, its abundant pasturage and countless watercourses, quite outrivaled the land beyond the river. Here they were already in possession; while beyond, fenced cities and disciplined troops forewarned of hardship and blood. This new volume opened to-day will show no such lavishness of miraculous helps. Still the word is Advance. If the leader is less, the people are more. If miracles and interventions are fewer, courage and skill and power are greater. Gods helps are transferred from without to within the hearts of men. He works best for them by working through them.

2. The advance was a long step toward their destiny. Gods purposes never turn back. His plan demanded the transfer of the people across the Jordan. Just because Eastern Palestine was broader and richer, they must go over. Their national growth and mission demanded a new type of life. Israel must set his feet by the shore of the great sea, and dwell upon the roads traversed by caravans and armies. Then Alexandria can supply its spiritual philosophy, Greece its culture and language, Rome its law and wide sway, to aid in recording and extending the gospel. Physical geography is potent in civilisation.

3. Advance requires spiritual preparation. It is not first for the sake of earthly reward. An eternal purpose, a holy destiny rules the progress. Before each Jordan is crossed, the people must be sanctified, the leader empowered. The past was no dead past to bury its dead, but was to live in remembrance of deliverance granted and mercies showered, of disastrous and destructive sins. (C. M. Southgate.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

CHAPTER III

The Israelitish camp removes frown Shittim to Jordan, 1.

The officers inform them how they are to pass the river, and the

distance they are to keep from the ark, 2 4.

Joshua directs the people, 5, 6;

and the Lord gives directions to Joshua, 7, 8.

He delivers the Lord’s message to the people, and foretells the

miraculous passage and division of Jordan, 9-13.

The priests, bearing the ark, enter the river, and immediately

the waters are cut off, and the priests stand on dry ground,

in the bed of the river, till all the camp passes over, 14-17.

NOTES ON CHAP. III

Verse 1. Joshua rose early] Archbishop Usher supposes that this was upon Wednesday, the 28th of April, A. M. 2553, the fortieth year after the exodus from Egypt. From Shittim, where they had lately been encamped, to Jordan, was about sixty stadia, according to Josephus; that is, about eight English miles.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

In the morning; not after the return of the spies, as may seem at first view; but after the three days, as it follows, Jos 3:2.

Lodged there that night, that they might go over in the day time; partly that the miracle might be more evident and unquestionable; and partly to strike the greater terror into their enemies.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

1. Joshua rose early in themorningOn the day following that on which the spies hadreturned with their encouraging report. The camp was broken up in”Shittim” (the acacia groves), and removed to the easternbank of the Jordan. The duration of their stay is indicated (Jos3:2), being, according to Hebrew reckoning, only oneentire day, including the evening of arrival and the morning of thepassage; and such a time would be absolutely necessary for so motleyan assemblage of men, women, and children, with all their gear andcattle to make ready for going into an enemy’s country.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And Joshua rose early in the morning,…. The morning after the spies had returned and made their report; which, as Kimchi rightly observes, was the ninth of Nisan; for on the morrow, which was the tenth, the people passed over Jordan, see Jos 3:5. Moses, according to the Jewish writers, died on the seventh of Adar or February; the thirty days of his mourning ended the seventh of Nisan or March; two days before they were ended the spies were sent, who returned on the eighth day of the month; and the morning following Joshua rose early, which shows his readiness and alacrity to proceed in the expedition he was directed and encouraged to:

and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan; from Shittim in the plains of Moab, to the river Jordan:

he and all the children of Israel; he as their general, and they an army of six hundred thousand fighting men under him, besides women and children, and others that came along with them:

and lodged there before they passed over; lay there encamped a night before they passed over the river Jordan.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Jos 3:1-4

“ Arrangements for the Passage through the Jordan. – When they reached the Jordan, the Israelites rested till they passed over. , to pass the night; then in a wider sense to tarry, Pro 15:31; here it means to rest. According to Jos 3:2, they stayed there three days. “ At the end (after the expiration) of three days ” cannot refer to the three days mentioned in Jos 1:11, if only because of the omission of the article, apart from the reasons given in the note upon Jos 1:11, which preclude the supposition that the two are identical. The reasons why the Israelites stayed three days by the side of the Jordan, after leaving Shittim, are not given, but they are not difficult to guess; for, in the first place, before it could be possible to pass into an enemy’s country, not only with an army, but with all the people, including wives, children, and all their possessions, and especially when the river had first of all to be crossed, it must have been necessary to make many preparations, which would easily occupy two or three days. Besides this, the Jordan at that time was so high as to overflow its banks, so that it was impossible to cross the fords, and they were obliged to wait till this obstruction was removed. But as soon as Joshua was assured that the Lord would make a way for His people, he issued the following instructions through the proper officers to all the people in the camp: “ When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and ( see) the Levitical priests bear it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it: 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 yesterday and the day before.” On the expression “the Levitical priests,” see at Deu 31:25, as compared with Jos 3:9 and Jos 17:9. , both here and in Jos 8:11, should probably be pointed (vid., Ewald, 266, a.). This command referred simply to the march from the last resting-place by the Jordan into the river itself, and not to the passage through the river, during which the priests remained standing with the ark in the bed of the river until the people had all passed through (Jos 3:8 and Jos 3:17).

(Note: Knobel maintains that this statement, according to which the Israelites were more than 2000 cubits from the place of crossing, is not in harmony with Jos 3:1, where they are said to have been by the Jordan already; but he can only show this supposed discrepancy in the text by so pressing the expression, they “came to Jordan,” as to make it mean that the whole nation was encamped so close to the edge of the river, that at the very first step the people took their feet would touch the water.)

The people were to keep about 2000 cubits away from the ark. This was not done, however, to prevent their going wrong in the unknown way, and so missing the ford, for that was impossible under the circumstances; but the ark was carried in front of the people, not so much to show the road as to make a road by dividing the waters of the Jordan, and the people were to keep at a distance from it, that they might not lose sight of the ark, but keep their eyes fixed upon it, and know the road by looking at the ark of the covenant by which the road had been made, i.e., might know and observe how the Lord, through the medium of the ark, was leading them to Canaan by a way which they had never traversed before, i.e., by a miraculous way.

Jos 3:5-6

Joshua then issued instructions ( a) to the people to sanctify themselves, because on the morrow the Lord would do wonders among them; and ( b) to the priests, to carry the ark of the covenant in front of the people. The issuing of these commands with the prediction of the miracle presupposes that the Lord had already made known His will to Joshua, and serves to confirm our conclusions as to the arrangement of the materials. The sanctification of the people did not consist in the washing of their clothes, which is mentioned in Exo 19:10, Exo 19:14, in connection with the act of sanctification, for there was no time for this; nor did it consist in merely changing their clothes, which might be a substitute for washing, according to Gen 35:2, or in abstinence from connubial intercourse (Exo 19:15), for this was only the outward side of sanctification. It consisted in spiritual purification also, i.e., in turning the heart to God, in faith and trust in His promise, and in willing obedience to His commandments, that they should lay to heart in a proper way the miracle of grace which the Lord was about to work in the midst of them and on their behalf on the following day. “ Wonders:” those miraculous displays of the omnipotence of God for the realization of His covenant of grace, which He had already promised in connection with the conquest of Canaan (Exo 34:10). In Jos 3:6, where the command to the priests is given, the fulfilment of the command is also mentioned, and the course of events anticipated in consequence.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Preparation for Passing over the Jordan.

B. C. 1451.

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. 2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; 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. 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. 5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. 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.

Rahab, in mentioning to the spies the drying up of the Red Sea (ch. ii. 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. lxiv. 3. Now here we are told,

I. That they came to Jordan and lodged there, v. 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 (ch. i. 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 things 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. x. 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 followed 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 to-morrow 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. iv. 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. x. 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 must expect to be most struck at, but they know whom they have trusted.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Joshua – Chapter 3

Preparing to Cross Jordan, vs. 1-6

The Israelite camp at Shittim was opposite the city of Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan River. They had been camped here since they had successfully defeated the Amorite kings (Num 25:1), and it was in the camp here that Moses gave the farewell addresses before his death recorded in the Book of Deuteronomy.

It is probable that Joshua moved the camp nearer to the river crossing, as shown in verse 1, while awaiting the report of the spies he had sent to Jericho. This is suggested by the fact that just three days later (the spies were gone three days), the officers were sent through the camp to advise the people that they were to be ready to decamp and follow the ark of the covenant when they saw the priest and Levites depart with it to go before them.

The ark was a holy vessel of the tabernacle, to be borne only by the Kohathite family of the Levites after the son of the high priest had covered it with the veil (Num 4:17-20).

It was to precede the people in battle and such campaigns as they were about to undertake (Num 10:33). The distance prescribed between the people and the ark would separate the people as profane from the ark, the holy symbol of God’s presence, borne by men sanctified to the Lord’s purpose. There was also another reason; this was a new way by which they had not previously gone.

A thousand yards behind, the people could see the priests bearing the ark down the slope to the river crossing, the symbol of the Lord’s leadership to give them confidence for the battles to come.

Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

They were to go through ceremonial cleansing to prepare themselves for a manifestation of the Lord’s greatness to come the next day.

Here is a strong witness for God’s children today, to keep themselves clean from the world and its evil that in the days ahead the Lord may do wonders among them. This done the Israelites (and Christians by analogy) are ready to set forth on the journey, (1Pe 3:15).

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

1. And Joshua rose early, etc We must remember, as I formerly explained, that Joshua did not move his camp till the day after the spies had returned, but that after hearing their report, he gave orders by the prefects that they should collect their vessels, as three days after they were to cross the Jordan. (43) His rising in the morning, therefore, does not refer simply to their return, but rather to the issuing of his proclamation. When the three days were completed, the prefects were again sent through the camp to acquaint the people with the mode of passage. Although these things are mentioned separately, it is easy to take up the thread of the narrative. But before it was publicly intimated, by what means he was to open a way for the people, the multitude spread out on the bank of the river were exposed to some degree of confusion.

It is true, there were fords by which the Jordan could be passed. But the waters were then swollen, and had overflowed, so that they might easily prevent even men altogether without baggage from passing. There was therefore no hope, that women and children, with the animals, and the rest of the baggage, could be transported to the further bank. That, in such apparently desperate circumstances, they calmly wait the issue, though doubtful, and to them incomprehensible, is an example of faithful obedience, proving how unlike they were to their fathers, who, on the slightest occasions, gave way to turbulence, and inveighed against the Lord and against Moses. This change was not produced without the special agency of the Holy Spirit.

(43) This seems to be the proper place to insert a short account of the Jordan, and more especially of that part of it in the neighborhood of which the Israelites were now encamped. This becomes necessary, because Calvin had altogether omitted it, partly, as some expressions in his Commentary would seem to indicate, from having unfortunately attached little comparative importance to geographical details, and partly, as he very modestly expresses it, from not having been very well acquainted with them. Indeed, at the period when he wrote, the geography of the Holy Land was very imperfectly known, but we have not the same excuse, as numerous well-qualified travelers have since traversed it in all directions, and published careful descriptions both of its general features and of almost all the localities possessed of much historical interest. In a single note, only a few leading points can be adverted to, but it seems not impossible in this way, to give a distinct idea of the nature of the passage which the Israelites were now preparing to make, and of the wonderful interposition by which they were enabled to accomplish it.

The Jordan, then, by far the most important river of Palestine, is formed, near its northern frontiers, by several streams which descend from the mountains of Lebanon, and after flowing nearly due south, for a direct distance of about 175 miles, discharges its waters into the north side of the Dead Sea. In the upper part of its course, before it reaches the late of Tiberius, more familiarly known by its usual scriptural name of the Sea of Galilee, it has much of the character of an impetuous torrent, and is hemmed closely in on both sides by loftly mountains, but on issuing from the south side of the lake, it begins to flow in a valley, the most remarkable circumstance connected with which, is its great depth beneath the level of the ocean. Even the Sea of Galilee is 84 feet, and the Dead Sea, where the Jordan falls into it is 1337 feet beneath this level. The intervening space between the two seas, forms what is properly called the valley of the Jordan, and consists of a plain, about six miles across in its northern, but much wider in its southern half, where it spreads out, on its east or left bank, into the plains of Moab, and on its west or right bank, into the plains of Jericho. This valley, throughout its whole length, is terminated on either side by a mountain chain, which in many parts rises so rapidly as soon to attain a height exceeding 2500. Within the valley thus terminated, a minor valley is enclosed. It is about three quarters of a mile in breadth, and consists, for the most part, of a low flat, bounded by sandy slopes, and covered by trees or brushwood. Nearly in the center of this flat the river, almost concealed beneath its overhanging banks, pursues its course, with few large windings, but with such a multiplicity of minute tortuosities, that though the direct distance is not more than sixty-five, the indirect distance or total length of the stream is estimated at not less than two hundred miles. The river, in its ordinary state, within its banks, has a width of from twenty to thirty yards, and a depth, varying from nine to fifteen feet. The banks are there from twelve to fourteen feet high, and immediately beyond them, the flat bears evident marks of being frequently inundated. These inundation’s take place in spring, and are caused by the melted snow brought down, partly by the three principal tributaries of the Jordan, the Jarmuch, or Shurat-el-Mandour, the Jabbok, or Zerka, and the Arnon, or Wady Modjet, which all join it from the east, but chiefly by the main stream, which is then copiously supplied from the snowy heights of Lebanon. This rising of the waters, of course, begins as soon as the thawing influence of the returning heat begins to be felt, but does not attain its maximum till the impression has been fully made, or, in the first weeks of April. Such was the state of the stream as the Israelites now safely assumed to have been from seven to Twelve miles north of the Dead Sea, and not far from the Bethabarah, where our Savior, after condescending to receive baptism at the hands of his forerunner, went up from the banks, while the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God descended like a dove, and lighted upon him. — Ed.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

THE PRIESTS AND THE PARTING WATERS

Joshua, Chapters 3, 4 and 5.

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 (Jos 3:1).

THE man upon whom responsibility rests seldom sleeps late. He is not conforming his conduct nor limiting his labors to an eight-hour scheme. Such time-observers are never leaders!

The spies had made their report! The time to strike had come! Valuable time was not to be lost. Joshua, the true captain, is astir. And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host: 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 (Jos 3:2-3). They were now carrying his commands to the people; and the ark, that marvelous symbol, comes into prominence.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ARK

It was the symbol of Divine leadership. For a full discussion of the Ark, we refer the reader to Volume II, Old Testament, page 259. There we discussed its construction and content, its greater spiritual suggestions, and its service and successes. It was between the cherubim, and above the lid enclosing its sacred contents, that the Shekinah glory appearedthe symbol of Gods actual presence.

By a study of the chapter above referred to, it will be seen that the ark rested in the center of the camp, and in an ordinary march was carried at the middle of the procession. Here it takes the place of the van, for it was to be followed, not attended. Then shall ye go after it.

What man dare go to war without the recognition of Divine leadership? If God go before, who fears to follow?

The space between it and Israel, of two thousand cubits by measure, was essential to the certainty of direction. Had it been in the rear, some other leadership would have been required. Had it been in the center, only the very few, within twenty feet of it, could behold the Divine symbol; but at a distance of two thousand cubits, every Israelite would behold and follow.

God is always careful to make his leadership clear. The man who walks in darkness walks there because he has refused to turn his eyes toward the light, and his feet into the path that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

This distance also suggested sacred respect. The ark contained Aarons rod that buddedthe symbol of the miraculous power of Jehovah; a pot of manna symbol of His willingness and ability to provide sustenance to His own; and the tables of the lawa silent voice, more eloquent than thunders, and one that clearly marks the path of righteousness before mens feet; but, above all, the Shekinah gloryevidence of His own presence.

The Ark was a holy thing. It occupied central place in the Holy of Holies and represented the Divine personality in miracle working power, sustaining grace and in righteous guidance. If Moses warned the people against touching any part of the mountain in which God had appeared, lest His holiness flash judgment against their unremitted sins, how necessary that proper distance be put between an unclean people and a perfectly holy God present with the ark. Reverence becomes even the symbol of the Divine presence, and the Shekinah glory was more than symbol. It was the visible expression of personality.

This ark signified the successes to be expected.

In times past, victory had always attended its presence. If God be for us, who can be against us? If God is with us, who dare confront us? When Joshua encouraged the people, saying, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you, he put his trust in that Divine presence, signified by the Ark, which was to go before them, and before which the waters of the Jordan would part, the walls of Jericho would fall, and the land of Canaan would surrender. Is there any amazement that the waters of the Jordan part at the presence of the Ark? Once before those waters have parted, and the rod that the Ark now contains was stretched out over them. At the sight of it they receded. How much more, now, when to the rod is added the pot of manna, the tables of the Law, and the Shekinah glory? Will not the same presence that rolls back the Jordan at a time when its terrific current raced to the Dead Sea, assure success against Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and the Jebusites? Who can fight against God? What army can live when once He has frowned at the same? What walled city can stand when He has spoken against it, and what people dare oppose Him?

SALVATION THROUGH THE ARK

The ark opened passage to promised possessions. When the feet of the priests that bare the Ark were dipped in the brim of the water, * * the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap. How marvelous! 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 (Jos 3:17).

Jehovah is not equal to little miracles only. A man might have dried up the Jordan at certain seasons, but not in the time of the harvest, when its banks were overflowing. That is Gods opportunity! That is the time when He elects to prove His power. Our God doeth wondrously! He undertakes the impossible and proves that with Him all things are possible. Mountains and rivers and oceans are not barriers across the path of the men who follow God. Faith causes the first to be removed, causes the second to break and bank up, and causes the third to either vanish or yield to a victor.

In that passage was included every Israelite. And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan. God doesnt save a little select company alone. Gods provision of salvation is always adequate, and if any fail it will not be Gods fault.

If by one mans offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life (Rom 5:12; Rom 5:18).

No true believer can perish.

That passage was to be properly memorialized.

Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,

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.

Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the Children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the Ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the Children of Israel:

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?

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.

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.

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.

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 (Jos 4:2-10).

Twelve men, representatives of the twelve tribes; twelve men, types of the twelve Apostles; twelve, the use of Gods favorite numeral! Twelve stones, each speaking of a tribe, but all bearing their testimony to Gods interest in every descendant of Israel; and twelve stones that would silently speak to generation after generation through thousands of years, and tell the story of Divine deliverance and of redemption in grace.

THE SPIRITUAL INSIGNIA

The twelve men represented the twelve tribes. God never forgets any people or fails in His promises to any. There was a distinct difference in these tribes, and some of them were of more worthy sires than others, but grace was manifested alike to them all. Fortunately for weak men, God is no respecter of persons. If He has any favorites they are those who need Him most. Christ condemned Pharisees, but received sinners. It matters not to what tribe you belong, you are within the plan of grace and the pale of mercy.

The twelve stones signified the complete salvation. They referred not alone to the successful passage of Jordan, but to the circumstance that all were brought over. At other points you will find recorded deaths and various disasters. Not here! People came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. There is not the record of the loss of one. What an occasion for memorial! No wonder Jehovah said,

When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?

Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

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:

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 (Jos 4:21-24).

Circumcision signified their complete separation. Chapter five is almost entirely given to the repetition of this ceremony. The phrase, Circumcise again the Children of Israel the second time, does not refer to a second circumcision for the same individuals. One circumcision sufficed. One baptism suffices. One salvation is all that will ever be needed. But the second time referred to the fact that the first circumcision was not experienced by this new generation, and they must come to God as their fathers came. God has no new way of access to His presence, and will adopt no novel plans in the execution of His program. Neither will He consent that the unwilling be excused, or that His commands be compromised. His salvation is for all the people. His significant ceremonies are also for all. It was when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whale. It was when all had been obedient that the reproach of Egypt was taken away. It was when all had been obedient that they were fed on the old corn of the land and the fruit of the conquered country. It was when all had been obedient that the captain of the host of the Lord appeared and manifested more fully both the Divine presence and Gods perfect holiness.

Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley

THE PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Jos. 3:1-6

THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Joshua had received the evening before, through their officers, the reply of the people to the charge which he had given (chap. Jos. 1:16-18). Their unanimous and ardent fealty must have filled this fine-spirited man with thankfulness to God, and given him good hope in the people: And Joshua rose early in the morning.

1. God gives us encouragements, not merely for our joy, but for action. The Lord loves the praise of His people; He loves it best when the songs of their lips are set to harmony with the tread of feet that run in the way of His commandments, and with the noise of labour made by hands which hasten to do His will. Mere praise is like a tune in one part; it is only a theme, pleasant for the moment as a solo, but poor and thin and insufficient, unless followed by these harmonies of labour.

2. God gives His servants the confidence of men, that they may use it promptly for the good of men. Nothing sooner loses its beauty and fades than the unused confidence reposed in us by our fellows. Changing the figure, service is, at once the exercise and the bread of trust; and when a leader does not use the confidence given him by those about him, he is simply allowing it to stiffen and die. He who hears over-night, All that thou commandest us we will do, had better rise early in the morning, and begin to turn this spirit of obedience to good account. This, again, cannot be better done than by leading the people manifestly nearer, not simply to their leaders, but also to their own inheritance.

3. God gives some men wisdom to see into the possibilities of the future, but he who can read events to come should be careful not to disappoint his auditors. (Chap. Jos. 1:11, with Jos. 3:2.)

Thus the first two verses of this paragraph lead up to the important subject of the Divine presence, on which much stress is laid in the four verses that follow.

I. The sign for the special movement of Gods people is Gods presence going before them.

1. It is noteworthy that in both the Old and New Testaments this is repeatedly made the sign for going forward. This was the case during the marches of the wilderness; the pillar of fire and cloud preceded the host. David at Baal-perazim was to know that the Lord went out before him when he heard the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees; not till then was he to go forward to the battle. What else was the waiting for Pentecost by the men who were to tarry in the city of Jerusalem for this preceding presence of God? It was of no avail for even apostles to go, till God went before them. They were men of good ordinary ability, they had recollections of the Saviours example to guide them, and glorious memories of His love to inspire them; yet they were to tarry, as though they were helpless as children, waiting for the promise, of the Father. The Saviours words, Without me ye can do nothing, are written not simply in the Gospel of John, but throughout the Bible.
2. The Pillar of Fire and Cloud, and the Ark of the Covenant, were the two and only visible guides, indicating Gods presence, that the Israelites had to accompany them in their journeys. There is one feature which is common to them both: in times of rest they were with the people, in times of marching the Cloud always and the Ark sometimes went before them. Resting, the Cloud stood over the camp; marching, it went before the people. The Ark, too, was set up in the middle of the camp, and in ordinary marches was carried in the midst of the Israelites; but in a great emergency like this the Ark leads the way. Surely all this is significant, and intended not merely for the Jews; read in the light of the tarrying for Pentecost, does it not seem written for our admonition? Gods presence with us should always lead to praise, worship, and work; there are, however, solemn seasons in the history of the Church when God seems manifestly to go before His people, and then both Testaments teach that His people must follow. There must be no resting then, nor are ordinary methods of worship and work sufficient for periods like these. Does not this comprehend all great revival movements in the history of the Church, not excepting that which has recently excited so much attention throughout England, and is now stirring the multitudes of London to new thought and intense feeling? Is God with this work? Are men being saved, and helped to turn to holiness? If so, energy of this kind does not come from beneath, neither is this the manner of man. There cannot be the least doubt that ordinary methods of teaching and training are good for ordinary times; but ought we not to be prepared for God to sometimes go altogether before us? And if it be God who goes before, we must follow,follow gladly, heartily, and earnestly. The Ark of His presence may get quite out of the usual track, it may wander even into the bed of the river; timid Israelites may fear lest it should be swept away in the flood; yet, if it be His presence, they will do well to follow, for even this unusual way leads to a rich inheritance for the teeming thousands of the people, who till it is trodden only experience the bitterness of a grievous bondage, and the possession of a barren desert. Holy fear and holy caution may be well, and none should be angry or harsh with any who are moved thereto, for things are not so visible to sense now as on the banks of the Jordan; yet those who fear harm from the flood of unusual feeling may do well to remember that the Ark commands the waters, and not the waters the Ark.

II. Even when God is most manifestly present with His people, He ever leaves ample scope for faith.

1. The Pillar of Cloud was, at this time, probably withdrawn. The people had only the every-day Ark. That which for forty years had been a supernatural assurance that the Lord was with them, had probably vanished altogether. This could not but have been a trial to those who were weak in faith.
2. Although the passage was to take place on the morrow, it does not seem that the people at this time had any idea of the manner in which it was to be made.
3. When they arrived at the river, much firmness would be needed by them all. Think of the faith required by those who were the first to cross, and of the demand made by the accumulated body of water on the trust of those who crossed last. However much faith may be taxed when we see few signs of Gods presence, let none think that poor faith will suffice when God is manifestly with us. Faith is taxed then more than ever. True, it has blessed encouragements, but the encouragements are not given for nothing. Those whom the Lord most helps, have temptations to unbelief which His ordinary servants know little of, and from which the boldest might well shrink. He is but poorly taught, who thinks that any of Gods children on earth ever walk by sight.

III. The consciousness of Gods presence best goes with deep reverence and profound humility. The people were not to come near the Ark by a space of more than half a mile. With so much reason to love God for His mighty works on their behalf, it is just at the point where His goodness should provoke love, that His wisdom finds an occasion to teach them reverence. Glowing with thankfulness for Divine help, the very distance at which they are kept teaches them to walk in awe, and sin not. The advance of the Ark for nearly three quarters of a mile in front was calculated no less to teach them humility. There was the Ark, borne only by a few weak priests quite away from its armed guard, and right in the direction of the enemy. It should have been enough to make Israel say once for all, We can do nothing to protect that. Our many thousands of armed men are not needed to guard the Ark, however much, as these rising waters teach us, they may need the Ark to defend them. Thus we have an inter-working of several things: Mighty works are wrought, which tend to provoke love, love must not forget reverence, triumph must go with humility; and then we are taught incidentally by the distant Ark that the position of reverence and humility is after all the very best position in which to see God. Had the Ark been close to the people, few would have seen it; the distance that is favourable for right feelings is also best for clear perception.

1. The tendencies of love to familiarity. Flippant thoughts; flippant quotations of Divine words; flippant prayers.

2. The tendencies of reverence to a cold and stately formality. God loves this no better than irreverence. David is called the man after Gods own heart; seemingly this was most of all on account of his enthusiasm.

IV. Reverence is nothing, and humility is nothing, unless there be also holiness. Sanctify yourselves.

1. Holiness is to be the rule of Gods people in every-day life. Luther said, Holiness consisteth not in a cowl or a garment of gray. When God purifies the heart by faith, the market is sacred as well as the sanctuary; neither remaineth there any work or place which is profane.

We need not bid, for cloisterd cell,
Our neighbour and our work farewell:
The trivial round, the common task,
Would furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves; a road
To bring us, daily, nearer God.Keble.

2. Yet there are solemn seasons in our lives, which demand our special consecration to God. The very work that we do, the journey that we take, the new period of life on which we enter, the special tokens which we have of Gods presence; these, in themselves, may urge on us this old commandment, Sanctify yourselves.

3. Remember that Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. It is said that an atheist, well known to the late Bp. Wilberforce, once contemptuously and flippantly accosted him by saying, Good morning, sir: Can you kindly tell me the way to heaven? With dignity and wisdom quite equal to the occasion, the Bishop is said to have immediately answered, Turn to the RIGHT, and then go straight on. Salvation is through Jesus Christ only; it is never by works, it is also never without works.

SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES

Jos. 3:1-2. THE PENALTIES OF GREATNESS

I. Great encouragements are to be followed by diligent service. The people gladly owned Joshua as their leader, and Joshua at once began to enter on his arduous service. He rose early, and set to work diligently. (See introduction to previous discourse.) It is said that when an ancient Roman was once accused of witchcraft, in drawing away the fertility of his neighbours lands into his own, because he had great crops and theirs were but small, he had brought with him to the place of trial his well-fed oxen, his industrious servants, and the instruments of his husbandry: pointing to them in the presence of his judge, he exclaimed, These are the instruments of my witchcraft, which I diligently apply, and besides these I use none. The idle find that nothing prospers; the diligent, that there is little which fails. Gods blessing comes to men through their efforts, not instead of them.

II. The avowal of the public confidence should be succeeded by prompt efforts for the public good.

1. No one will trust for long those who are slothful.
2. Self-seeking is even worse than idleness. Joshua, in his energy, sought not so much an inheritance for himself, as for all the people.

Self-love thus pushed to social, to divine,
Gives thee to make thy neighbours blessing thine.
Is this too little for the boundless heart?
Extend it, let thy enemies have part.
Grasp the whole world of Reason, Life, and Sense,
In one close system of Benevolence:
Happier as kinder, in whateer degree,
And height of Bliss but height of Charity.

Pope.

III. The utterances of a God-taught mind are to be sustained by the most scrupulous fidelity. It was in no mere enthusiasm that Joshua had promised that the Jordan should be crossed in three days; even if it were so, he here shews himself faithful to his word. Lavater wrote: Words are the wings of actions; with too many they are wings to nothing but the tongue. How much higher than the common estimate of the dignity of speech was that of the late Canon Kingsley, when he gave utterance to the following thoughts: What is it which makes men different from all other living things we know of? Is it not speechthe power of words? The beasts may make each other understand many things, but they have no speech. These glorious thingswordsare mans right alone, part of the image of the Son of Godthe Word of God, in which man was created. If men would but think what a noble thing it is to be able to speak in words, to think in words, to write in words! Without words we should know no more of each others hearts and thoughts than the dog knows of his fellow dog; without words to think in, for if you will consider, you always think to yourself in words, though you do not speak them aloud; and without them all our thoughts would be mere blind longings, feelings which we could not understand ourselves. Without words to write in we could not know what our forefathers didwe could not let our children after us know what we do.

If such be the dignity of speech, how sacred our words ought to be. Think of the careless words, the deceitful words, the vain words, the malicious words, the slanderous words, in which men sin with their tongues. No wonder, when we think of the high dignity and distinctive privilege of speech, that Jesus Christ should say, Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment. When the Saviour speaks thus of men generally, what manner of persons ought His disciples to be in all holy conversation and godliness? And when God gives to men special light, and a prominent position, how carefully they should speak, and with what holy fidelity should they seek to let none of their words fall to the ground.
If preferred, the subject of these two verses might be thrown into some such form as the following: I. The responsibilities imposed by great encouragements. II. The responsibilities imposed by the confidence of our fellows. III The responsibilities imposed by words based on superior know edge.

Jos. 3:3-4. FOLLOWING AFTER GOD.

I. He who follows God in His covenant must follow Him at all times and everywhere. Of what use would it have been for Israel to have marched after the pillar of cloud in the wilderness, where there were no rivers and no enemies, if they had refused to follow the ark through Jordan?

1. Men select the paths of life, even when conscience points clearly to one, and no better reason than personal preference can be found for the other. Even Christian men are found doing this. Unlawful callings, questionable companions; forbidden pleasures. Bye-Path Meadow looks fairer to walk in than the Kings highway, and men choose the pleasant, irrespective of where it leads.

2. Men select the principles which guide and direct life. Political society is made up of parties; it would be very interesting, but perhaps not a little humiliating, could we know how far father, mother, friends, and family traditions have had to do with the formation of these distinctive associations of men, and how far each member of political society has been guided and ruled by principles. Religious society is made up of many denominations; how far are these the outcome of taste, preference, and love of ease? It is not a little strange to think how many Christian men inherit not only their bodies from their parents, but also their consciences and their creeds. It is fashionable in high life to think much of descent, and to trace it through as many generations as possible: think of the divine historian writing down for our perusal presently the ancestry of our individual conscience, and the genealogy of our personal faith. What a book it will be! What a holy satire on ecclesiastical polemics, and on the enthusiasm of our Christian (!) controversies!

3. Men select the duties of life. Some are ignored as inconvenient, while others are performed because they are not so particularly troublesome; and when the process is over, the performer lies down to sleep, softly murmuring to himself as a preliminary dream, I am a Christian; I am a Christian too.

4. Men carry this idea of selection even to the precepts of the Bible. As Dr. Bushnell has forcibly pointed out, we have respectable sin and sin unrespectable, where the Scriptures make no such distinction. Fancy any church gravely proposing to exclude a member for being covetous or a railer. Yet these are deliberately included by the apostle with the fornicators and idolaters, with whom, if called brethren, he told the Corinthians not even to eat. People are quite willing to think that some of the sins named in 1Co. 6:9-10, are fatal to a Christian profession; judging by the love of money and the love of scandal current in many churches, they seem equally willing to forget that in these same verses it is said of extortioners, of the covetous, and of revilers, they shall not inherit the kingdom of God. With ever so much indignation against Darwin and Spencer, Tyndal and Huxley, the Church also has not only its theory but its practice of Natural Selection, and the survival of the fittest. The inconvenient commandments of God are pushed out of life, and left to weakness and death, while such as are thought bearable, and at the same time helpful to respectability, are selected as the essentials of piety, and made, according to the doctrine that prevails, the sign of a living faith or a direct passport to eternal life. O for more grace that shall lead Christians everywhere to say from the heart, Lord, I will follow Thee withersoever Thou goest.

II. He who follows God fully must be prepared for much walking by faith. He who commits his way unto the Lord will often be led to wonder at the strangeness of the path. There is no saying where the next steps will take him; they may lead into darkness quite beyond the power of human ken, and into depths where the only voice that reaches the ear will be simply one that says, Take no thought for to-morrow. This is not by any means the only instance where those who follow the Lord have had to walk through the place of mighty waters, and where the only thing seen interposing between themselves and destruction has been the covenant which told of help from an omnipotent Arm, and of love and sympathy and care from a Fathers heart.

III. He who follows God need have no fear; for when men really follow, God Himself goes before. God asks us to go nowhere and do nothing in which He is not willing to be with us. If God be with us, that is salvation; the very rocks will have water for our thirst, the skies manna for our hunger, the torrent a path for our feet, and even the walled cities will fail to lend to our adversaries any sufficient defence.

IV. He who follows God will constantly find himself walking in new paths. Ye have not passed this way heretofore. There will be new service, new experiences, new prayers, and new songs, till he shall enter into the heavenly inheritance, and take his part with celestial hosts in singing the song of the Lamb. The way down to death is ever the way to obscurity and contractedness, till it ends in the darkness and narrowness of the grave; the way after God is incessant development and increasing light, till it leads into the broad expanse of heaven, and into the effulgent brightness of the Divine presence and glory.

Jos. 3:4, last clause. SERMON FOR A NEW YEAR

When the Israelites heard the evil report of the ten spies, and rebelled against Moses, God said of all of them under twenty, Your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years. During that long period the people must have become very familiar with the desert; its principal geographical features would be known by heart to men who frequently crossed old tracks and re-trod old paths. Crossing the Jordan, the way would be strange and altogether new; it would be new, moreover, not merely in a geographical sense, but altogether, to most of them, a totally fresh kind of experience. That they might know this way, which they had not passed heretofore, they were to follow the ark, and follow it in such a manner that each could see i for himself. Time has strange paths an new experiences as well as territory, and the teaching of God to keep the Ark of the Covenant in sight is important, not only in the one case, but equally so in the other. We who know not what a day may bring forth may well wonder into what strange and new paths we may be led by a whole year. Happy is he who can walk every step with his faith directed to a present God, and his eye looking into that covenant which is A lamp unto the feet and a light unto the path.

I. The year upon which we have entered may bring new perplexities; therefore we should seek afresh the Divine guidance. Financially, socially, spiritually, the days may form a very labyrinth and maze about us. How are we to walk where our own discernment is insufficient, and when the wisdom of men would be only as the blind leading the blind? It is said that when Philip of Maccdon was about to set out on his Persian expedition, he sent to consult the oracle of Delphi as to the issue of the war. The answer was given with the usual ambiguity, The bull is crowned, everything is ready, and the sacrificer is at hand, a reply which would do equally well to foreshadow the kings victory or depict his death. Within a few days Philip was slain with the sword of the assassin Pausanias. These old oracular utterances form a grim satire on the advice of men, not a little of which is given more with a view of avoiding responsibility, than of affording genuine direction. Jonah was by no means the last of the race who think more of the prestige of the prophet than of the fate of the city. What with human selfishness and human blindness, we often need better guidance than that of our fellows. He is led well and wisely who makes the Scriptures the man of his counsel,who prays, Shew me Thy ways, O Lord, teach me Thy paths; for The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will shew them His covenant.

II. The year may bring new afflictions; therefore we should each cultivate a closer union with God. He who forms a lowly habit of depending on Divine help, gradually gets his life rooted and grounded into the life of God. Growing up into Him who is our strength in days which are calm, we are not likely to fail in the day of tempest and storm. How the ivy clings to the strong oak, just because when the last rough wind which had loosened it ceased to blow, it began afresh to knit fibre to fibre, and ivy-root to oak bark, so as to be prepared for the trial that should come next. Nature uses her calms in preparing for her storms. So should we use the peace and prosperity of the present to anticipate the possible strife and adversity of the future.

III. The year may bring new temptations, and therefore calls on us to watch and pray. As we get older we are apt to grow into a careless feeling of security. Men virtually say, I have stood, I do stand; therefore I shall stand. Christian history should rather teach us to put it, I have stood, I do stand; therefore I may grow careless and fall. It was just after the destruction of Sodom which threw Abrahams fidelity into prominence, by disclosing the fall of Lot and the guilt of the cities of the plain, that the father of the faithful denied his wife. It was the long-tried Moses who sinned at Meribah. It was after David had so long behaved himself wisely before Saul; after he had danced before the ark, written many a sweet song for Israel, and volunteered to build the temple, that he turned adulterer and murderer. It was long after his noble confession, at the end of all the miracles, and when he had for years delighted in the teaching and love of the Saviour, that Peter said, I know not the man.

IV. The year will discover new duties, and thus requires our re-consecration to the service of Christ. There will be new demands for work, new opportunities, and new responsibilities. The ardour and zeal of the past will suffice but poorly for the labour of the future. It was on the first day of the first month that this Ark of the Covenant was set up; it was Gods new years gift to encourage His people to a year of fresh work and worship. When David was called from the sheepfold to be a king, Samuel anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord; the new sphere and the new duties were anticipated in this customary act of formal consecration. So we need stage by stage throughout our lives an unction from the Holy One.

V. The year may bring new privileges, which we should be prepared to embrace. The new way will have new scenery, new possessions, new joys, and should have new songs. As a traveller in classic Rome, or among the mountains of Switzerland, provides himself with a guide, that he may see as many things and points of interest as possible, so we should be careful to search out the mercies which are new every morning, and often place ourselves where broad views of Divine greatness and love shall gladden our spirits and renew our life.

VI. The year may reveal a new life and a fresh inheritance; therefore we should be prepared for death. Our cold river may also have to be crossed. Shall we find on the other side the New Jerusalem, and one of the many mansions ready for us? Shall we find again, waiting for us there, our loved ones, who have already departed to be with Christ; and with them, and the whole host of the redeemed, take our part in the New Song?

Jos. 3:5-6.

I. The Lords wonderful works demanding His peoples special sanctification. This is by no means a solitary instance in which God requires His great works to be received by man with peculiar holiness. (Cf. Exo. 19:10; Num. 11:18; Joe. 2:15-32.) If the more wonderful workings of God are not met on our part by increased holiness, they will assuredly do us harm. The Pentecost that blessed three thousand, probably left a multitude in Jerusalem harder in their hearts than ever.

II. The Lords wonderful works demanding His peoples devoutest reverence. The priests carried the ark only on very solemn occasions. They, and not the Kohathites, were the bearers here. It was the same in the march around Jericho, and in other important events where God was, or was supposed to be, specially present. The same feeling was taught to Moses; with God before him in the burning bush, he was to put his shoes from off his feet; with God passing by, he was to hide himself in the cleft of the rock; and when God met His servant on Sinai, we are told that it was amidst such manifestations of power and majesty, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake. Fabers beautiful hymn, beginning

My God, how wonderful Thou art!

is written throughout with exquisite feeling, beautifully expounding the awe that should go with love, and the rapture that may mingle with our lowliest adoration.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Gods Instructions to Jos. 3:1-8

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.
2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;
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.
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.
5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.
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.
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.
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.

1. Where was Shittim? Jos. 3:1

Shittim was Israels last camping place east of Jordan before entering Palestine. The camp is described as being in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan by Jericho (Num. 22:1). Here Israel stayed, and the people were ensnared. They began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. As they called to them to sacrifice to their gods, the people ate of the abominable sacrifices and bowed down to their gods (Num. 25:1-2). The camp itself must have been quite extensive, for it is described as being by the Jordan from Beth-jesimoth even to Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab (Num. 33:49). The word Shittim is an abbreviation of Abel-shittim. It has been identified as Tell el-shamman in the plains of Moab opposite Jericho. Trees still fringe the upper terraces of the Jordan with a green border. It was near Mount Peor, and the heathen god which was worshiped here was known as Baal-peor (Num. 25:3). As soon as the spies who had been sent out from Shittim returned to the camp, Joshua lost no time in making the final preparations to cross Jordan. He rose early on the next morning and commanded the Israelites to move to the banks of the Jordan, At this point they paused before they passed over into Canaan.

Why did the Israelites stay three days at the side of Jordan? Jos. 3:2

In the first place, Israel was preparing to pass into an enemys country. They not only had an army to prepare, but there were all the people (including wives and children) and all their possessions to move. The river had first of all to be crossed. Hence, it must have been necessary to make many preparations. This would easily occupy two or three days. Moreover, at this time Jordan was high and was seen to overflow its banks, so it was impossible to cross the fords. They were obliged to wait until this obstruction was removed. These three days were in addition to the three days which they had spent in waiting for the return of the spies.

Who were the priests, the Levites? Jos. 3:3

We are not to understand these as ordinary Levites, but the Levitical priests who were entrusted with the Ark. According to Num. 4:4, the Kohathites were appointed to carry the holy vessels, which included the Ark of the Covenant, on the journey through the desert. It was the priests, however, and not the Levites who were the true bearers and guardians of the holy things. We may see this from the fact that the priests had first of all to wrap up these holy things in a careful manner before they handed them over to the Kohathites. Thus, they might not touch the holy things and die. On solemn occasions, when the Ark was to be brought out in all its full significance and glory, it was not the Levites but the priests who bore the Ark of the Covenant. All priests were Levites but not all Levites were priests. Priests were the direct descendants of Aaron. Aaron was the son of Kohath, who was one of three sons of Levi. The Levites were descendants of Levi and might have been from the family of Gershon or Merari as well as the family of Kohath. To identify these Levites as being full priests would be a mistake. We might call them priestly Levites inasmuch as they had the responsibility to carry the holy vessels which were under the direct care of the priests. The distance between the people and the Ark was set at two thousand cubits. Two thousand cubits would be equivalent to three thousand feet, making the distance something like three-fifths of a mile. During the wilderness wandering it was customary for the standard of the tribe of Judah to be carried at the forefront-of the band. Those who marched with him were in this first group and then followed along the sons of Gershon and Merari who carried the curtains, boards, and Other parts of the Tabernacle itself. Behind these Levites came the standard of Reuben and with him were those who marched in his contingent. It was only at this point that the Kohathites moved forward bearing thel vessels of the sanctuary. They in turn were followed by the standard of the camp of Ephraim and those with him. In the final group in the normal order of march were those associated with the camp of Dan. This crossing of the Jordan was an unusual march, and the Ark was set far in the forefront.

4. Why did the Ark go before the people? Jos. 3:4

The Ark was carried at a distance before the people not so much to show them the road as to make a road for them. In dividing the Jordan, God was leading them to Canaan by a way which they had never traversed before, i.e. by a miraculous way. The Ark was kept in the sanctuary, the Tabernacle, their holy meeting place. The chamber housing the Ark was called the Holy of Holies. The Ark itself was the holiest of all the holy furniture in the holy place. As such, it signified the very focal point of Gods meeting place with the people of Israel. When it led them in crossing Jordan, it was thought God Himself was going before them,

Of what did the peoples sanctification consist? Jos. 3:5

This sanctification did not consist in their washing their clothing, for there was not time for this. Neither did it consist in merely changing their clothes, which might be a substitute for washing (Gen. 35:2). This consecration was more than the abstinence from connubial intercourse (Exo. 19:15), for this was only the outward side of sanctification. It consisted in spiritual purification also. This was turning the heart to God, in faith and trust in His promise, and in willing obedience to His commandments. Only in such a frame of heart and mind would Israel be prepared for Gods leading them into the land of promise.

How was God to magnify ?Jos. 3:7

Joshua was to be glorified before Israel. The miraculous guidance of the people through the Jordan was only the beginning of the whole series of miracles by which the Lord put His people in possession of the Promised Land and glorified Joshua in the sight of Israel in the fulfillment of his office as He had glorified Moses before. Moses was accredited in the sight of the people as the servant of the Lord in whom they could trust by the miraculous division of the Red Sea (Exo. 14:31). Joshua was accredited as the leader of Israel, whom the Almighty God acknowledged as He had His servant Moses, by the similar miracle, the division of the waters of Jordan.

What was the Ark? Jos. 3:8

The Ark of the Covenant is described by several different titles. Some of these are listed here as follows:

Ark of God (1Sa. 3:3)

Ark of the Testimony (Exo. 25:22)

Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah your God (Jos. 3:3)

It was something like a chest. The dimensions were given as follows in Exo. 25:10 :

2 cubits long

cubits high

1 cubits broad

Converting the cubit into feet and inches, we would find the Ark was three feet and nine inches long, two feet and three inches high, and two feet and three inches wide. The chest was constructed of acacia wood which was a fine grained, light and wear-resistant wood found in the Sinaitic area. All of it was overlaid with gold, and it was provided with rings at the four corners through which staves could be thrust enabling carriers to pick up the Ark and move it very handily. Across the top of the Ark was a mercy seat, evidently something like a lid since the dimensions given are the same as the width and length of the Ark. Above the mercy seat were two angelic forms whose wings reached out over the mercy seat and touched in the middle. This central piece of furniture of the Tabernacle symbolized the abiding presence of God among His people. As it was carried before the armies of Israel, it signified their God was leading them when they crossed over into Canaan.

Where were the priests to stop with the Ark? Jos. 3:8

When the priests came to the bank of the Jordan, they were to stand still. They were to form a dam as it were against the force of the water which was miraculously arrested in its course and piled upon a heap. It took a great deal of faith for these men to step into the swirling waters of the flooded river, but their faith was rewarded by a miraculous intervention on the part of the triune God. As these priests stood there while the thousands of Israelites swarmed across the river, they stood as a symbol of Gods abiding presence with His people. Only after men, women and children, flocks and herds had crossed over into Canaan were the priests themselves to come up out of the Jordan into the Promised Land.

What significance was there in the use of the Ark? Jos. 3:8

Moses had divided the Red Sea by stretching over it his rod; Joshua was to do the same to the Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark had been the appointed symbol and vehicle symbolizing the presence of the Almighty God since the conclusion of the covenant. Whenever the ordinary means of grace are at hand, God attaches the operations of His grace to them; for He is a God of order, who does not act in an arbitrary manner in the selection of His means.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

III.
THE PASSAGE OF JORDAN (Jos. 3:1 to Jos. 4:18, inclusive).

Jos. 3:1-6, preliminaries; 3:7- 4:14, the passage of the people and Jos. 4:15-18, the passage of the ark itself.

(1) They removed from Shittim.See Note on Jos. 2:1. Shittim may be called the last stage of the Exodus of Israel, their journeyings according to their goings out (Num. 33:2). The march from Shittim to Jordan is their first march under Joshuathe first stage of their Eisodus or coming in.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

THE PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN. Jos 3:1-17.

Immediately after the return of the spies, or possibly before this event, the Israelites leave their long occupied camp at Shittim, and move to the banks of the Jordan. A nation moving toward a swollen and angry river with perfect confidence that they should cross it, and yet in perfect ignorance of the manner of such an achievement, is a spectacle of thrilling moral sublimity. Thus marched Moses with the Hebrew people to the Red Sea.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1. Rose early in the morning According to a necessary custom in hot countries to work by night or early dawn and rest at noonday. Compare Gen 19:2; Gen 19:27; Gen 20:3; Gen 28:18.

Came to Jordan Not close up to the brink of the river, but within some two thousand cubits of it. Jos 3:4.

Lodged there Not merely spent one night there, as some understand, but abode there (for often has this sense) three days, as the next verse most naturally explains.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Chapter 3. The Momentous Crossing of the Jordan.

Joshua removed from Shittim to the River Jordan, where they stayed a short while, after which the people were directed to move once they saw the Ark being borne by the priests, and the distance that they should keep from it because it was holy. They were ordered to sanctify themselves against the next day, when wonders would be wrought, and then the priests would be ordered to take up the Ark and go in front of the people. Joshua was encouraged by YHWH, and instructed to command the priests, when they came to the Jordan, to stand still in it. So he declared to all the people that, as a token that God would drive the Canaanites from before them, as soon as the feet of the priests bearing the ark should tread in the waters of Jordan, the waters would be parted, and make way for them to pass through. And this was what actually happened so that all the Israelites passed over on dry ground.

Jos 3:1

‘ And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and they removed from Shittim and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and stayed there temporarily before they passed over.’

The following morning Joshua gave orders and they struck camp and moved to the edge of the Jordan, where they set up a temporary encampment. The excitement must have been intense. The big moment for which they had waited so long had arrived.

“Joshua rose up early in the morning.” Compare Jos 6:12; Jos 7:16; Jos 8:10. He wanted to make full use of the day. While the people did have lampstands which gave off dim light, daytime was the time for doing things, and people therefore tended to rise at dawn and go to bed ‘early’, especially when something important was going on.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Israel Crosses Over the Jordan River Jos 3:1 to Jos 4:24 records the account of Israel’s crossing of the Jordan River.

Jos 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.

Jos 3:4 Comments – The children of Israel had been led through the wilderness for forty years by a divine manifestation of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. There were perhaps several million Israelites crossing over the Jordan River. They needed to see those leading them in order to walk in the right direction, since they no longer had the cloud or pillar of fire to guide them. Therefore, Joshua sent the Levites with the ark ahead of them two thousand cubits. They were now to be led by faith in the Word and the Law of God.

Jos 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.

Jos 3:7 Comments – Unbelievers and those weak in their faith in God need a sign and a wonder to stimulate their faith. God was going to work a miracle for the children of Israel so that they would be willing to follow and obey Joshua.

Jos 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,)

Jos 3:15 Comments – The waters of the Jordan River returned to its normal flow in Jos 4:18.

Jos 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.”

Jos 4:13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.

Jos 4:13 “About forty thousand prepared for war” – Comments – According to the last census taken in Numbers 26:

Reuben was 43,730 men of war (Num 26:7).

Gad was 40,500 men of war (Num 26:18).

Manasseh was 52,700 men of war (Num 26:34).

The grand total is 136,930 men of war in these three tribes.

If you count half of Manasseh, the number of men able to go to war was 110,580 men. So, if around 40,000 men crossed over, this left about 70,000 men who stayed with their wives and children. Therefore, about one third of the men from these tribes crossed over, and two thirds stayed in their territories.

Jos 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.

Jos 4:14 Comments – People will reverence and obey those whom they fear, just like a young child fears and obeys his father. Israel served God all of Joshua’s days (Jos 24:31), but forsook God quickly afterwards (Jdg 2:10).

Jos 24:31, “And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.” (almost the same verse as Jdg 2:6)

Jdg 2:10, “And also all that generation (Joshua’s generation) were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.”

Jos 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.

Jos 4:18 Comments – The waters of the Jordan River were stopped in Jos 3:15.

Jos 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,)”

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

The Instructions for Crossing

v. 1. And Joshua rose early in the morning, on the fourth day after his great proclamation, Jos 1:11. And they removed from Shittim, where their headquarters had been situated, and came to Jordan, a matter of about two hours’ journey, during which they observed the usual order of march, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over, they rested for some time, probably during the noon-hour.

v. 2. And it came to pass after three days, those named in the order of Joshua, Jos 1:11, that the officers, the officials in charge of the mustering, went through the host, during this pause in the day’s march;

v. 3. and they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, your God, Exo 25:10-22, and the priests, the Levites, the priests of the sons of Levi who were charged with this work, bearing it, at the head of the army, as it seems to have been done once before, Num 10:33, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it, in the orderly array commanded by God.

v. 4. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure (three thousand feet). Come not near unto it, they were to observe this respectful distance, lest their vanguard hide the Ark of the Covenant from the great number of the marchers, that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore. It was not that the people were in danger of losing their way to the river, but that the Lord wanted them to note the miracle by which He opened the way to Canaan before their eyes.

v. 5. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves; after establishing camp for the night they were to engage in spiritual purification, typified also by the washing of their clothes and of their bodies, thus turning their hearts to God, in faith and trust in His promise, and in willing obedience to His commands, that they might rightly take to heart the miracle of grace which the Lord would perform among them the next day; for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. The passage of Jordan took place on the tenth of Nisan, Jos 4:19.

v. 6. And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the Ark of the Covenant and pass over before the people. This was the special work of the sons of Kohath, Num 4:15, and the order referred to the actual time of marching. and they took up the Ark of the Covenant and went before the people, this statement either anticipating the actual event, or having reference to the fact that the priests took up their station at the head of the army, ready for the march of the next day.

v. 7. And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, for the miraculous crossing of Jordan was only the first of a series of wonders by which the Lord placed His people in possession of the Land of Promise and confirmed Joshua in his position as leader of the people, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. Cf Jos 1:2-9.

v. 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, the eastern bank or slope of the river, as it descended to the bed of the stream, ye shall stand still in Jordan, thus forming, as it were, a dam to hold back the waters rushing down from the north. The Ark of the Covenant here appears as the emblem of God’s almighty presence. To this day God has bound His children to the use of certain means of grace, the Word and the Sacraments. Where these are administered, there the true, living God is present, there we find evidences of God’s power and mercy, of His protection and blessing.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

EXPOSITION

THE COMMAND.

Jos 3:1

And Joshua rose up early in the morning, i.e; after the return of the spies, and most likely (see Jos 1:10, Jos 1:11) on the morning on which the announcement was made to the children of Israel that they were to cross the Jordan. “This newes is brought but overnight, Joshua is on his way by morning, and prevents the sunne for haste. Delays, whether in the business of God or our owne, are hatefull and prejudiciall. Many a one loses the land of promise by lingering; if we neglect God’s time, it is just with Him to crosse us in ours” (Bp. Hall). And they removed from Shittim. Literally, from the acacias (see note on Jos 2:1). To do this completely, and to be quite ready for the crossing, would, as Rosenmuller thinks, require the greater part of three days. But it adds that “they lodged () there before they passed over.” But this need be no difficulty. The great mass of the people could easily leave the acacia meadows on the higher ground, and encamp on the brink of the Jordan, while the remaining two days might be spent in making the necessary arrangements for the crossing. For we must remember (as Keil observes) that, not only a body of armed men, but their women and children, and all their possessions, had to be led safely across. “Though they were not told how they should pass the river, yet they went forward in faith, having been told (Jos 1:11), that they should pass it” (Matthew Henry).

Jos 3:2

The officers. LXX; (see Jos 1:10). This is evidently the history of the fulfilment of the command there given by Joshua. There he orders the officers to pass through the host; here the command is fulfilled. There is no reasonable doubt that the spies had returned before the order recorded in Jos 1:10 had been given. Many commentators have raised objections to the order of the narrative in this and in the following chapter; and commentators like Houbigant, Masius (who says, “Narrationis ordo admodum perturbatus”), and Bishop Horsley, have suggested a different order of the verses. But Delitzsch has observed that the narrative is drawn up in a threefold order. First, the commencement of the crossing is detailed, from Jos 1:7-17 of this chapter; then (Jos 4:1-14), its further progress; lastly (Jos 4:15-24), its conclusion. And in each separate paragraph we have

(1) God’s command to Joshua;

(2) Joshua’s command to the people; and

(3) their fulfilment of his command.

Thus the Divine command, the human leadership, and the measures taken in obedience to that leadership are kept in close connection throughout. We need not suppose (he adds) that each separate act was enjoined at the moment when the necessity for the injunction arrived. Nor, we may add, is it necessary to suppose that every intimation given by God to Joshua is necessarily recorded in chronological order (see note on Jos 2:1) We are only to understand by the order followed by the sacred historian, that he desires to impress fully upon his readers how entirely every step taken by Joshua was taken at the express command of God. The idea of Paulus, Eichhorn, Ewald, Knobel, and others, that this account is compiled from two or more different documents, would not only require us to suppose great clumsiness in the compiler, if their view of his work be true, but is wholly unnecessary. The text involves no contradictions; only an amount of repetition, which is an essential feature of all the early Hebrew historical narratives, as is evident to the most casual observer, and is a proof, not of compilation, but of the antiquity of the document, and the simplicity and absence of art of the writer. Ewald has remarked that it is characteristic of the Hebrew historians to mention the termination of the event as soon as possible, and then to fill in their outline by the narration of intermediate circumstances (see Jos 1:1-18; Jos 3:1-17; Jos 6:1-27; Jos 7:1-26, of the Book of Joshua). As a specimen of the way in which contradictions are manufactured, we may take Knobel’s assertion that the two statements that the people came to Jordan, and that there was a space of 2,000 cubits between them and the priests, are irreconcilable. As though it were not possible that the 2,000 cubits were to be measured along the river, and that the priests were ordered to walk along the bank until it was signified to them that they had arrived at the place of crossing. For we are plainly told that this distance was to be preserved that the people might “know the way which they must go” (verse 4).

Jos 3:3

And they commanded the people, saying. These words are interesting as showing that all was orderly in the Israel-irish camp. Everything was carried on according to the strictest rules of military discipline. The removal of the ark was to be the signal for the advance of the whole host. The ark of the covenant. We may with advantage compare the religious use of the ark here and in Jos 6:1-27; with its superstitious use in 1Sa 4:3, 1Sa 4:4. We do not read that when the Israelites were defeated at Ai, Joshua took the ark with him in a march to repair the disaster. Such a misuse of the symbol of God’s Presence was only possible in days when faith had grown cold. When the Israelites had need of supernatural guidance, when they were placed in circumstances where no use of their own unaided powers could guide them, then they must repair to the ark of God. There they must seek counsel, this they must set before them to guide their ways. But to regard it as a charm which could possibly atone for their want of faith and their lack of obedience, was to profane it. Such temptations as these Jesus Christ resisted in the wilderness; such temptations Christians must resist now. We have no right to seek for supernatural aids where natural ones will suffice usno right to invoke the special intervention of God till we have exhausted all the means He has placed at our disposal. Above all, we have no right to expect Him to save us from the consequences of our own sin and disobedience except on His own condition, that we shall truly repent. We may further remark that the Pillar of the Cloud and the fire, like the manna, had ceased, and even the ark of the covenant only preceded the Israelites on special occasions. The priests the Levites. This phrase has given rise to some discussion. Some editions of the LXX; as well as some Hebrew MSS; read, “the priests and the Levites.” The Chaldee and Syriac versions have the same reading. The Vulgatemore correctly, as it would seemrenders “sacerdotes stirpis Levitiae,” i.e; “the priests who are of the tribe of Levi” (see Jos 8:33, Num 4:18, and Deu 31:9). Keil’s explanation that this expression must be taken in opposition to non-Levitical and, therefore, unlawful priests, seems hardly satisfactory. It is not till much laterin fact, till the time of Jeroboamthat we hear of unlawful priests. It is more probable that it is intended to emphasise the position of Levi as the sacerdotal tribe, the one tribe which had no share in the operations of the war. So Rabbi Solomon Jarchi explains it, citing the B’reshith Babbah, which states that the phrase is found in forty-five places in the Bible, with the meaning that the priests are of the tribe of Levi.

Jos 3:4

There shall be a space between you and it. Perhaps in order that they might keep it in view. This agrees best with the remainder of the verse, “that ye may know the way by which ye must go.” Keil remarks that, had the Israelites pressed close on the heels of the priests who bore the ark, this would have defeated the very object with which the ark was carried before the people, namely, to point them out the way that they should go. But Cornelius Lapide among the earlier commentators and Knobel among the moderns hold that it was the sacredness of the ark which rendered it necessary that there should be a space of more than half a mile between it and the Israelites. Jarchi says the space was “in honour of God.” We may learn hence that irreverent familiarity with sacred things is not the best way to obtain guidance in the way in which God would have us walk. “What awfull respects doth God require to be given unto the testimony of His presence? Uzzah paid deare for touching it; the men of Bethshemesh for looking into it. It is a dangerous thing to bee too bold with the ordinances of God” (Bp. Hall). “Neither was it onely for reverence that the arke must be wayted on afarre, but for convenience” (Ibid). “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” (Matthew Henry in loc). (Cf. Num 4:19, Num 4:20; 1Sa 6:19; 2Sa 6:6, 2Sa 6:7; also Exo 19:21) The original here is more emphatic than the translation. “Only there shall be a distance (LXX. ) between you and it.” Ye have not passed this way heretofore. Literally, ye have not crossed since yesterday, the third day. Paulus would translate this “lately,” and thus get rid of the miracle, regarding it as an intimation that they were crossing at one of the fords. But they had not crossed the Jordan at all before. Consequently the translation lately is inadmissible. And even if they had been crossing Jordan by one of the fords, there is, as we have seen, a wide difference between crossing at the ford in ordinary times and crossing it when Jordan had overflowed its banks. This is a fair sample of the criticism which seeks to explain away miracles, as well as finds discrepancies where there are none.

Jos 3:5

Sanctify yourselves. The Hithpahel, which is used here, is frequently used of ceremonial purification, as in Exo 19:22; 1Ch 15:12, 1Ch 15:14; 2Ch 5:11; and especially 2Sa 11:4. It is also connected with purification, but ironically, in Isa 66:17. Tomorrow. These words were uttered while all was in preparation. We learn from Isa 66:7, though it is not expressly stated, that the actual crossing took place the next day. We ought, probably, to place this verse in a parenthesis, and to translate “Joshua had said,” because the sanctification (see Exo 19:10, Exo 19:14) involved some definite period. Knobel, however, assumes, as usual, that there is at least a faulty arrangement here. Wonders, or rather, miracles, from to separate, distinguish. They were, therefore, acts distinguished from the ordinary course of God’s providence. We may observe that, while among the Canaanites all was terror and confusion, m the camp of Joshua all was confidence and faith. “Either successe or discomfiture begins ever at the heart. A man’s inward disposition doth more than presage the event. If Satan see us once faint, he gives himselfe the day. There is no way to safety, but that our hearts be the last that shall yield” (Bp. Hall).

Jos 3:6

And Joshua spake. We return now to the ordinary course of the narrative. To the priests. This was because the occasion was an extraordinary one. On ordinary occasions this was the duty of the Kohathites (Num 4:15). And went before the people. The people were to “follow the priests as far as they carried the ark, but no further; so we must follow our ministers only as they follow Christ” (Matthew Henry).

HOMILETICS

Jos 3:1-6

The command to cross Jordan.

We have here a chapter replete with instruction, whether we take the words in their natural and literal or in their figurative and allegorical sense. The instruction is of a kind which it is difficult to gather up into one point of view, so various and many-sided is it. It will be best, therefore, to follow the events of the narrative seriatim, and endeavour to notice the various points which may be observed for instruction and exhortation, rather than to gather up the whole into the materials for one or two separate discourses. We may therefore observe

I. THAT JOSHUA WAS AN EXAMPLE OF DILIGENCE AND PROMPTITUDE. This is urged upon us in matters

(1) of this world;

(2) of the soul.

The maxim

(1) as regards the affairs of this world, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might,” has been exemplified in the history of God’s servants in all ages. They have not been wont to let the grass grow under their feet. “Not slothful in business,” is the precept of St. Paul, and he laboured energetically at his craft while he preached the gospel. When we have a work to do, it is our duty to do it, and not to take our rest till it is done. Procrastination is not only foolish, it is wrong. Habits of industry, punctual attendance to duty, business-like habits, as they are called, are required of every Christian by his profession. And it is remarkable that in no other saint of the Old Testament do we find that virtue so conspicuous as in the great captain, who alone among them was privileged to bear the Saviour’s name.

(2) This is also the case in the affairs of the soul. It is our duty to wait until the will of God is made known. So Samuel waited (1Sa 13:10), and Saul for his unwise haste was censured. But when it is made known, there should be no hesitation, no delay. By such hesitation Moses provoked God’s wrath (Exo 4:10-14). It is a question whether Gideon did well to prove the Lord repeatedly (Jdg 6:36-40). Balaam was involved in the most grievous sin by not being content with God’s decisive answer to his prayer (Num 22:12). Many a good man makes shipwreck of his work, and some of their faith also, by hesitating to carry out a plain command of God, by waiting for some additional manifestation of His pleasure, or some opportunity to do that for which an opportunity should be made. The time of waiting in Joshua’s case was over. The spies had brought back their report; the way was open; the command clear. The very next morning, and that early, the preparations were made for the decisive step which committed Israel to the struggle which lay before them. So in the work which God has set us. When the path of duty is clear, we are bound to enter upon it at once.

II. OBSERVE THE FAITH OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. They implicitly obeyed Joshua’s command, though it seemed the very height of folly. Jordan was overflowed; the ordinary fords were impassable; there was no way through the river. They had been told that “within three days they should cross Jordan, and there is neither murmuring nor disputing. So we ought to follow the directions of our Joshua, even where success seems hopeless. It is want of faith alone which hinders us from performing like impossibilities now. The mountain of difficulty will ever be removed by the purpose of faith. When a duty lies before us, we must set about performing it as far as our human strength goes. What lies beyond it, we must leave to God. And we shall find that the same power which rolled back the waves of the Jordan can arrest the overrunning flood of ungodliness, the headlong stream of the opposition of evil men. Where no way appears to human eyes, there can He make one when He pleases, “Whose way is in the sea, and His path in the great waters.”

III. THE ARK OF THE COVENANT MUST GO BEFORE, i.e; the visible signs and symbols of God’s presence. The ark contained the law of God and the mannathat is, God’s Word, and His sacraments and ordinances. Over it was the mercy-seat, the token of the presence of Christ, in whom sin and pardon meet. We can but go in the path marked out for us by these. His Word is “a lantern to our feet, and a light unto our paths.” His earthly life has been lived as a pattern to us. His presence is “with us always, even unto the end of the world,” to animate and to guide. The visible signs and tokens of His presence among us are to be reverenced and kept in view, lest the “remembrance of Him,” which He ordered to be kept up, should perish from off the earth. By thus keeping Him ever in view, in public as well as in private, in the visible sanctuary as well as in the sanctuary of our own hearts, we shall pass through the “waves and storms of this troublesome world,” and attain to the eternal rest at last.

IV. THERE MUST BE NO UNDUE FAMILIARITY WITH SACRED THINGS. A space is kept between the people and the ark. So between His perfect example and our imperfect obedience there is a gulf which cannot be passed over. We are ever pressing forward in the direction of it; we never thoroughly attain to it (Php 3:13, Php 3:14). Again, we learn that reverence is the best means towards knowledge of spiritual things. “Not to be wise above what is written” is good advice. The mysteries of the kingdom of God are hidden from the “wise and prudent” in their own estimation, and are “revealed unto babes” (cf. 1Co 2:1-16). This is true, both in opinion and in action. Those who think that all the deepest questions that concern humanity are to be settled by argument and logic, rather than by teachableness, experience, and prayer, are likely to end with a very moderate acquaintance with the “deep things of God.” Those who look upon God’s Word as a common book, or Christ’s sacraments as simple symbols, without any mystery about them, even to the faithful worshipper, are likely to deprive themselves of a very necessary help and guidance in their way through the world. Awe, and reverence, and a sense of the mystery as well as the nearness of the Unseen, are among the most necessary features of a life that seeks aright after the perfection of man’s nature.

V. THE MINISTERS MUST LEAD THE WAY. Without any undue sacerdotal pretensions, it may at least be said that if the ministers of Christ’s Church be not the guides and teachers of the people, we were better without them. Yet, as Matthew Henry remarks, we are only to follow them when they follow Christ. Nor is there any contradiction in this. It is our duty ever to “search the Scriptures, whether these things are so.” We are to “prove all things,” to “hold fast” only “that which is good.” But it is the duty of those whose province it is to “rule the Church of God” to be ever foremost in every good work. It is idle to preach if we do not practice. It is useless to exhort men to follow the right path, unless we ourselves go before them in the way. An officer cheers his men into action not from behind, but from the front. So the officers of God’s army should be in the van of its progress. Therefore in all things which become the Christian, the Christian minister must set the example. In zeal for his Master’s cause, in unwearied efforts to promote it, in purity of life, in acts of love to the sick and aged, to the young and tender, in kindness to all, in public spirit moreover, and regard for the general welfare, in honour, in truth, in prudence, in self command, in self abnegation, the ordained servant of God should be in the forefront of the grand army. But the army must follow its leaders. It is not sufficient to lay down a high ideal for our officers, and to consider that the part of the privates is to criticise sharply and closely the actions of those who are set over them. Whatever. they do, we must do also. Where they go, we must go too. We are all pledged to the same work, and, taking our tone from those who are appointed to lead us, we must lead a life animated by the same spirit as theirs, the Spirit of the living God.

VI. A SPECIAL WORK REQUIRES A SPECIAL PREPARATION. Joshua bids the Israelites “sanctify themselves” because God was about to “do wonders among” them. So when we set about any work of more than ordinary importance, be it sacred or be it secular, we are bound to prepare ourselves by prayer, by meditation, by reception of the Holy Communion, by a special study of God’s Word, by a cessation, as far as possible, of ordinary cares and engagements, for the task that awaits us. Thus Jesus Christ spent the night before choosing His apostles in prayer to God. Thus before His Passion He withdrew Himself for a while from the concourse of men. Thus the apostles waited in silence at Jerusalem for the descent of the Holy Spirit. Thus St. Paul spent three years in Arabia communing with God before he entered on his life-long work. God’s Spirit is ever near us, but at special times He requires to be specially sought. And he who never permits himself a moment’s retirement from the ordinary business and amusements of life may well doubt whether God’s Spirit have really a hold on his soul.

HOMILIES BY S.R. ALDRIDGE

Jos 3:5

Preparation for beholding displays of Divine power.

With what longing eyes must the Israelites have looked upon the river which they were soon to cross. Hope had been deferred for years. The promised land, fertile and beautiful, seemed to disappear from their sight, as did the fruit and water from the eager hands and parched lips of Tantalus. Could it, then, be really true that on the morrow the boundary line would separate them from their inheritance no more? By the Jordan the Israelites were encamped, and the command of the text sounded in their ears, “Sanctify yourselves.” This was to be THE PEOPLE‘S PREPARATION FOR GOD‘S WORE AMONGST THEM. Probably the injunction respected rather the hearts than the dress and bodies of the people. It invoked a seriousness of deportment befitting the solemn ceremony of the coming day, an examination of themselves, a recalling of the facts of their past history, a mourning over their numerous transgressions, and a resolve henceforth to serve the Lord. We believe that in endeavouring to ascertain the reasons which dictated the advice of the text, we shall be meditating on truths profitable to our own souls.

I. SANCTIFICATION WOULD FIT THEM TO BEHOLD THE MANIFESTED PRESENCE OF GOD. Emblem, ritual, and precept were unceasingly employed to remind the Israelites of the holiness of God. They were to observe the sanitary regulations, because “the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of the camp.” Before their offerings could be accepted they must purify themselves with ablutions. And, above all, they were excluded from the tabernacle where God’s dwelling was, and into the Holiest only the high priest could enter once a year. Now every prodigy was the special coming of Jehovah into the midst of Israel. Whilst really present in the unceasing operations of nature, nevertheless it was on the occasion of the miraculous that God seemed to put aside the veil and to draw nigh in person. Hence the need that the Israelites should be sanctified. Holiness consumes impurity as light destroys darkness. The people must prepare themselves to stand in the glory of God’s presence. So was it required at the appearance of the Almighty on Sinai, and before the wondrous shower of quails, and so afterwards for the battle of Ai; otherwise would “the Lord break forth upon them.” Whilst we are not under the terrors of the law, yet reverence beseemeth us in our approach to the “Father of our spirits.” We would not rush heedlessly to communion with Him, nor fall into levity while upon our knees. With us, too, there are times when we must sanctify ourselves for the special manifestation of the Divine. Sin amongst Christians is a chief obstacle to the accomplishment of signs and wonders in the name of Jesus.

II. SANCTIFICATION WOULD PREPARE THEM TO APPRECIATE THE GREATNESS OF THE MIRACLE. As was the case with the “mighty works” of our Lord, these wonders of the Old Testament were not wrought simply to assist men in their straits and feebleness, but to exert an ethical influence upon them, teaching the power and love of God. Now that the Israelites were about to enter upon their inheritance, the time was fitting one for signal marks of Divine favour and might. But in order that the miracle have due weight, previous reflection and expectation were essential. The Israelites were as children whose curiosity must be aroused and excitement intensified by stimulating annunciations. Then, when the notable day dawned, attention would be drawn to every detail, every occurrence, and the more vivid and lasting would he the impressions produced. A miracle silently and suddenly performed would fail of the results intended. Preparation befits our solemn engagements, qualifying us the more quickly to hear the “still small voice,” and to note the “way of God” amongst men. It is well for the passions to be quieted, and the common duties dismissed from the mind, as we near the sacred operations of God. Of what abiding influence would the services of the Lord’s day he capable, if it were possible to spend the previous evening in preparing the mind to say, “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth”! Fully to reap benefit from witnessing a “sign,” or from perusing an account thereof, demands of us the same sanctification of heart.

III. SANCTIFICATION WOULD AFFORD EVIDENCE OF FAITH IN THEIR LEADER AND IN GOD. What folly to trouble about purification unless they believed that the promise would be fulfilled. The miracle was to be eminently a proof of the love of God. His honour demanded that the people should show themselves to be in some degree worthy of His favour. Jesus inquired of the applicants for relief whether they had faith in His ability to heal them; and we read of places where “he did not many mighty works because of their unbelief.” Unbelief is the great hindrance to the progress of religion, both in the individual and in the world. We block the only avenue by which heavenly blessings can come to us; we shut the gates, and wonder why our city is not thronged with angelic visitants. Faith in preparation would lead to augmented faith in the time of action. Soon was coming the hour of trial. How would the people venture between the dangerous heaps of water? Here would be reaped the advantage of previous thought. Faith grows by exercise. The conquest of one difficulty opens the way for subsequent victories. If the Church of Christ is paralysed by secret disbelief of the efficacy of God’s Word and Spirit to convert men, how can she expect great awakenings? “According to our faith” is it unto us. And if there is not sufficient faith to lead to the making of the necessary arrangements, where shall be the faith to enable us to rejoice in the evident tokens of God’s presence? Let us “lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting.”A.

HOMILIES BY E. DE PRESSENSE

The Entry of the Promised Land

Jos 3:3

At this decisive moment, when the people of Israel were about to enter on the great conflict which was to secure the possession of the land of promise, the command was given to gather themselves together around the ark of the covenant, as their banner. This indicates the great central truth of the history of Israel. The focus of its national life is the law of its God. It is for this it is to fight and overcome, and not merely that it may gain possession of a rich country and develop its material resources. In its fidelity to the ark of the covenant, lies moreover the secret of its success. This sacred memorial of its religious faith must be its great rallying point in the day of battle. This is a principle applicable to the people of God in all ages, and equally true of their individual or collective life.

I. For mankind at large, as for Israel, there are two aspects of all the great phases of its history. ONE DIRECT, TEMPORAL, TERRESTRIAL, LIKE THE CONQUEST OF A FRUITFUL LAND for Israel; the other higher, more comprehensive, more DivineTHE FULFILMENT OF A DIVINE PURPOSE ENTERING INTO THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION. Such was the double significance to the descendants of Abraham, of the conquest of the land of promise, the land in which their religious destinies were to be fulfilled, where the ark of the covenant was to find its resting place, and to become the centre of the theocracy. So is it in all our lives. Everything that befals us in our private and domestic life has a twofold bearing. It has an earthward aspect; and marriage, the birth of children, the acquisition or loss of property, affect primarily our temporal estate. But these same results have also a heavenward side; they tell upon the higher life within, and help to work out our eternal destinies. Their true intention is to develop our higher life, and to establish within us the reign of righteousness, of which the ark of the covenant was the emblem to the Israelites.

II. It is not enough that we believe in this realisation of our higher destiny through the events of life; WE MUST OURSELVES DIRECTLY AID IN ITS FULFILMENT. We must make this our first consideration, and rally round the ark of the covenant in order to fight the battles of the Lord. This is our duty, as members, or, to speak more truly, as soldiers of the Church. The same obligation rests upon us in our individual life. Through all its varied phases it should be our aim to hold high our sacred banner, and to conduct ourselves valiantly under all circumstances as the soldiers of Christ. Let us carry into all our life the thought of immortality. Let us be ever watching, ever fighting, and let the ark of the covenant be that around which centres all our public and private life.E. DE P.

Jos 3:5

God’s wonders.

“Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. These words admirably express the conditions of all blessing for the people of God. Those conditions are at once Divine and human. The Divine is the essential; the human can only be realised through it.

I. GOD WILL DO WONDERS. This is a true description of all God’s works of deliverance, and primarily of His great miracle of pardon. For, of all the marvellous things which He does, the most amazing is that He should have pity upon us, and should come back to us after we have forsaken Him. Grace is the crowning miracle. Never discouraged, it is perpetually triumphing over all obstacles, breaking down all that opposes its designs, bidding the mountain to become a plain, and magnifying itself in our infirmities. There are periods in the history of the race, and in that of individuals, when this miracle of constant recurrence is made yet more emphatic, as though to hasten on the purpose of eternal love. So was it at the time of the conflict between Israel and the Canaanitish nations. So was it at the birth of Christianity. So is it at the time of the beginning of the new life in the individual soul. The free and sovereign grace which does wonders is thus the necessary, antecedent Divine condition.

II. THE HUMAN CONDITION IS CLEARLY EXPRESSED IN THESE WORDS OF JOSHUA. “Sanctify yourselves.” We repeat, this condition cannot be fulfilled unless Divine grace have renewed our heart, and given us strength to sanctify ourselves. But our duty is none the less positive, imperative, sacred. God does not treat us as passive, inert beings, but as free agents made in His likeness. It behoves us, then, to respond to His grace. Hence the necessity to sanctify ourselves, in order that we may be partakers in the wonders He will work. This is all the more necessary since God will not work these wonders without us, but, by us and with us, calling us to be fellow workers with Him. Israel must prepare itself for victory by sanctifying itself. To sanctify ourselves is to put away all that is alien to the Divine life; to consecrate ourselves unreservedly to God; to give ourselves to Him; to bring Wire our heart that He may fill it. It is to yield ourselves to Him as wiring instruments in His hand; so that we are never better workers with Him than when we allow Him to work in us. To let Him work, this is our best way of serving. Do we desire that He should again “do wonders” in our age, in these days of final conflict between the gospel and antichrist? Let us, then, sanctify ourselves, like the children of Israel on the eve of battle with the Canaanites, and so will be fulfilled the twofold condition of all spiritual blessing so well set forth by St. Paul in the words: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Php 2:12, Php 2:13).E. DE P.

Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary

Ver. 1. And Joshua rose early in the morning, &c. Early the next morning, after he had ordered the army to make all necessary provision for speedily entering the enemy’s country, (chap. Jos 1:10-11.) he raised the camp; and the Israelites, who were at Shittim from the fifth day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year after their departure out of Egypt, advanced to the banks of the Jordan.

And lodged there before they passed over The French version renders this, and lodged there that night; and the Vulgate, they came to Jordan, where they tarried three days. The truth is, that the Hebrew word jalinu, signifies not only to pass the night, but also to tarry some time; to stop. Every one agrees, that God chose that the miraculous passage of the Jordan should be performed in the day-time, either that the prodigy might be more incontestable, or that it might spread more terror among the Canaanites.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

3. The Passage of the Israelites through the Jordan

Joshua 3-4

a. Joshuas Regulations concerning the Passage through the Jordan

Jos 3:1-13

1And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed [broke up1] from Shittim and came to [the] Jordan, he and all the children [sons] of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2And it came to pass after three days, that the officers 3[overseers] went through the host [camp]; and they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord [Jehovah] your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove [break up] 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 6[Jehovah] will do wonders among you. And Joshua spake2 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 [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 8be with thee. And thou3 shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of [the] Jordan, ye shall stand still in [or, at the] Jordan.

9And Joshua said unto the children [sons] of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord [Jehovah] your God. 10And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the [a] living God is among you, and that he will without fail4 drive out from before you the Canaanites [Canaanite], and the Hittites [Hittite], and the Hivites [Hivite], and the Perizzites [Perizzite], and the Girgashites [Girgashite], and 11the Amorites [Amorite], and the Jebusites [Jebusite].1 Behold the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into [through the] 12Jordan. Now therefore [And now] take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel,out of every tribe a Man 1:13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord [Jehovah] the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters6 of [the] Jordan, that the waters of [the] Jordan shall be cut off from [omit; from], the waters that come down from above; [,] and they [omit; they] shall stand upon a heap [in, or, as a heap.]

b. The Passage of the Jordan

Jos 3:14 to Jos 4:17

14And it came to pass, when the people removed [broke up] from their tents to pass over [the] Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the 15people; and as2 they that bare the ark were come unto [the] Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for [the] Jordan overfloweth all his [its] banks all the time of harvest,)3 16that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap, very far from [by 4] the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan; and those that came down toward the sea of the plain [the Arabah 5] even [omit: even] the salt sea, failed, and were cut off [were entirely cut off]: and the people passed over right against Jericho. 17And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord [Jehovah] stood firm on [the] dry ground in the midst of [the] Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on [the] dry ground, until all the people [nation, ] were passed clean over [the] Jordan.

IV. 1And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over [the] Jordan, that the Lord [Jehovah] spake unto Joshua, saying, 2Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a Man 1:3 and command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of [the] 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.

4Then [And] Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children 5[sons] of Israel, out of every tribe a man; And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord [Jehovah] your God into the midst of [the] Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: 6that this may be a sign among you, that [omit: that] when your children ask their fathers [omit: their fathers] in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? 7Then ye shall answer them [say to them], That the waters of [the] Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord [Jehovah]; when it passed over [the] Jordan, the waters of [the] Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children 8[sons] of Israel forever. And the children [sons] of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of [the] Jordan, as the Lord [Jehovah] spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children [sons] of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 9And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of [the] Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant 10stood, and they are there unto this day. For [And] the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of [the] Jordan, until every thing was finished that the Lord [Jehovah] commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed oJoshua Jos 3:11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord [Jehovah] passed over, and the priests in the presence of [before] the people. 12And the children [sons] of Reuben, and the children [sons] of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh passed over armed [eager for war, or, in companies Jos 1:14] before the children [sons] of Israel, as Moses spake unto them. 13About forty thousand prepared for [the] war passed over before the Lord [Jehovah] unto battle, to the plains [desert plains, steppes, 5] of Jericho.

14On that day the Lord [Jehovah] magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they feared him [,] as they [had] feared Moses, all the days of his life.

15And the Lord [Jehovah] spake unto Joshua, saying, Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony [law, Gesenius] that they come up out of [the] Jordan. 16Joshua therefore [And Joshua] commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up 17out of [the] Jordan. And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord [Jehovah] were come up out of the midst of [the] Jordan, and [omit: and] the soles of the priests feet were lifted up [plucked out ] unto the dry land, that [and] the waters of [the] Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his [its] banks, as they did before.

c. The Erection of the Memorial at Gilgal

Jos 4:19-24

19And the people came up out of [the] Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. 20And those twelve stones which they took out of [the] Jordan, did Joshua pitch [set up] in Gilgal. 21And he spake unto the children [sons] of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? 22Then ye shall let your children [sons] know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on [the] dry land. 23For the Lord [Jehovah] your God dried up the waters of [the] Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord [Jehovah] your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: 24that all the people [peoples] of the earth might know the hand of the Lord [Jehovah], that it is mighty, that ye [Fay: they] might fear the Lord [Jehovah] your God for ever.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

a. Joshuas Arrangements for the Passage of the Jordan.And Joshua rose early. as in Gen 19:2; Gen 19:27; Gen 20:8; Gen 22:3; Gen 28:18; Gen 32:1, with and without the addition in the morning. Properly is a denom. from , to load up, on the backs of beasts of burden, which among the nomads is done early in the morning, = Isa 33:20.This breaking up took place immediately after the return of the spies, and this verse accordingly belongs properly to ch. ii.

Jos 4:2 is in continuation of Jos 1:10-16. The three days here are the same as in Jos 1:11. In ch. ii. which is otherwise very appositely inserted, and in a way completely suiting the connection, the differences in the dates were not, we must simply admit, duly taken into account. On the other hand it seems to us unnecessary, to assume a contradiction between Jos 4:1 on one side and Jos 4:2-6 on the other, on the grounds that (a.) the people, according to Jos 4:1, were at the Jordan and not 2,000 cubits off from it; (b.) the Israelites spent only one night () there, and so could not have been there after three days. Although we grant that the word here translated lodge commonly means to spend the night (Gen 19:2; Gen 24:25; Gen 28:11; Gen 32:14; Gen 32:22), still in view of such passages as Job 19:4; Job 41:14; Psa 25:13; Psa 49:13], we may well take it here in the sense of to encamp, to tarry, as the Vulgate, when it translates morati sunt. [The English word lodge very appropriately represents .] Again: they came to the Jordan, is certainly not to be understood with literal preciseness. It means: they came near to the Jordan, not exactly on the brink of the river. Two thousand cubits may very naturally still have intervened, especially when we take into account the great extent of the camp. This view is very evidently supported by Jos 4:14-15, which, according to Knobel from the same author as Jos 4:1 a, state that the people removed out of their tents and the priests came to the Jordan. Had they encamped close on the riverbrink, as Jos 4:1 is interpreted by Knobel, we should have been told immediately of the dipping of their feet in the water, but not certainly of their coming to the Jordan.

Jos 4:3. Overseers. As in Jos 1:11 so also here , LXX. : Vulg. prcones; Luther, Hauptleute (head-men); Stier, Amtleute (officials); at first probably altogether general officers, head-men of the people (Exo 5:6-19; Num 11:16), those who knew how to write. Later, the magistrates in the towns (Deu 16:18; 1Ch 33:4). In Arabic signifies simply to write. In 2Ch 26:11 and stand side by side. In Pro 6:7, the former, English Vers. overseer, stands with guide and ruler.6

Ark of the Covenant. Here ark of the covenant of Jehovah, elsewhere also ark of God, 1Sa 3:3, ark of the testimony [law], Exo 25:22 : the sacred ark with the tables of the law (according to Heb 9:4, with other objects also), prepared by Moses (Exo 25:10 ff.) after a divine pattern. It was two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits high, and the same in breadth. It was made of acacia wood, overlaid within and without with gold plate. The name is derived from , to bore out, hollow out, and signifies properly something hollow, hence also a coffin, Gen 1:26. Figures may be seen in Hoffmann and Redslob, Universal Bibel-Lexicon for the People, i. 244; Kiepert, Bible Atlas, v. Fig. 15. [Smiths and other Bible Dictionaries, and works of the same design, may be consulted. Also Jahn, Coleman, and other writers, on Hebrew antiquities.Tr.]

Jos 4:4. Yet there shall be a space…. two thousand cubits by measure. As a reason it is given that the ark should show the way. Had the masses of the people, who by no means marched as soldiers, crowded around it, those that were behind could not have seen it. The sacredness of the ark is not here directly the reason, as various interpreters have supposed (Mas., C. a Lapide, Seb. Schmidt, v. Lengerke and Knobel), but yet may come in as a secondary consideration. According to Num 4:15 the sons of Kohath bore the sanctuary, but might not touch it. Uzziah died when he did this (2Sa 6:7). We may notice also what Starke has pointed out, that no longer the pillar of cloud but the ark of the covenant leads the way. The manna likewise ceased at this time. The days of the pilgrimage are past. Two thousand cubits = one Sabbath days journey (Act 1:12) = three thousand feet. The Kethib is to be retained instead of Keri, . So also Jos 8:11, since the plural is limited almost entirely to the case where the suff. also has the plural sense. Comp. Ewald, 266 a. (Keil).

Jos 4:5. [Sanctify yourselves. The sanctification of the people consisted not in the washing of their clothes, which is mentioned Exo 19:10-14 with the , for there was no time for this; nor in the changing of garments merely, which according to Gen 35:2, might take the place of washing, and in abstinence from conjugal intercourse, Exo 19:15. These were only the outward signs of the sanctification which really consisted at the same time in the spiritual purification, the turning of the heart to God, in faith and trust in his promise, and in willing obedience to his commands, that they might rightly take to heart the wonder of grace which the Lord would the next day perform among them. Keil.Tr.]

To-morrow. According to Jos 4:19 the 10th of Nisan.

Jos 4:6. And they took up the ark of the covenant. This statement is not exact [not in place here], the correct account is given in Jos 4:15, since Jos 4:7-13 could not be spoken after the procession was already in motion. Keil: Whether the command in Jos 4:6 was given the evening before, as Maurer, or on the morning of the crossing, as Rosenmller supposes, cannot be determined, since both were equally possible. The former is the more probable; but it is certain that the execution of this command in the last words of the verse is anticipated. For the following revelation of God to Joshua, together with Joshuas discourse to the people, cannot have taken place after the priests with the ark had already begun the march. Knobel refers the words to the breaking up of the camp from Shittim.

Jos 4:7-8. Revelation of God to Joshua, in which the Lord promises to make him great from this day forward as he had made Moses great; agreeing substantially with Jos 1:2-9. Then follows, Jos 4:8, Gods command that Joshua should direct the priests bearing the ark to halt when they came to the edge of the water of the Jordan, i. e., as soon as they reached the water in the bed of the Jordan, and their feet stood in it, and to remain standing. On comp. Gen 43:15. What Jehovah communicated further is not here told, because it appears from the following. (Knobel).

Jos 4:9-13. In these verses we have to think of ourselves as addressed in a solemn assembly of the people, a congregation of Jehovah. They contain the purport of the divine revelation, and more fully than it had been stated in Jos 4:7-8.

Jos 4:9. with accent drawn back as in Rth 2:14; 1Sa 14:38, comp. Ewald, 100 a, and 227 b. (Keil).

Jos 4:10. Hereby shall ye know that a living God is among you. The design of the miracle, the furtherance of the knowledge of God as a living mighty God, is significantly put first. ; God is here called from , prop. the Strong One in opposition to the gods of the heathen, which are , Lev 19:4; Lev 26:1, nothings, , prop. breaths, Deu 32:21; Jer 8:19; Jer 14:22; Psa 31:7, or even , Jon 2:8, lying vanities. He is, however, not called merely, which term in the plural occurs also of the gods of the heathen (Exo 15:11), but , to indicate that he is not dead like them, comp. Jer 10:9-10. On the original inhabitants of Palestine see the Introduction, 7. As here, so previously in Deu 7:1, and again in this book Jos 9:1; Jos 11:3; Jos 24:11, seven races are enumerated, but in varying order. The Jebusites, however, always, except in Jos 11:3, stand last.

Jos 4:11. Lord of the whole earth. A significant appellation of God, where the conquest of a land is in question. From Him Israel has his title to Canaan.

Verse 12 compared with Jos 4:2 occasions difficulty. Two questions arise: (1.) When was this direction given; before the crossing or during the crossing? The former according to this passage, the latter according to Jos 4:2. The former seems more probable, because the twelve men could not possibly be chosen during the passage. (2.) Does the choice of the twelve men rest as Knobel teaches, according to our passage, on the regulation of Joshua alone, or on the divine command, as Jos 4:1 expressly says. Answer: The author has here the same view of the divine authority of the command as in Jos 4:1, otherwise he would not have incorporated these words in a discourse which contains the solemn announcement of a divine revelation.

Jos 4:13. Soles of the feet, comp. Jos 1:3.The water. … shall be cut off, , Luther: be broken off; De Wette: part; literally: shall be cut off, that is, the water above the place of crossing stood still, so that no more flowed by. The water below ran away toward the Dead Sea.

b. Chaps, Jos 3:14 to Jos 4:18. The Passage of the People through the Jordan. This took place according to Jos 4:19, on the tenth day of the first month (called Nisan or Abib), hence in the same month as formerly the departure out of Egypt. This like that was immediately before the Passover, which according to Joshua 5 was celebrated four days later for the first time on the soil of the Holy Land. The harvest here, in the deeply sunken heated valley of the Jordan, was already begun. The yellow water of the river stands high at this season, because the snows are melting on the mountains (comp. Furrer, p. 154). So much more wonderful was the event, a proof of the actual help of the living God.

Jos 4:15. And the Jordan overfloweth.. . . harvest. A parenthetical sentence. The Jordan-valley, the Ghor, is two hours across, the proper river-bed, through which the stream flows, only a quarter of an hour, and the stream itself, according to Furrers estimate (p. 154), only 90 feet in breadth. This latter valley was overflowed, and is still overflowed, by the high-water at the time of harvest, precisely as then. See Seetzen, Burckhardt, Robinson, [Stanley, S. & P.,] Furrer. The last named says: When, late in the spring, the snow on Hermon begins to melt, the Jordan commonly overflows its lower bank, and puts reeds and bushes under water. So found it, as was related in Israel, the fathers under Joshua; The Jordan was full on all its banks all the time of harvest.

Jos 4:16. Near Adam. Heb. . The Kethib is to be preferred, since its meaning is that very far from the place of crossing, by the city Adam which lay at the side of Zaretan, the water stood still. This city Adam was situated, probably, where now we find the ford Damieh with remains of a bridge of the Roman period (Lynchs Report, p. 150 f., Van de Velde, Narrative, ii. p. 322 f.), Several hours north of Jericho (Knobel). Zaretan. Not improbably Kurn Sartabeh, near the ford Damieh, a long, prominent rocky ridge, from which a lower range of hills reaches almost to the Jordan, and seems to extend itself obliquely through to the eastern mountains. Here the Jordan valley is compressed within its narrowest limits, and the Ghor divides itself into the upper and the lower. On Kurn Sartabeh it is reported that there are still ruins. So Knobel after Robinson (Lat. Bibl. Res. pp. 283 f., 217 f.). It is worthy of remark that just here the water is cut off where from both sides the mountain ridges narrow the river, and the river valley. The name Zaretan, perhaps identical with Zareda, the home of Jeroboam (1Ki 11:26), as Knobel conjectures, is explained from the Arabic: elatus montium locus. Gesenius likewise holds the two names identical, but derives from , according to the Arabic, to be cool = cooling, also a suitable name for a town on a fresh hilltop in the vicinity of a river. The name Adam calls to mind Admah, one of the five cities in the vale of Siddim (Gen 10:19; Gen 14:2; Hos 11:8), as also Adami, a city of the tribe of Naphtali (Jos 19:33). Edom may also be compared with it.

Failed and were cut off. [The conception of this scene indicated by the Keri (very far from Adam,) is different from that of our author and the recent commentators generally. It coincided with (although not necessary to) what we suppose to have been the common (popular) view, well stated and explained by Gill (among others) on the place. He naively remarks, indeed, that both readings, as is usually, if not always the case, are to be received, but his own exposition does not require anything so unreasonable. Let the waters have been actually cut off above where the priests stood, in full view of the people (as the spirit of the whole account seems to lie in the visibility of the wonder to the people), and still the water would be arrested and stand, before the crossing was finished, very far off. The current might have ceased at Adam, though that were thirty or even more miles above. Not only would this be immeasurably more impressive to the multitude as an exhibition of the divine power than the mere phenomenon of a bare river bed, the reason for which they could not see, but thus the fear with which they hasted and passed over (see on Jos 4:10), is much more naturally accounted for. This view of the miracle ought, at least, not to be wholly ignored. Indeed, Keil seems so to conceive the scene, and he even represents (on Jos 4:8) the priests with the ark (symbolizing the divine presence) as constituting the dam, so to speak, by which the rushing waters were restrained and piled up in a heap.Tr.].

Toward the sea of the plain (Arabah), the salt sea. It is evident that the Dead Sea is meant, concerning whose origin we have a report in Gen 19:24. It is called sea of the plain in Deu 3:17; Deu 4:49 also.7 The region round about is desolate, yet birds sing on the shore of the sea in numerous choirs and fly freely over the water (Furrer, p. 258, Robinson, Phys. Geog., p. 219). The water of the sea is clear but very strongly tinctured with salt, and hence fatal to fish. Bathers become covered with an oily envelope, sometimes painful, sometimes not. From the southern point of the Dead Sea clear to Elath stretches the desert valley in which the Israelites wandered for forty years.[8]

Jos 4:17. : Properly: firmando, i. e. firmiter, with solid foot. used here of Israel, as Jos 4:1; Jos 5:6; Jos 5:8; Jos 10:13; Exo 19:6; Exo 33:13; Deu 32:28. Where the passage took place cannot now be determined.

Chap. 4. After the author has, in Jos 3:14-17, briefly related the history of the crossing, he completes his report in this chapter. The account is not strictly speaking without order, and confused, as some have said, but yet neither is it without repetitions which indicate a variety of authorities, blended together by a later hand. These, however, we cannot assume that it is possible to determine accurately, according to their original parts, as Knobel has with much acuteness attempted to do.

Jos 4:1. And it came to pass when all the people were clean passed over the Jordan. These words were omitted by Luther in his translations. Why? Did he possibly consider the immediately following Piska (o) as a sign of their spuriousness? This Piska is, according to Keil (Bib. Com. in loc), a sign in use before the Masoretes, and by them left remaining to denote a division in the middle of a verse where a Parasche begins: comp. Hupfeld, Ausfhrl. Heb. Gramm. pt. i. pp. 86 and 89. Gesenius in his Lehrgeb. p. 124, takes a different view.

Jos 4:2. See Jos 3:12.

Jos 4:3. For we should read , as in Jos 3:17.

Jos 4:4. Knobel regards this as a continuation of Jos 4:1, a. What intervenes he refers to the second source of his Jehovist, according to which the choice of the twelve men rested on a divine direction, while the first knew nothing of it. We confidently hold that Jos 3:12 presupposes a divine direction, which however is first stated here in the way of a supplement.

Jos 4:6-9. When your children ask. Comp. Jos 22:27-28; Exo 13:8-14.Stones. Here it is a heap of twelve stones, in Gen 28:18; Gen 35:14 a single stone, but in Gen 31:46, again as here, a heap of stones. They were sacred memorials of the simplest kind. According to Jos 4:9, Joshua takes twelve other stones, and sets them up in the bed of the Jordan on the spot ( as in Exo 10:23; Exo 16:29) where the feet of the priests stood, and where the stones have remained till the time of the narrator (Knobel). It has been asked: To what purpose, since afterwards the water streamed over them again? They might become visible in a low stage of the water.9 This second measure Joshua adopts of himself without express divine direction.

Unto this day. A very common phrase in our book, as Bleek (Introd. to O. T. 135) observes: Jos 5:9; Jos 6:22; Jos 7:26 (bis); Jos 8:28-29; Jos 9:27; Jos 10:27; Jos 13:13; Jos 14:14; Jos 15:63; Jos 16:10.

Jos 4:10. The priests remain standing in the Jordan until all the people have passed through. They had therefore, when the camp broke up, only gone the two thousand cubits in advance to show the way, then remain standing after they have taken their position in the midst of the dried bed of the stream until the passage is completed. Their quiet waiting was well calculated to impart courage to the people who hasted and passed over through fear. The contrast well deserves consideration. Knobel assumes that this very standing still of the priests was the ground of this haste. He says: The people passed as quickly through as possible, and that on account of the priests, who during this long passage must stand in one place and bear the ark. This reason may possibly have operated also, yet such a consideration is rather modern than conformable to the sentiment of antiquity. The chief reason for the haste was certainly fear.[10]

Jos 4:11 After the passage, the ark again takes the lead, as in Jos 3:3 ff.

After the history of the crossing has thus been given first briefly in Jos 3:14-17, then more completely Jos 4:1-11, we have some supplementary notices in Jos 4:12-17, and finally the conclusion Jos 4:18 announcing the return of the water.

On Jos 4:12-13 comp. Jos 1:12-18.

On Jos 4:14 comp. Jos 3:7.

What is related in Jos 4:15-17 is a more particular statement of the fact mentioned in Jos 4:11 of this chapter, referred by Knobel, on account of the designation of the ark as the ark of the testimony, to the Elohistic original. This he supposes to have been used here first in the book of Joshua.

Jos 4:18. States the conclusion, pointing back to Jos 3:16.

c. On Jos 4:19-24. Erection of the Monument at Gilgal.

Jos 4:19. The date, on the tenth (day) of the first month, is very exact, and on this account Knobel ascribes the verse to the Elohist. The first month (as Exo 12:2; Exo 12:18; Exo 40:2; Exo 40:17 and often) is elsewhere called also Abib, i. e. month of green ears (Exo 13:4; Exo 23:15; Deu 16:1), and subsequently Nisan (Neh 2:1; Est 3:7.) This name is probably of Persian origin, and to be explained from the Zend navaan, new day, which was transferred to the first month of the year, from New Years day. See Benfey, Names of the Months, p. 131 ff. Gesenius.[11] Frst, in his Hist. of Bibl. Lit. p. 400, fixes the year as having been 1454 b. c. There were four days before the Passover which fell on the 14th, Jos 5:10.

Jos 4:20. Gilgal, see Jos 5:9.

Jos 4:21 like Jos 4:6, with Epic breadth as in Homer.

Jos 4:22-23, might, from the repetition of , seem to be a citation from a poetical panegyric on the Passage of the River, as Bunsen assumes in Jos 4:7 when he translates:

As through the Jordan passed the Ark,
Flowed away the waters of the Jordan.

Here we are reminded of the Book of Jasher, mentioned Jos 10:13, which, however, was not a Law-book but precisely the opposite, a poetical Hero-book. See Introd. and on Jos 10:13.

Jos 4:24. All the peoples of the earth, [Keil: of the land, sc. of Canaan. But not well.] Might know the hand of Jehovah. A beautiful catholicity! The miracle made the passage possible and easy for Israel, but was at the same time to serve also for imparting to the heathen nations of all ages a knowledge of the power of Jehovah, and a fear of the Almighty, (Knobel). Instead of read (Ewald, Maurer, Knobel), with reference to the cordinate . [This is quite doubtful; we rather agree with Keil, that the Masoretic pointing should stand.Tr. ]

[Stanley in the following paragraphs has finely combined the various incidents of this marvelous event, and we have only to regret that he should, as his custom too often is, bring in the Septuagint version, and Josephus, and what not, as if of about equal authority with the inspired text. His work thus wears, with all its charms of learning, arrangement, and style, too much the air of a secular relation of the history of the ancient Church.
The scene of the passage of the Jordan is presented to us in the Sacred Narrative in a form so distinct, and at the same time so different from that in which it is usually set forth in pictures and allegories, that it shall here be given at length, so far as it can be made out from the several notices handed down to us, namely, the two separate accounts in the Book of Joshua, further varied by the differences between the Received Text and the Septuagint, the narrative of Josephus, and the 114th Psalm.
For the first time they descended from the upper terraces of the valley, they removed from the acacia groves and came to the Jordan, and stayed the night there before they passed over.
It was probably at the point near the present southern fords, crossed at the time of the Christian era by a bridge. The river was at its usual state of flood at the spring of the year, so as to fill the whole of the bed, up to the margin of the jungle with which the nearer banks are lined On the broken edge of the swollen stream, the band of priests stood with the Ark on their shoulders. At the distance of nearly a mile in the rear was the mass of the army. Suddenly the full bed of the Jordan was dried before them. High up the river, far, far away,12 in Adam the city which is beside Zaretan, as far as the parts of Kirjath-jearim,13 that is, at a distance of thirty miles from the place of the Israelite encampment, the waters there stood which descended from the heights above,stood and rose up, as if gathered into a water skin;14 as if in a barrier or heap, as if congealed;15 and those that descended towards the sea of the desert, the salt sea, failed and were cut off. Thus the scene presented is of the descending stream (the words employed seem to have a special reference to that peculiar and most significant name of the Jordan), not parted asunder, as we generally fancy, but, as the Psalm expresses it, turned backwards; the whole bed of the river left dry from north to south, through its long windings; the huge stones lying bare here and there, embedded in the soft bottom; or the shingly pebbles drifted along the course of the channel.

The ark stood above. The army passed below. The women and children, according to the Jewish tradition, were placed in the centre, from the fear lest they should be swept away by the violence of the current. The host, at different points probably, rushed across. The priests remained motionless, their feet sunk in the deep mud of the channel. In front, contrary to the usual order, as if to secure that they should fulfill their vow, went the three Transjordanic tribes. Their own memorial of the passage was the monument already described.16 But the national memorial was on a larger scale. Carried aloft before the priests as they left the riverbed, were the twelve stones, selected by the twelve chiefs of the tribes. These were planted on the upper terrace of the plain of the Jordan, and became the centre of the first sanctuary of the Holy Land,the first place pronounced Holy, the sacred place of the Jordan valley, where the tabernacle remained till it was fixed at Shiloh. Gilgal long retained reminiscences of its ancient sanctity. The twelve stones taken up from the bed of the Jordan continued at least till the time of the composition of the Book of Joshua, and seem to have been invested with a reverence which came at last to be regarded as idolatrous.17 The name was joined with that of the acacia groves of the farther side, in the title, as it would seem given in popular tradition or in ancient records, to this passage of the history: from Shittim to Gilgal [?] Lects. on Jewish Church, i. 255 ff.Tr.].

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

The ark which was borne by the priests and Levites in front of the people, takes henceforth, as was noticed above, the place of the pillar of cloud and fire which had led Israel through the wilderness (Exo 13:21-22). It may take this place because it not only serves for the preservation of the tables of the Law (Exo 25:16), but is also a symbol of the presence of God among his chosen people. On the cover of the ark, the Kapporeth adorned with the Cherubim, God sits enthroned (Exo 25:17-22; Num 7:89; Psa 99:1), and from this place speaks with Moses (Exo 25:22; Num 7:89). Hence, as follows indirectly from our passage, and directly from passages like Num 4:20; 1Sa 6:19; 2Sa 6:6 (compared with Lev 16:13), the ark is unapproachable. But hence also, on the other hand, here is the true place of atonement for the people, where the blood of atonement was sprinkled on the cover of the ark (Lev 16:15), once in the year only, on the great day of atonement, by the high-priests hand. To this Paul refers, Rom 3:25, when he calls Christ the true mercy-seat, whom God has set forth before () all the world, as a manifestation of his righteousness, for those who through faith in the efficacy of Christs reconciling death, approach this New Testament place of atonement. The is brought out of the most holy place into the public view of the whole world for those who believe (Lange on Rom. iii. 2). In Christ God dwells among his New Testament congregation (Joh 1:14), goes before them (Joh 14:6), and is reconciled to them (2Co 5:19.)

2. The conception of the living God, the (Jos 3:10), is of great importance for the present day also, since it appears to have vanished utterly from the consciousness of many of our contemporaries, especially that of the Materialists. These, after the example of Epicurus, substitute for this living author of all things, Chance, that is, an ultimate cause which they omit to define because it is utterly incapable of logical definition. Other thinkers, better schooled in philosophy, replace the living God with an Order of Nature determining everything by inevitable law, to which order, as such, they deny self-consciousness and maintain that it comes to self-consciousness only in the consciousness of rational beingsnever in and of itself. This they do from fear of transferring human limitations to the Absolute, especially the conception of personality. Of personality it is maintained that it is predicable of the human individual, never of the Godhead; as if Goethe were unquestionably in the right when he says,

The professor is a person
But God is none.18

But still we think humanly of God even then when we identify him with the Order of Nature, nay, it is absolutely impossible for us to think in any other way concerning God than consistently with our faculties, that is humanly. We certainly shall not, therefore, be found in the wrong course if we again turn more and more toward the sound Biblical realism which recognizes a living God who is at the same time the Lord of the whole earth (Jos 3:11); therefore a God who is the conscious, independent and free Creator and Ruler of all things, of whom, in whom, and for whom we are, who also wakens life in us, so that we possess power, develope power, and bring forth new power. For life is fullness of power; where powerlessness entersthere is death.

Such a living God can perform even miracles. He can, since He is independent and free, establish exceptions to rule, which are and remain exceptions, but which, because planned by his wisdom, no more endanger the continuance of order than any exceptions to rule which a wise house-father may make will disturb the order of his house. Compare Rothe, Dogmatik, p. 80 ff.

Rationalistic explanations of miracles, such as have been attempted in reference to the passage of the Jordan by the people of Israel, are to be avoided. On the other hand, investigation of the Scripture, reverent and believing but not fettered by the spirit of prescription, cannot be avoided. Every report of any miraculous transaction is as much to be examined as the report of any other fact (Introd. p. 17). Such investigation will readily concede that reports, especially these reaching back to the most ancient times, may possibly have acquired a mythical coloring; the more readily, when it is demonstrated that poetical elements have been admitted into the text. As such mythical coloring we regard what is said in the passage before us (Jos 3:16) about the water of the Jordan standing by Zaretan.19

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

The regulations of Joshua touching the passage of the Jordan (Jos 3:1-13).Even without pillar of cloud and without ark of the covenant, the Lord still and forever goes before his people.Sanctify yourselves! A word of preparation for the Lords supper.Whom the Lord makes great, he is truly great, as once Moses and Joshua.Joshuas discourse to the people. It contains: (1) a demand to hear the word of the Lord; (2) a promise of the effectual help of the living God.By what do we also recognize the presence of a living God among us? (1) By his word which He still causes to be perpetually published among us; (2) by his deeds which He is still perpetually performing.The Living God! (Jos 4:10). How should we think of God? (1) Not as a rigid order of nature, but (2) as the living God and ruler over all the earth. The ruler over all the world: (1) The mightiest, (2) the best Ruler.

The wonderful passage of Israel through the Jordan (Jos 3:13-14; Joshua 18) to be treated as a Bible Lesson, for which use all these longer sections are generally speaking, well adapted.As Israel went dryshod through the Jordan so we go unharmed through many a danger.The memory of Gods mighty deeds. It is (1) to be faithfully preserved by the parents, (2) carefully to be impressed on the children.The erection of the memorial at Gilgal.After the pilgrimage comes the rest.Increase of the knowledge and fear of God is the holy aim of all his works.

Starke: He that will enter into the promised land on high must also be up early and waste no time, otherwise he will not reach it, Mat 6:33.Whoever will be and be called a right spiritual priest must not only have Christ in his heart but also by an edifying example make him known to others and praise him, 1Ti 4:12; Eph 5:25-27.God may indeed well allow us to erect memorials by which we may remember his wonderful works and his benefits, Gen 28:18; Gen 31:45; 1Sa 7:12; Est 9:27, but we must not worship such things, for that is an abomination to the Lord, Mat 4:10.Teachers and preachers must be an example in faith and constancy, and let no danger terrify them.A Christian on the journey towards the heavenly fatherland must not tarry, must not put off repentance, nor be lazy and slothful in Gods ways, Php 3:14; 1Co 9:24.It is not enough to begin to be pious, but one must persevere even to the end, Rev 2:10.A Christian should never act without, but always according to, Gods will and word, Mat 21:6.It is the duty of the magistracy also to care that the youth should be educated in the fear of the Lord, Luk 7:5.Parents should relate to their children and hold before them, not their own vile deeds but Gods merciful deeds, Exo 10:1-2, Deu 6:20.That is the right application of Gods marvelous and beneficent acts when we learn from them truly to know, fear, and love him, Joh 2:11.

Cramer: When we go to church to hear Gods Gods word and to receive the holy sacraments, we should carefully prepare ourselves, and approach God with a chaste, temperate heart, and hold up holy hands, 1Ti 2:8.Whom God will make great, him he first makes small through wearisome cross, and care, and toil, and danger, Psa 18:36.If often the faithful God before our eyes graciously helps others out of need and peril, while we, in our own thought, are left far behind, still our hour also shall yet come. Let us only await the right time, (Jos 4:17.) God has patience even with the weak, Rom 14:4; Mat 8:25; Mat 14:30.So long as Christ, the true mercy-seat, is under us, and his ministers in this unquiet life preach the gospel, we need not fear; the great floods of sins and of the wrath of God must retire, because for them that are in Christ Jesus there is now no condemnation, Rom 8:1. Nor can the enemies of the Church proceed further than has been appointed to them. But if Christ and his word depart from us then must we be eternally overwhelmed and perish and experience the wrath of God.Christ with many saints has passed over into his fathers house through much water of affliction, which came in even unto his soul, Psa 69:1. But he has left a memorial behind him, namely, his twelve apostles and their writings. Happy they who understand this, and thank him therefor.

Hedinger: If those who are to be merely spectators of the great works of God should first sanctify themselves, how much more have those need of sanctification whom God will employ as his servants for the performance of his work, 1Co 9:27.

Bibl. Tub.: Before thee also, O soul! there stand waters of affliction, through which thou must travel, before thou canst enter the heavenly Canaan. But only go in with good heart, and trust thyself to Gods help; He will open a way for thee, so that the streams cannot drown thee, Psa 66:12; Isa 43:2.

Osiander: Dear Christian, remember here the twelve apostles, who have by the preaching of the gospel spread through the world the kindness of Christ in that He would lead us, through the power of his death unto everlasting life; remember them, and heartily thank God for them,God can cause respect for the magistracy, and also take it from them again and cover them with contempt because of their ungodly life, Psa 107:4.

[Matt. Henry: Those that would bring great things 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 station, especially to attend continually to the duty of their place.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.Though the opposition given to the salvation of Gods people have all imaginable advantages, yet God can and will conquer it.Gods works of wonder ought to be kept in everlasting remembrance and means devised for preserving the remembrance, of them.God had said in his wrath, that they should wander forty years in the wilderness, but to make up that forty years we must take in the first year, which was then passed, and had been a year of triumph in their deliverance out of Egypt, and this last, which had been a year of triumph likewise on the other side of Jordan, so that all the forty were not years of sorrow; and at last he brought them into the land of Canaan five days before the forty years were ended, to show how little pleasure God takes in punishing, how swift He is to show mercy, and that, for the elects sake, the days of trouble are shortened.Those that will be wise when they are old must be inquisitive when they are young. Our Lord Jesus, though He had in himself the fullness of knowledge, has, by his example, taught children and young people to hear and ask questions.In all the instructions and informations parents give their children, they should have chiefly in their eye to teach and engage them to fear God for ever.

Scott (on Jos 3:3): We cannot in general go wrong in keeping close to the ordinances of God, and thus, as it were, following the ark in all its removals. In so doing we need not fear rivers of trouble, mountains of difficulty, nor hosts of opposing foes; but confiding in the faithful promise, the Almighty power and covenant-love of our God, the living God, the Lord of the whole earth, we may proceed with boldness and alacrity.

The Same (Jos 4:10): When with careful attention to the commands and providence of God, we have taken the place and engaged in the service assigned us, we ought patiently to abide in it, and not to attempt to remove till He evidently commands us thence.Tr.]

Footnotes:

[1][Jos 3:10.The Gentile names here are all in the sing., and although the Hebrew usage in this respect does not always coincide with the English, in the present case at least our version would gain as much in force as in fidelity by an exact imitation of the original.Tr.]

[2][Jos 3:15.Our version is here particular to mark the difference between with Inf. const. () and in the same connection in ver 13 (). The distinction is slight, and in many cases probably none was deliberately aimed at in the choice of the particle; yet strictly the latter () denotes an action as contained in another (in time) the former () denotes it as bearing a comparison with that other in respect to time (or quality or condition), as simultaneous, following close upon, about the same as, etc.Tr.]

[3][Jos 3:15.Literally, and the Jordan was full on all its banks all the days of harvest.Tr.]

[4][Jos 3:16. Very far (sc. from the place of crossing, Keil) at or by the city of Adam. Our version followed the Keri here apparently without good reason.Tr.]

[5][Jos 3:16.The Arabah (as in Jos 18:18; Jos 18:22) the definite, individual plain, which bordered the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. See the Exeget. Note on this verse.Tr.]

[6][Leyrer, in Herzogs Encyklop., vol. xiv. p. 1, note, supposing the ground-meaning of to have been to put in order, set in a row, hence to make a row, of letters, says: we may rather conceive that the , from the ground-meaning of the word and from their primary function, are called ordinatores, than from a derived meaning and from a mere accident of their office. See Vater, vol. iii. of his Com.; Von Bohlen, Genesis, p. xlii.; Lengerke, Kenaan, p. 374, Anm.; Hoffman, the Art. Hebr. Schrift in Ersch u. Grubers Encyklop.Tr.]

[7][The plain here (), is the arid bottom land in the gorge of the Jordanthe Ghor (see Introd. 6). To this remarkable feature of the country the name is uniformly applied throughout our book, where it is never applied to anything else. It always has the article in this connection, and nothing seems to hinder its being understood simply as a proper name (in which sense our version twice views it, Jos 15:6; Jos 18:18) except the occurrence of the plural form to denote the broader parts of the depressed balley, as about Jericho. Robinson (Phys. Geog. p. 73) nevertheless declares it decidedly the proper name of this valley. This plain encompassed the Dead Sea also, more or less distinctly, and then stretched on in the modern Wady el-Arabah to the head of the Elanitic Gulf. But see, for a complete account of this very extraordinary natural phenomenon, Mr. Groves article on the Arabah in Smiths Dict. of the Bible, and Ffoulkes on the Jordan, in the same work.Tr.].

[8][A very full and interesting digest of what is known concerning the Dead Sea is given in Smiths Dictionary, Art. Sea, the Salt. In reference to the relation between this sea and the cities of the plain, the criticisms of Dr Wolcott on the views of Mr. Grove in the article just named and in those on Sodom and Zoar, and Siddim, should by all means be carefully considered. See also Conants instructive note on his Revised Version of Genesis, p. 79. Nor should Stanleys vivid and flowing representation in ch. ix. of Sin. & Pal., The Jordan and the Dead Sea, be overlooked. The colored views of the sea and its surroundings in Tristrams Land of Israel assist the imagination greatly in picturing to itself the scene.Tr.].

[9][Or might it be that the midst of the Jordan where the priests stood in this time of the freshet, was at the edge of the dry flat in ordinary seasons? Then the pile of twelve stones would in general be visible and less exposed to the force of the water when high. Here the caution of Maurer, Ne premas, vocabulum, is to be heeded.Tr.].

[10][This fear would evidently be much more natural on the supposition stated above on Jos 3:16, that the waters were cut off and stood in a threatening precipice immediately above the place of crossing. But is not the haste of the people sufficiently explained by the fact which Keil emphasizes, that so vast a multitude must cross in one day?Tr.].

[11][But see this disputed in Smiths Dict. of the Bibl. s. v. Months, p. 2006.Tr.]

[12]

[13]LXX.

[14]Symmachus, as the LXX. in Psa 33:7.

[15]LXX.

[16][This is Professor Stanleys interpretation of the occurrence mentioned Jos 22:10-11.Tr.]

[17][The passages adduced in support of this only show that a superstitious sanctity was afterwards ascribed to the place Gilgal.Tr.].

[18] [Against the arrogance and unreason of godless science some of the Essays of Rev. James Martineau (2 vols. Bost. 1866, 1868) are very effectively directed, e. g that on Nature and God, i. 121 ff. See also a recent article by the same author: Is there any Axiom of Causality? in the Contemporary Review for August, 1870.

The Materialism of the Present Day, a critique of Dr. Bchners system; translated from the French of Janet by Gustave Masson, London, 1866 (in Baillires Library of Contemporaneous Philosophy), is a very able and convincing refutation, in short compass, of the doctrines which would explain the universe without a God.Tr.]

[19][This statement, however, seems quite consistent with the rest. If we are to imagine the water cut off perpendicularly above the path of the Israelites, the fluid wall would continually be raised by the down-coming flood, and the distance to which the water would set back (stand), must depend on the time during which the interruption lasted So that there is no need of suspecting myth particularly in this.Tr.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

CONTENTS

This is as memorable a Chapter of the Lord’s dealings with his people, as perhaps any in the Old Testament. And as there can be no doubt but that it is typical of yet greater mercies to be manifested in the New, it demands the attention of every believer more particularly. We have contained in this Chapter, the miraculous passage of Israel under their commander Joshua , over Jordan: the assurance given to the people of this event before it came to pass: the preparation for it; the sanctifying the people against it: and the event fully accomplished.

Jos 3:1

We are called upon to pay the more regard to this interesting account, because we find, that the Lord himself in after ages appealed to it, as a token to his people, that he was and ever had been their gracious covenant God. And depend upon it, Reader, you and I cannot take a better method, of proving the righteous dealings of God with our souls, than when remembering all the path our God hath led us from our Shittim to Gilgal: from our first entrance through all the eventful periods of our spiritual and temporal stages to the present moment. Reader! I do not know what your view of those things are. But I do know in my own experience, that faith finds great sweetness when the Holy Ghost, acting as the Remembrancer of Jesus, brings to my memory afresh some of the many blessed tokens of past goodness the Lord hath shown me. When I can look back, and see how many apparently impassable Jordan were before me, and yet through how many of them the Lord hath brought me, setting up the stone of remembrance and saying, Hitherto the Lord hath helped me; I find cause through grace to add, And will he not bring me through all that remain? Reader! I beg you to read the resolution of the Psalmist upon this point. Psa 77:10-12 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Jos 3

‘In the mosaics of the earliest churches of Rome and Ravenna,’ says Dean Stanley, ‘before Christian and pagan art were yet divided, the Jordan appears as a river-god pouring his streams out of his urn. The first Christian Emperor had always hoped to receive his long-deferred baptism in the Jordan up to the moment when the hand of death struck him at Nicomedia…. Protestants, as well as Greeks and Latins, have delighted to carry off its waters for the same sacred purpose to the remotest regions of the West.’

The Future All Unknown (for the New Year)

Jos 3:4

What a thought for the New Year! We have here a great statement, and this statement is given as a reason for a certain kind of action. The circumstances were these: The Israelites had spent forty long, wearisome years away from the Promised Land to which God had said He would bring them, and now they found themselves on the very threshold of the land of promise. They have to go into that land of promise by a strange, mysterious, fearful way. They have to pass through the very bed of the River Jordan, and God, Who has brought them thus far, is to pile up the waters on either side of them while they go through on dry ground. If you will picture them about to cross the river you will realize how fully this statement is true that they had never passed that way before. It was totally new, absolutely strange. Before they reached the Promised Land they had many difficulties to face. They had victories to win and foes to conquer, and had they not the initial difficulty of crossing that great dividing river which separated them from that great, mysterious land of promise beyond?

I. There is a Strange Parallel between the Position of the Israelites and that of Ourselves Today. Have we not, by God’s grace, been brought to the threshold of another year? A new year, an unknown year, an untrodden path. And in this new year that lies before you and me we must serve God’s great purpose. There is fresh land to occupy; there are victories, through God’s strength, to win; there are foes; there are sins which, by God’s grace, we are meant to conquer. ‘Ye have not passed this way heretofore,’ and in entering upon this new year we are treading on new ground, consecrated ground, which our foot has never yet defiled.

II. Guidance Vouchsafed. What was the plan arranged for their guidance? We read it in the third verse. ‘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.’ What a comforting thing for these Israelites that the ark of God was to lead them! All through their strange difficulties they had before them that old ark that they had followed all the time and which they loved, which kept them in touch, as it were, with God. What a difference it must have made!

III. Let us See that the Ark of God’s Presence Goes Before Us takes us into our difficulties and out of our difficulties, so that through the presence of God we may conquer our sins and gain from Him our strength in this life. If this be so, we need not fear; we can face the year with confidence. Let us see that Jesus still leads on till our rest be won. We need to know the way in which we must go. There will be many times of difficulty in this new year. We shall sometimes want to know what words to use and what position to take up in the various incidents of our daily lives; what course of action we ought to follow. There are bound to be difficulties in the way, and the only way to fight them with anything like hope, with anything like assurance, is that God be asked to help us, that God be asked to make His way clear before our face. ‘O God, set watch on my mouth, keep the door of my lips.’ Let us trust in Christ to lead us in the right way.

IV. The Ark of God never Led them Wrong. And so it will be if Jesus leads us on, and we are following Him and asking Him to teach us what to say and what to do, He will never lead us wrong.

References. III. 4. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xviii. No. 1057. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Deuteronomy, Joshua, etc., p. 99. C. S. Robinson, Sermons on Neglected Texts, p. 224. W. M. Taylor, Outlines of Sermons on the Old Testament, p. 56. W. R. Inge, All Saints’ Sermons, 1905-7, p. 49. J. M. Neale, Sermons Preached in Sack ville College Chapel, vol. iv. p. 34. F. B. Cowl, Straight Tracks, p. 41. J. Laidlaw, Studies in the Parables, p. 217. J. Parker, Ark of God, p. 26. III. 5. E. R. Conder, Outlines of Sermons on the Old Testament, p. 57. III. 5-17. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Deuteronomy, Joshua, etc., p. 107. III. 11. A. G. Mortimer, The Church’s Lessons for the Christian Year, part iii. p. 49. III. 15, 17. R. J. Campbell, Sermons Addressed to Individuals, p. 89. IV. 6. P. T. Forsyth, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lix. 1901, p. 415. IV. 7. W. H. Hutchings, Sermon-Sketches, p. 162. IV. 9. J. M. Neale, Sermons for Some Feast Days in the Christian Year, p. 183. IV. 10-24. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Deuteronomy, Joshua, etc., p. 115.

Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson

The New Symbol

Jos 3

“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” ( Jos 3:1 ).

IN this first verse we have a vivid and beautiful illustration of the method of Providence. The people were called upon to undertake a great and historical task. It is comforting to note how gently and graciously they are led to their work. There is no sign of precipitateness; there is no urgency indicative of impatience. A great and historical city is about to be thrown down to the very foundations, and a new page of human history is about to be turned over; yet the Lord leads up the people to a lodging-place. “God’s mill grinds slowly.” We are impatient because we are little and ignorant. We have not the completeness of character which means calmness of disposition. We must hasten, we must be noisy; we do not understand how it is that the planets burn without fury or rush or sign of tumult: it is their very speed that brings them to rest. God will, therefore, have no demonstration of impatience in the carrying out of his purposes. Sometimes the Church rests, as if afflicted with indifference. We are too much urged in some circumstances; we have mistaken the place and happy effect of tranquillity. It is quite true that some may misunderstand this and sink into indifference, but they turn God’s water of life into poison, and probably nothing that wisdom could say would restrain them in their infatuation. We must speak to the wise and the thoughtful and understanding, and reflect that there are times when we do most by doing nothing, and that we advance with the greatest pace when we stand still. Happy indeed, and often timely, is the exhortation which pricks us forward; but we are not saved by works. This human urgency is often a misapplication of divine teaching and purpose.

“And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host” ( Jos 3:2 ).

In this verse we learn that something came to pass after “three days.” A wonderful place that period of time occupies in history! There seems to be some spiritual magic in that number. The words ought not to be read hastily, as if they but indicated an accidental period of time. There are no such periods as can be described as merely accidental or fortuitous. The whole feast of time is measured out; every man has his portion in due season; every life is started with a foreknown and fore-regulated dowry of days. There is an appointed time to man upon the earth in the deepest sense of the terms a little period within which he may labour the longest life but a flying shuttle. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” One thing is certain, amid all the dubitation and change of this earthly scene: that life at its best is brief, and that no man can calculate its duration with a view to fixing its termination. “In such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh,” to call up his servants to account, to hold judgment in his household. The great principle of individualism has not been surrendered by the Bible; still it is true that every one of us must given an account of himself to God. Whilst, therefore, we are not unwilling to have the individual sometimes merged in the social, whilst it may be pleasant and profitable and useful that the unit should realise its relation to the whole number, it should never be forgotten that individuality is to be the law of responsibility and the law of judgment. We cannot rub ourselves out as individuals, or so merge ourselves into the common life as to cease to have a personal pulse and a personal destiny. The “three days” are passed with some of us: we ought now to be at work; the rest was only for three days, the work is of an immeasurable duration. Do not expend the rest thoughtlessly or unworthily, but make it a time of recruital of strength, so that youth may be renewed and every faculty may be reinvigorated. In the third verse we find a command given:

“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.” ( Jos 3:3 )

The religious element was to prevail in that great military plan. We do not read altogether about soldiership, schemes and plans and maps, which indicate the warrior’s genius. The controversy is religious; at the head of it goes the Covenant. Let us see to it that we take no part in any history that is not headed by the Book of God. Nothing is worth fighting for that is not symbolised by that book, and it will comfort us in days and nights of stress and hard weather to know that wherever we are, we have come up to that position on account of the leadership of the book. This is what we want: more Bible the Bible in the people’s tongue, the Bible open to every old man and every little child; we want to speak of Bible things in Bible terms; we require now to follow the Covenant. If the Book of God is not at the head of the procession in which we are moving, the procession is moving into darkness, disaster, and humiliation.

A space was to be between the marching host and the advancing ark. For what purpose? That every man in the procession might know his relation to the holy ark:

“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” ( Jos 3:4 ).

“… for ye have not passed this way heretofore” ( Jos 3:4 ).

This passage is often misunderstood, and therefore misapplied. It cannot simply mean, This is an unfamiliar path; or, This is new ground; or, This is a position which you have never occupied before; for then the same observation would apply to the whole course which the Israelites had been pursuing for many years. This is not a provision against the dangers that may arise from unfamiliar scenes. We have here indicated a new point of history. “Ye have not passed this way heretofore” means: Up to this time you have had cloud by day and fire by night; now there will be no cloud, there will be no fire; now you pass as obedient to a written and treasured Word; you have now become a great Bible school, a great army following a written inspiration. A great light shines upon the instruction now. Up to this time we have felt the words which conclude the fourth verse to be but a commonplace, which might have been applied to the history of Israel any time during almost half a century before; but now we see that a new method of travelling is adopted a new object of vision is let down from heaven; and although the method of revelation may change, nothing ever changes the Bible itself in the substance of its meaning. A revised version is not a new revelation. A new Bible is not a new testimony. It is because of the scholarship which has been lavished upon it a more sure word of prophecy, but the prophecy itself abideth for ever. What can we understand of this Covenant in the way in which it is too often read? Some men are calling for the restoration of theological systems, and others are calling for obedience to scientific discovery and law; without saying one word of deprecation in reference to either of the parties, we may again and again put in a word for Bible reading, Bible study; for giving the Bible an opportunity of speaking continuously, and thus argumentatively and persuasively. He would not be unjust to his age who charged it as a Bible-neglecting age. The Church itself does not always read the Bible aright. The Bible is read in texts. He would not be too bold a man who affirmed that isolated texts had done more to hinder the progress of truth than any assault that was ever made upon Christianity from the outside. Men should humble themselves in crying penitence before God because they have torn the seamless robe and given it away in rags The Bible is one; the Bible is a stupendous whole. Could we hear its cry it would be, Read me; read me all; read me through in every page, line, word, and syllable. O earth, earth, earth! hear the word of the Lord! What is at the head of the armies of the day? What new programmes! what exciting propositions! what criminal promises! The Christian should insist that the Church at least should follow no leadership but the ark of the eternal testimony. Every college should rise up in the morning to do one thing read the Bible. Every congress and conference should meet to do one thing read the Bible. Every congregation should come, together for one purpose to read the Bible. This would absorb all the little rods of necromancers and wonderworkers, and would end in such practical mediums of expression as would suit the new life; and though many mistakes of an external and temporary kind might be made, the outcome would be as the flowing of the river of God. How can the Bible be read alone? This inquiry points to a sophism which is working great mischief in the Christian Church. A man will say, in some unworthy mood of sullenness or resentment, that he will remain at home and read his Bible. He may remain at home, but he cannot read his Bible in that temper. Compelled to remain at home by stress of circumstances, by infirmity, by ill-health in himself or in others, he may read the Bible alone, and God will treat him as if he were the whole assembly of the blessed, withholding nothing from his loving attention and gentle touch. But there is a public reading of the Book a common reading. Noble is the term the Book of Common Prayer. That phrase is full of sacred import. There is common prayer, there is common reading, there is a public emphasis, there is a contagion of sympathy; there is given to the united perusal of the Bible answers which cannot be given to any solitary recluse who shuts himself away from the Church as if the Church were unworthy of his presence. Would we have the world cleansed, disinfected of all evil literature? Let the Bible be read interestingly, lovingly, with sympathy and with delight. Would we have great thoughts, noble purposes, sublime expectations which put out the little trials of the day? We must let the word of Christ dwell in us richly an answer to every temptation, a light regularly as the night descends, a spring of water in a thirsty land. Stand up for the Bible! Do not stand up for it without first reading it and becoming imbued with its spirit. Defend the Bible in the spirit of the Bible, which is a spirit of sovereign power and redeeming love. Punctuate your reading with your tears, and then when you preach even the terror of the law, it will be to persuade men fire used, not to burn but to enlighten, not to destroy but to cheer. My hope for the future of history is in the continuous, connected, and massive study of the Holy Scriptures.

Prayer

Almighty God, thou art round about us and within us, and thy nearness is an encouragement and a joy. Surely it is not wholly a judgment, a piercing and destructive criticism, but a help, a comfort, a sustenance infinite. So will we regard it in Jesus Christ thy Son our Saviour. We will not be afraid of thee: God is love; we will draw near unto thee, yea, with boldness we will come to the throne of grace, not that we may plead our righteousness, but that we may obtain thy mercy and grace to help in every time of need. We would live the wise life; we would that ours might be the life that is rooted in God, by consent as well as by necessity. We are in God, all things are embraced by thine infinity all evil, all hell, all good, all heaven the Lord reigneth. But we do not want it so wholly; we want to be in God by consent; we would fix our love upon God, and our faith and our hope should trim its daily lamp at the flame of thy glory. Thus would we live and move and have our being in God, returning to him, going out from him to speak his word, and coming again to him to hear his word that we may speak it still more simply and gladly. We have heard thy word, and we know it: it is no stranger’s voice that speaks to us therein; we know the music. Imitators there can be none; we know the music of thy grace and the tunefulness of thy comfort We cannot be deceived; for there is no voice like the eternal. May we hear it, receive it, and answer it with all loving obedience; then shall our joy be full, and our day shall have no night. Thou hast sent us into a mysterious life. Sometimes, by reason of our ignorance, it looks nothing: it is a mere trifle, a spasm, a flutter for one little moment, followed by eternal silence; but this is the fool’s reasoning: whilst we look upon our life and muse upon it and study the divine purpose which lies under it, how solemn is life, how grand; how majestic in mystery; how glorious in possibility! Thou dost tear our hearts that our hearts may know themselves. When thou dost tantalise us it is that we may be taught the mystery of prayer; when thou dost disappoint us, it is not to mock us but to show us that things are larger than we thought more mysterious, more awful. May we no longer live as those who have no centre, no altar, no God; but live the deep life and the true, feeding ourselves upon the bread sent down from heaven, lost in wonder, love, and praise as we gaze upon the truth of God; and thus may our life, being divinely nourished, express itself in human beneficence: may we go about doing good, knocking at doors that are shut upon us, that in opening them we may find an opportunity of preaching Christ and exemplifying the light of heaven. Pity us in our distresses so acute, so many, so difficult to bear; save us from looking at those who seem to have no distresses, lest our faith be swallowed up in despair: may we not look upon such, may we turn our eyes to the hills whence cometh our help; show us that every heart knoweth its own bitterness, that there may be no mourning or complaining against the supposed partiality of heaven. Thou dost give every day a night, every summer a winter, every life a burden to carry; thou hast thrown a shadow upon the sunniest way. Help us to know that these things are of God, and are under God’s control, being meant in love, and at last will be shown to be parts of a divine and beneficent purpose. Look upon us according to our need: it is a great necessity, but thy fulness is more than our hunger, the riches of God are unsearchable, the river of God is full of water. We bless thee for all we have seen of thy hand: we still commit ourselves wholly to its protection and guidance; they win who fight under thy banner, thou Saviour-God; they that be for us are more than all that can be against us, and when thou dost press upon the enemy with the weight of thine eternity, behold he is crushed and cannot rise. Follow us about all the day as if thou hadst no other concern. We are so foolish, so unutterably inexperienced in all the deepest mysteries and ways of life: our record every eventide is full of crossing and blundering; still have patience with us, for by thy grace we will tomorrow do better. Pity the broken heart; give enlargement of thought and brightening of hope to the soul that repents and longs to do thy will more obediently and perfectly; establish, strengthen, settle every good word, thought, and purpose; and as for the counsel of the wicked one, turn it upside down, and by pouring darkness of sudden night upon him may he never be able to find his way again. The Lord pardon our sin. Come over our guilt as over a mountain, and by the touch of the mystery of the Cross may that mountain be dissolved and the union between God and the soul be for ever completed. Send upon us the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Comforter; may he abide with us for ever; teach us with infinite patience, and sustain us with tenderest, sweetest solaces. Amen.

Up to the Brink

“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” ( Jos 3:7 ).

“THIS DAY.” It is pleasant to come upon the definite time.

We are to be so blessed “tomorrow,” but tomorrow never yet came to any human life: it is always the next day; no man has seen it; its shape no man can tell, its messages no man has heard; it is the unborn time. In the instance before us we have the day and the blessing assigned to it, so that, as it were, the soul leaps into the immediate heaven, saying, Behold, that heaven is here and now! There are days of enlargement, intellectual and spiritual and moral, in human life, days that dawn upon the mind like an infinite summer; days in which we see the meaning of words, the relation of scattered things, the unity of what we supposed was but chaos. These are days of liberty; there falls from us, almost consciously and audibly, manacles and fetters that bound us in humiliating slavery, and we spring into great enlargement and are conscious of divine communion. Call these days birthdays! When were you born? is a limited question. Any birthday of the flesh is no birthday; it but gives a man a chance to be born. He is not born who is not conscious of the advent within him, bringing with it sense of responsibility and willingness to submit to sacrifice, and the hope that no sacrifice can kill him for more than three days. We may pray for the day of enlargement and ennoblement, but the best way of praying for that day is to work for it. If we work well today we may get the enlargement tomorrow. Work is prayer: hence the grand Lutheran motto “to labour is to pray.”

“This day will I begin to magnify thee.” We can almost see the beginning of the magnifying of some lives. Although things do grow very subtly and all but invisibly, and often altogether invisibly as to process, yet we sometimes feel as if we saw the child become a man. It was in the darkness we saw it the darkness of a trouble that seemed to come too soon. The boy was playing, laughing loudly, running merrily round the little circles of opening life, a boy all laughter; and a great distress fell upon him, new responsibilities were instituted, he began to see the situation, and as it came upon him in great volumes of darkness, see how he stood up in a new stature and a new strength, and put out his arm as if he might tackle, with valour and hopefulness, the hardest task of time. There are times when we are magnified by the possession of conscious intellectual strength. At these times we can do anything. We hover above the world, and descend upon it, and rise again, and touch it with more than adequate strength, and retire from it in ease and majesty, and return with redoubled energy. So then, labour is rest, and endurance is the counterpart of heroism. Woe unto that life that is unconscious of being magnified, that does not go in the upward direction. Are there not men who are no larger today, in mind, purpose, and outlook, than they were five-and-twenty years ago? They have had no dream, no vision; they have heard nothing unusual; they have not seen heaven opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. How dull that life, if not criminal! how monotonous, if not guilty! pitiful everywhere in the common school pitiful but how infinitely more pitiful in the Christian Church than anywhere else! No burning bush, no startling voice, no conscious call to nobler service, no seizure of inheritances infinite in wealth; still the old life, the old monotony, repeating the old phrases and not knowing their meaning. All true magnifying, however, is from God. A man cannot make himself really great: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. But this we can do: we can be prepared for larger magnitude of personality and influence; we can be found waiting, watching, looking; we can use the one talent as if it were a thousand, and be as industrious about the little plot of ground as if it were an estate of countless acres. Whom does God magnify? The humble, the contrite, the broken-hearted, the faithful, the industrious. Does he grant the magnifying all at once? Not according to the observation of the text. He begins to magnify; he shows a new aspect of the mind: persons are surprised at a new development of power, a new tone in the voice, a new expression in the attitude; they say, something has occurred here what is it? and by the end it will be discovered whether the magnifying is an inflation or a divine call and investiture.

Wonderful, too, is the way in which the word of chastening mingles with the word of encouragement: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee” not more so. Moses is not dishonoured or thrown into any secondary place: he will abide until he comes whose right it is to reign. So Joshua must still peruse the life of Moses, look upon himself as a continuation of a grand beginning. He does not detach himself from his official ancestry and found a house of his own: he is but a golden link in a golden chain; and because we are but links none must magnify himself unduly, or suppose that he will start a new humanity in his vain and frail personality. And again, and still more subtly, does the Lord show that all his manifestations in and through his officers are meant to reveal his own glory. Human greatness is a revelation of God’s presence. Moses is not great except as God is with him; Joshua would be a little and unknown name if God did not burn in it and cause it to radiate throughout the whole circumference of immediate history: the Church is not great except for the purpose of showing that the great God is within her walls. We are to look through Moses to Jehovah; through Joshua to the great, all-inspiring, all-construing God.; and through the Church, with all its ministries and instrumentalities, its white lights and glorious stars and great inheritances, to the all-giving God. From him is every donation. There is but one donor: we are the instruments in his hands. Do not look at. Moses, do not look at Joshua, do not look at the institutions of the Church, except as mediums through which we may see the spiritual glory of the eternal God.

What was Joshua to do? You find the answer in the eighth verse:

“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.” ( Jos 3:8 )

What effect had this interview upon Joshua? Was he so magnified as to forget himself? You have the answer in the ninth verse:

“And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God.” ( Jos 3:9 )

So he is “but minister.” He does not attempt any crude, originality. He will simply repeat what he has heard, but he will repeat it as a believer. The believer has an emphasis incommunicable to the hypocrite. There is about truth something that endures so well, that stands all friction so strongly, that responds to all necessity so abundantly, that it cannot long be counterfeited: there are masks sold for pence which seem to reproduce it with skill, but the masks become weather-stained, their very skin peels off, and their expression is lost. Truth stands for ever, night and day, the same when the morsels of ice strike it in the face, or the sun blesses it with midday glory. Joshua would but repeat what he had heard. So must every preacher simply read the Bible. If he does not quote texts he must speak biblically that is, in the spirit of the Bible; and he must never wander one inch from the Book: it is his shield and buckler; it is a strong tower to which he may continually resort; it is his authority and warrant.

Joshua thus pledges God to what he is about to say. We must not hesitate to risk the divine name. 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 Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites” ( Jos 3:10 ).

Joshua would make the march a religious one. The Christian Church ought to make every department of life a department of itself.

“Let us have no suggestion of possible divine help under such and such circumstances,” that is the language of timidity, and timidity is sin in all such relations as are indicated by this history. We do not simply hope that God will be with us, or trust that God may in due time appear for us, or express the dubious desire that all things may turn out better than we might have ventured to expect. That is not religious talk, or if it is talk it is without soul, without emphasis. Risk the divine name, that is to say, pledge it. This was the strength of the old prophets. If such and such things do not befall thee, then God hath not spoken by my mouth; “thus saith the Lord.” The prophets thus put God in the foreground, and made him true or false; they pledged his name: with reverent familiarity they put his signature upon every great promise and every grand prediction; they exposed God to criticism, so much so that the mocker availed himself of the opportunity and said, Ha, ha, where is now thy God? he called God his father, let him save him, if he will have him; and the fool wagged his head, and the sneerer laughed over his own gibe. We have omitted the divine name from our speech; we have risked nothing; we have but contributed one more to the endless number of suggestions made for the benefit and progress of the world. Let the good man not hesitate to say to the good-doer God shall be with thee, and deliver thee in six troubles and in seven; and when the day is as the night and the night is sevenfold in blackness, his hand shall find thee and his counsel shall be thy strength. These are the great speeches, not words that mothers might speak to children or fathers might whisper to sons, but the great speeches that pledge eternity, which, if not carried out, would sweep all the stars from heaven and make the universe an empty temple. To what are we now pledging God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost? it is possible whilst professing a religious faith to ignore it in its practical applications.

A very beautiful expression occurs in the twelfth verse:

“Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.” ( Jos 3:12 )

What was to come to pass when the whole instruction had been obeyed?

“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” ( Jos 3:13 ).

Prayer

Almighty God, we will think now of thy redemption wrought out for us in Christ Jesus thy Son, and for the moment we will not be cast down but lifted up as upon a great wave of gladness. We have been told that we are polluted and unholy, until the story has thrown us into despair: we know it to be true; but now we would turn our eyes unto the Cross set up for sinners, the mystery of eternity, the enigma of time: the angels cannot understand it, we are unable to comprehend all the wonders of its love and pity, but our hearts are glad whilst they gaze upon it: they see beyond the pain and the sorrow and the darkness, they behold great lights, opening heavens, expanding and assured liberties, and they are glad with a great joy. Sorrow endureth for a night; joy cometh in the morning. The night cannot be so long as the day. The night of sin is not thine; the bow of peace is thine, and high noon, all the firmament glowing with light-seeds, and is some faint type of thine infinite glory. The night shall be lost; it shall never come again; that cloud shall be broken up and dissolved and for ever forgotten. But the light of thy countenance shall be heaven, the glory of thy presence shall make the whole home of the saints. We will therefore be glad and rejoice, and find in thine house a place of banqueting and feasting, so that the soul may be made fat with the promises of God and our life be made strong by divine encouragement. We have come from many places into one house: is not this a hint of what shall be in the great future of promise and prediction? Shall we not come from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south, and sit down in our father’s house? Shall not all alienations be forgotten, and all differences be absorbed, and all hearts be united in one commmon and everlasting loyalty? This is our prospect in Christ Jesus; to this end he came and taught and suffered and died and rose again; nor can he rest whilst one shadow of sin rests on the fair universe: behold, he is pledged to receive unto himself the very ends of the earth: all the heathen shall be his, all kings shall bow down before him, and gold and incense bring. May we enter into the spirit of this joy; may we feel that the slavery of the past is forgiven, forgotten, and that a great future of light and growth and liberty challenges and encourages the soul. Wherever a burden is too heavy for the strength, Lord, increase the power of endurance; wherever the tears cannot be explained, do thou speak a message to the heart in secret; wherever the perplexity is thick and defiant, persisting in its stubbornness notwithstanding all that human skill can do, come from thy sanctuary and help the perplexed; wherever sin is a spectre in the air, a touch in the darkness, a flash of fire in the conscience, show thy Cross, thou Saviour of the world, and save the creation of God. Thus come to us every one now and at all times, and thy coming shall be like the dawning of the day, and like the opening of a great door which leads us into home and peace and plentifulness. Amen.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

THE MIRACULOUS PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN AND EVENTS AT GILGAL

Jos 1:10-5:15

This section commences at Jos 1:10 and extends to Jos 5 . We will make more rapid progress in the book, having gotten through with the preliminaries. The theme is, miraculous passage of the Jordan and the marvelous events that occurred at Gilgal after they passed the Jordan.

1. Analyze Joshua’s commandment to the people.

Ana. (1) He commanded them to get ready to cross the Jordan in three days.

(2) He commanded that the armed men of the two tribes located east of the Jordan, the Reubenites, Gadites and the rest of the tribes help to conquer the lands on the east side.

2. What word is repeatedly stressed by Joshua in this command to the two and a half tribes? What use previously made of this word by Moses and will be made of it by the writers of both Old and New Testaments?

Ans. The word “rest.” We find that Moses uses that word in Deu 25:19 ; Deu 25:19 th verse where he says, “When you have been established in Canaan and God has given you rest.” We find the same word employed in Psa 95 , where there is a reference to those who did not enter into the rest because of their disobedience. They died by the wayside. And in Heb 3:7 ; Heb 4:13 , there is a continuous discussion of that “rest” as applied to Joshua the type of Jesus Christ. It will be very interesting for you to study that in Hebrews particularly, because in it lies the cream of the discussion of the New Testament sabbath.

3. What condition was prescribed by Moses in allotting territory east of the Jordan to the two and a half tribes, and what solemn promises had they made?

Ans. If you will turn to Num 32:20-24 , you will find that Moses, when these people asked to have the east part as their part, told them that the only condition upon which it would be granted was that when the Jordan was crossed they should send these tribes and help to conquer the other land, and they made a solemn promise to Moses that when the time came they would do that very thing

4. How did they respond to that promise, and what the later evidence of a fair fulfilment of it?

Ans. You learn from your lesson Jos 1:16-18 , that they readily recalled what they had promised to Moses and promptly announced their Willingness to do what they said they would do. If you turn to Jos 22:1-8 , you will find that at the end of the conquest Joshua gives them a receipt in full of having kept their promise to the letter.

5. How long were they thus away from their own homes, wives and children and property, that is, the men of the Reubenites, Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and what comment do you make on this fidelity?

Ans. Generally, I will say that they were away from their wives and children and property seven years. And the comment is that there is no parallel to this in the history of the world. All the able-bodied men leaving their homes, wives and children and property and going away armed to engage in a terrible war that was to be prosecuted west of the river, fulfilling their engagement to the letter before they ever go back and enjoy their rest as the other tribes were now prepared to do.

6. What event preceded the passage of the Jordan, and what the salient points of the story? Ans. This event was the sending out of the two spies by Joshua to find out the condition of the country and report back to Joshua. The salient points of the story are: (1) When these two men went into Jericho they were received at this lodging-house of a harlot. Why? Probably if they had gone to one of the regular inns or caravansaries they would have been apprehended by the officers of the king. But the true reason was that this woman, because she believed in Jehovah, invited them to come to her house. (2) What the evidences of her faith? These evidences are as follows:

(a) What she did. She received, lodged, sheltered, and protected the messengers of God’s people because they were God’s people. That was her motive, illustrating the words of our Lord in his address to his apostles, “When I send you into the city, you go to a house, and if there be a son of peace in that house, let your peace rest on that house” (Mat 10 ). And where he further says, “Whosoever receiveth you receiveth me, and whosoever receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward.” Now, this woman did so receive these people.

(b) What she said. Read exactly what she said, Jos 2:8-11 : “And before they were laid down she came up unto them upon the roof; and she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things our hearts did melt because of you; ‘for the Lord your God he is in heaven above and in earth beneath.” Now, that is what she said. Then notice further (c) what she did as an evidence of her faith.

She asked that as she had sheltered them as messengers of God’s people, when they came to take possession of Jericho, they would exempt her and her family from the doom that would fall upon the city. And they gave her a duty to perform as a token. First, that she would bring her kindred into her house and stay there. The walls of Jericho would fall in the other parts of the city but not in that part. Second, that she was to hang a scarlet cord out of the window through which she had let down the spies to enable them to escape over the wall. The binding of the scarlet thread in the window was the token.

(d) The fourth evidence is found in Heb 11:31 , and Jas 2:25 . Another salient point in connection with the story of the spies is that this woman married an Israelite and became an ancestress of Boaz, David, and our Lord. We read about that when we come to Ruth and when we read the genealogy in the New Testament. The next incident is the great sermon preached by Spurgeon on the text, “And she bound the scarlet thread in the window.” He puts a good deal of stress on the “scarlet” as referring to the blood of salvation. The last point is, the spies returned and reported to Joshua that their enemies were panic stricken.

7. What the arrangement or program of crossing the Jordan?

Ans. (1) They must sanctify themselves. That means that they were to perform the ablutions that are required in that kind of setting apart to the service of God, and offer the sacrifice

(2) That the ark must precede the marching by a sabbath day’s journey, 2,000 cubits.

(3) That God himself would that day magnify Joshua in the eyes of the people as he had magnified Moses at the passage of the Red Sea.

(4) That God’s presence would be manifested in marvelous power.

(5) The cutting off of the waters of the Jordan, not dividing them as the Red Sea was divided, but cutting them off.

(6) That Israel should pass over safely.

(7) That a memorial should be erected of that passage.

8. Describe the execution of this program and the effect on their enemies, Jos 5:1 .

Ans. It is of thrilling interest that just as at the passage of the Red Sea they were to stand still and see the power of the Lord, so here. That was something which God would do, not they themselves. Just as soon as the priests, carrying the ark (a sabbath day’s journey), touched the edge of the swollen waters of the Jordan, that very moment, as if a knife had been let down from heaven, the Jordan was cut in two, and all the waters below flowed on to the Dead Sea and all the waters coming down from above, that mighty rush of the “Descender,” were stayed there and massed up and the backwater extended for over thirty miles. By the breath of the Almighty, that turbulent tide in the day of its flood, flowing over that down grade, stopped right there, damned up, not by a wall, but by the Word of God, and there stood the priests in silence, carrying the ark of God. As soon as the way was open, the priests standing still, the whole of that mighty host of 3,000,000 people with all of their animals and goods passed over that empty bed of the river.

Joshua commanded one representative of each tribe to take a rock out of the bed of the river and right where the priests had been standing in the bed of the river, each one of the men should take a rock on his shoulder, and they should carry those stones, and they did just that way. Here came twelve representatives and took up twelve huge rocks and carried them ahead of the column and never put them down until they got to the place where they were going to lodge, and there those stones were placed together as an everlasting memorial of that deliverance. The effect upon the enemy was that it intensified their panic. God said that those Canaanite inhabitants should know that he was God and the story of that divine presence and the display of his power is circled around the world through all the succeeding ages.

9. How do you reconcile Jos 4:9 , with Jos 4:20 ?

Ans. Jos 4:9 , says that Joshua took stones and set up a column right where the priests had stood in the bed of the river, and Jos 4:20 , says that they took the stones across the river and a memorial was erected at the place where they stopped. There are only two ways of reconciling those two statements. One is that the pillar that was erected by Joshua where the priests stood was done not by the command of God, but appropriately done to mark the spot where the priests stood. It is not said that they used the twelve memorial stones carried by the representatives of the tribes, to build that structure. A good many commentaries say there were two monuments erected, one in the bed of the river and another in the camp where they remained a long while, even years. Now, that is one explanation and the more probable one. Another explanation is, that in reading Jos 4:9 , you read it this way, “and Joshua set up the twelve stones taken from the midst of the Jordan where the feet of the priests had stood who bare the Ark of the Covenant.” That is a simple statement of what is going to be more elaborately stated in Jos 4:20 and provides for only one monument The first is a brief statement and the second a more elaborate statement. I will leave you to wrestle with the apparent contradiction.

10. What evidences in the later prophets that Israel misused this memorial of Gilgal by making it a place of idolatry? Give a similar case.

Ans. (1) You will find in Hos 4:15 ; Hos 9:15 , and Amo 4:4-5 .

(2) The similar case was the case of the brazen serpent. The brazen serpent that had been lifted up in the wilderness was kept as a memorial, but in Hezekiah’s time the people began to burn incense to it and Hezekiah broke it to pieces, saying, “Nehushtan,” it is only a piece of brass.

11. What the educational uses of this memorial and what similar use of a preceding memorial?

Ans. This section tells us in Jos 4:21-24 , that when the children asked, “Why do you bring these rocks from the river? Why do you set them up here?” they should diligently teach their children that it commemorated the great power of God in cutting off the waters of the Jordan, that his people might pass over in safety. What similar use of a preceding memorial? You will find it in Exo 12:26-27 . They were to eat the first Passover standing with their loins girt about them. Now, after that in their later history the first thing little children will say, “This is a strange dinner, being bitter herbs, roasted lambs, and eating it standing.” Then you may say to your children, “This is the Lord’s Passover.” I think these two incidents about the educational use of the memorials contains a very fine lesson showing the duty of parents whenever a child asks, “Why these monuments?” The first time I ever noticed the Fourth of July, I asked, “Why, what does this mean?” A child naturally asks “why” about Christmas. And a stranger looking at Bunker Hill Monument will ask, “Why this monument?” In Austin, near the Capitol, there is a monument that commemorates the Alamo. On the battlefield of San Jacinto is one, and on my pocketbook is inscribed what is written on the sides of that monument.

12. What the name of the place where the memorial was erected, its location, and how long did that place remain headquarters of the nation?

Ans. The place derived its name from an event that took place there, viz.: circumcision. Gilgal was in the upper part of Judea and not a great way, only a few miles, from Jericho, and for years the Ark rested there, and it was the place of assembly for the nation. It remained until we come to Jos 18 ; there, after the conquest, Shiloh is selected as the headquarters until the ark was captured by the Philistines. Later that ark was brought to Jerusalem, as their headquarters throughout the rest of their history.

13. What great events happened in that first camp?

Ans. (1) The males of the younger generation were circumcised. They had not circumcised any children during the thirty-eight years of wanderings. The old generation had passed away and everybody born in the thirty-eight years, of course, was uncircumcised. Now at that place they were circumcised.

(2) The second great event that took place was that their manna ceased. For forty years that manna had been coming down from heaven) but now they were eating of the new harvest of the Promised Land, and the temporary provision for their food ceased when it was no longer necessary; the cessation of the manna which was a standing miracle for forty years.

(3) The third great event was that there they kept the Passover. No Passover had been kept since they left Mount Sinai.

(4) The most important event that happened there was the appearance to Joshua of a pre-manifestation of Christ, a man with a drawn sword, the captain of the hosts of the Lord. In other words, Joshua, the type, meets face to face, in pre-manifestation, Christ, the antitype.

14. In the meantime what the state of Jericho, and why was the enemy idle while Joshua was remaining so long at Gilgal?

Ans. See Jos 5:11 ; Jos 6:1 . We learn from these passages of scripture, why. The first says the people of Jericho were under an awful fear of the people whose God could open that river, and the second reason is that they had shut their gates; that Jericho was sealed up because the Israelites were lying so near.

15. Describe and explain the meeting of Joshua, the type, with the pre-manifestation of Christ, the antitype.

Ans. Now, that explanation is given in Jos 5:13-15 . Joshua going his rounds meets a man standing with a drawn sword, who approached him and said, “Are you for us or against us?” The man said, “I am the captain of the host of Jehovah.” Later it says the Lord spoke to Joshua, but it means Jehovah. The object of the meeting of the captain on earth with the captain in heaven was to arrange the program for the capture of Jericho. As for the things that would follow that in overcoming the enemy, the people were to do nothing active. Jericho was to be taken by the Almighty and everything in it was devoted, put under ban, consecrated to Jehovah; the inhabitants to die, the property to go to the service of the sanctuary. This is he who later becomes captain of our salvation, who is known in the New Testament as the rider of the white horse, going forth, having written on his thigh, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” This pre-manifestation of Christ outlines Joshua’s campaign, establishes them, God opening the way.

16. Now here is a question. It says, Jos 5:9 , “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you.” Now, what was this rolling away of the reproach of Egypt?

Ans. “The reproach of Egypt” was the charge they made that Jehovah Was not able to deliver Israel into the Promised Land. Now, since he has delivered them, he has “rolled away the reproach of Egypt” from off them. (Exo 32:12 ; Num 14:13-16 ; Deu 9:28 ).

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

Jos 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.

Ver. 1. And Joshua rose early in the morning, ] viz., Of the ninth day of the first month, called Abib; as on the tenth day Jos 4:19 – which was the day wherein the paschal lamb was set apart – the Israelites entered the land of Canaan under the command and conduct of Joshua, who was a type of Jesus Christ, by whom we have “the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Eph 1:14

Removed from Shittim. ] In the plains of Moab. See Jos 2:1 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): Jos 3:1-4

1Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed. 2At the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3and they commanded the people, saying, When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 4However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.

Jos 3:1 Joshua rose early in the morning This is a Hebrew idiom which is used often in the Old Testament to describe someone who is preparing for a journey (cf. Gen 19:2; Gen 20:8; Gen 21:14; Gen 22:3; Gen 26:31; Gen 28:18; Gen 31:55; Exo 8:30; Exo 9:13; Exo 24:4; Exo 32:6; Exo 34:4; etc.). Here it implies that Joshua immediately performed his task (cf. Jos 6:12; Jos 7:16; Jos 8:10).

Shittim This seems to mean from the acacias. Acacias are a rather hard, dark wood which was very common in the desert. This is basically the geographical area known as the Plains of Moab (cf. Num 33:48-50).

Jos 3:2 it came about at the end of three days Some see this as being linked to the three-day ritual of Jos 1:11, while other commentators assume that it is a different three-day period. Three days is the normal time necessary for ritual preparation (cf. Exo 19:10-15).

officers This means scribes and refers to the helpers of the elders who are mentioned in Jos 1:10. These would be the administrative type officials who would help Joshua.

Jos 3:3 the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God A full description of this symbol of the presence of God is found in Exo 25:10-22. The Shekinah Cloud of Glory had been the symbol of God’s presence with His people during the Wilderness Wandering period, but now it was replaced by the ark of the covenant which sat in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle. On its mercy seat (i.e., lid) were two winged cherubim. On the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies (twice) in order to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat (for his sin, then for the nation’s) which was a sign of forgiveness for the entire nation. The rabbis believed that God dwelt in heaven and that His footstool was the ark of the covenant, the place where heaven and earth met! See Special Topic: Ark of the Covenant .

Levitical priests carrying it The ark and the cloud led them throughout the wilderness wandering period. Usually the ark was carried by the sons of Kohath (cf. Num 4:4; Num 4:15). The fact that it was carried here by the Levitical priests shows the significance of this particular event (also the cloud apparently was not visible).

Jos 3:4 However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure A cubit is the distance between a man’s longest finger and his elbow. It usually equaled about 18 inches. This meant that the distance referred to here was about 3,000 feet. Some see this as the source of the rabbis’ limit for a Sabbath day’s journey (cf. Act 1:12). Apparently this was a symbol of reverence and a sign of who was leading the people into the promised land (i.e., God).

SPECIAL TOPIC: CUBIT

do not come near it The VERB (BDB 897, KB 1132, Qal IMPERFECT) is JUSSIVE in meaning. There was a holiness about the ark which required utmost care (cf. 2Sa 6:6-7).

for you have not passed this way before This shows that God was leading His people in fulfillment of His promise to Abraham (cf. Gen 12:1-3).

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

early in the morning: i.e. after the command in Jos 1:2.

children = sons.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Chapter 3

As we get into chapter three,

Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and they came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and they lodged there before they passed over. And they commanded the people, and he said, Now when you see the ark of the covenant moving out, you stay behind it two thousand cubits: [Which is about a half mile that they were to stay behind the ark, maybe two-thirds of a mile back from the ark of the covenant.] and the Levites were to bear the ark of the covenant before the people. And then he said, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. And Joshua spoke to the priests, and he said, Take 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. 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 will I be with thee. 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 the Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And Joshua said to the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and he will without fail drive out from before you the inhabitants of the land. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, every tribe a man. 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. And so it came to pass that the people removed their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people: And as thy bare the ark and they were come to Jordan, the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan at this time overflowed all its banks during the time of the harvest.) And the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon a heap very far from the city Adam, which 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. 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 Israelites passed over ( Jos 3:1-17 ).

So even as God parted the Red Sea, now God stopped the Jordan River in flood season so that they were able to pass over. Now the interesting thing to me about this is when they came to the Red Sea, Moses stretched forth his rod and the Red Sea was parted. They went through on dry land, but with the Jordan the Lord is now testing their faith and developing their faith. He let the priests get their feet wet. Walking right into the edge of the river, getting their feet in the water, stepping out now really in faith. That wasn’t easy I’m sure. I imagine that even Joshua himself had some anxious moments, as he saw those guys starting to wade into the water. “Now, Lord that’s what You said.”

But this is coming into a new relationship with God, that relationship with faith, which is so very important for every one of us to really develop in that full relationship with God, it has to be that relationship of faith. God is bringing them now into a new relationship of faith. Before they sought, before they stepped in, they saw the sea parted, but now God is letting them take one step further and saying, “Go ahead and step out before you see any evidence, before you see any signs, go ahead and step out in faith. Get your feet wet.” So here is a new relationship, an exciting relationship to be sure as they stepped into the water, and as they did God caused the waters to cease flowing. God threw up a dam, and the waters of Jordan ceased, and the people all passed over.

Now they were commanded to take these stones out of the bottom of the Jordan River, where the priests were standing holding the Ark of the Covenant. When they came up on the other side, they were to put these stones in a heap. And Joshua commands them there in chapter four,

“

Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary

The first movement in the actual advance of the people into the land was of such a nature as to impress them with e truth of their positive relation to God. There was nothing in this first advance calculated to give them any cause for personal glorying. They came on to the actual soil of Canaan not by deflecting the course of the intervening river nor by bridging it, but by direct divine intervention. Divine power arrested the rushing river and made a highway for them to the other side.

The method of the divine procedure was intended to magnify Joshua in the sight of Israel by demonstrating to them that God was indeed with him as He had been with Moses.

While the act was wholly God’s, was performed on the fulfillment of certain conditions by the people. Charged so to do by Joshua, they sanctified themselves and thus made possible the action of God. Moreover, they moved in obedience to His command, setting themselves in array, with the priests leading before the parting of the waters.

The crossing of the Jordan was connected with the center of their life, the divine Presence, which was made evident by the pause of the priests and the Ark in the midst of the river bed while the hosts marched past them into possession.

Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible

the Jordan Safely Crossed

Jos 3:1-17

For three days the host faced that swollen river. It was enough to appall them, except that, like Abraham, they dared to behold it in the light of the divine promise. Every method was adopted to impress on them that the river was cleft by and for the Ark. The distance between the people and the advancing priests was purposely widened that there might be no doubt about the miracle. Whenever we step out on the unknown path, the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolizes Christ, precedes, Isa 52:12.

The waters far up the stream were arrested and formed themselves into a vast lake. The bed of the river became dry for miles. The priests stood still till all Israel was safely over. Not only the leaders and priests, but the rank and file. Each of the blood-bought is dear to God. They shall not come into judgment, Joh 5:24.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

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. And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; 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. 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. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. 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.

Jos 3:1-6

The time had come for which Israel had waited so long: they were about to enter the land of promise, the inheritance which God had vouchsafed to them. Had there been the energy of faith they might have gone up into that land from Kadesh-Barnea, the place of opportunity, thirty-eight years before. But because of their unbelief God had turned them back and made them wander in the wilderness until all that unbelieving generation had died. Now their children were encamped in the plains of Moab, looking toward the land, but with the river Jordan rolling between them and their promised possessions.

Jordan speaks of death, with judgment following. It is the dark river flowing down to the Dead Sea. To plunge into it would have meant the drowning of all the host of Israel. But God was about to make a dry way through that mystic river as He had done forty years before through the Red Sea. We read that Israel went down into the sea and came up out of Jordan. The two coalesce, for both speak of death. The Dead Sea says Christs death is our death. We have died with Him. The Jordan says they who die with Him live in Him, henceforth to walk in newness of life. Thank God, our Lord Jesus Christ has died for us, and those who have put their trust in Him will never come into judgment, but are passed out of death into life. God sees us linked up with the Lord Jesus Christ in His death and Resurrection.

We read in the sixth chapter of Romans, Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (6:3, 4).

These verses we have before us are typical of this precious truth. Israel looked over to the other side of Jordan to the land God had promised them, which typifies our present inheritance in Christ, the privileges which are enjoyed by all believers who actually enter into the truth of their union with Christ in His death and Resurrection.

Canaan typifies not merely heaven after we die (as in 1 Peter 1) but the heavenly experiences which are ours to enjoy while still in our mortal bodies here on earth. It is this the apostle had in view when he exclaimed, I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Gal 2:20).

The priests bearing the ark of the covenant were to go forward first. That ark typified our Lord Jesus Christ, the meeting-place between God and man. The wood of the ark spoke of His perfect humanity; the gold, of the glory of His deity. He must go down into death first to make a dry way for His people. By dying and rising again He has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.

In the fourth verse of Joshua 3 we read that there was to be a space maintained between the ark and the people of about two thousand cubits, which would be approximately half a mile according to our method of computation. This was to teach due reverence for the ark of God. It had to lead the way. Alone the priests were to go down into the river and then the waters would be rolled back. Christ entered into death alone. No one could participate in the work of propitiation.

Alone He bare the cross;

Alone its grief sustained.

We can imagine with what interest and suppressed excitement the people watched that ark, as, borne on the shoulders of the priests, it was carried down to the river. It passed on before the people, who were to share in the safety and blessing it was to ensure, but who could do nothing themselves to stem the Jordans flow.

Gods command to the priests was, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan ye shall stand still in Jordan. What a test of faith this must have been! But it was Gods Word and must be acted upon. Only thus could the way be opened for Israel to go dry-shod into Canaan, and only through the death of Christ could a way be opened for us to enter into the rest that remains for the people of God.

Notice verses 11 to 13:

Behold the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. 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.

To the natural way of thinking, this might have seemed impossible, but God had given His Word and that Word never fails. The twelve men referred to were selected for a specific purpose, of which we shall read later on.

Now notice carefully verses 14 to 17:

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; 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,) 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. 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 people of Israel were standing there in absolute silence, reverently looking on as the ark of the covenant went down to the river Jordan. It pictures Christ going down into the dark water of death. The moment the priests feet rested in Jordan, the waters were dried up-the waters that had already reached the point of overflowing went down to the salt sea, and the water which came down from above rolled very far back from the city Adam.

Now, I do not know where the city Adam was. It says, The city Adam, that is beside Zaretan. You will see that those who make the maps have indicated a city called Adam near the source of the Jordan, but they put a question mark after the name because they are not sure where the city of Adam was located. That is not important, however; but I will tell you what is important: that when our Lord Jesus Christ died on the Cross the waters of judgment were rolled very far back-back to the first man, Adam. Adams sins were taken into account when Jesus died on the Cross, as well as the sins of all his race. We are told in Rom 3:23-26: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God: To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

That expression, sins that are past, refers not to our past offences, but to the sins of those who lived before the Cross. All down through the ages God had been, if I may so say, saving men on credit. The actual work of propitiation or atonement had not yet been accomplished. But in view of it, God remitted the sins of all who turned to Him in repentance and faith, and when Jesus died on the Cross all these sins were settled for, as well as those of all who at any time since would receive the Lord Jesus by faith. So now God can be just and the justifier of all who believe.

The ark remained in the bed of the Jordan until all the people had clean passed over. So Christ in His death made complete propitiation for all men everywhere, that all may be saved, if they will. God saw all who would ever believe passing through to blessing when His blessed Son died in our stead.

As we realize our identification with Him in that death, we enter into the life of joy and high privilege which is the happy portion of all who believe.

Israel did nothing to merit this deliverance. It was God who wrought in grace on their behalf. So in the work of the Cross, all has been done that needed to be done in order that sinners might be saved. Christ is Himself the Ark and He went down into death that a way might be opened for us to enter into the blessing of redemption. It is ours to believe God and so to receive the effect of Christs work.

Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets

Jos 3:4

I. “Ye have not passed this way heretofore.” We are all continually entering upon new paths, which afterwards turn out to be old ones in a new form. Religious experience moves by crises. Israel had not many years before gone across this same desert, and been abruptly turned back to Sinai again, because of rebelliousness in their will. Now they were to go to Canaan, but by another route altogether. We are always beginning new experiences. But we should remember that in the year to come we shall find ourselves travelling over much the same road as last year. There will not be anything extraordinarily surprising. Differences will be in the details.

II. “Ye have not passed this way heretofore.” Then, in the fresh chance God is giving, He offers Himself to be our Helper and Friend. We failed last year. The chances of life are still open. Our parts may be played over again.

III. “Ye have not passed this way heretofore.” Then surely the gifts of God’s love have not been appropriated by others nor exhausted by ourselves.

IV. “Ye have not passed this way heretofore;” but it is well to remember that the ark has not passed this way heretofore either. The Israelites were to accept God’s guidance implicitly. They were to bear the ark to the front and follow it without any question. It makes life a new thing to put the ark on before it.

V. “Ye have not passed this way heretofore.” Now, with the ark in front, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

C. S. Robinson, Sermons on Neglected Texts, p. 224.

I. “Ye have not passed this way heretofore.” Therefore do not go until you be assured of the Divine presence and protection.

II. “Ye have not passed this way heretofore.” It is quite right, consequently, to take new ways and untried paths in life.

III. “Ye have not passed this way heretofore.” There are some particulars in which this must be true even of the least eventful life.

IV. “Ye have not passed this way heretofore,” The suggestion is not human, but Divine. It is God Himself that proposes to guide and defend the lives of men.

Parker, The Ark of God, p. 26.

“Ye have not passed this way heretofore.” The vista of the bygone years was never so long as it is to-day. Time never carried such a burden of events on his shoulders. Changes have taken place in society and in ourselves, and these changes are sure to go on during the coming year. Take these watchwords for the year, notes of the life we must aim to live as the days go by.

I. Vigilance. Have the senses well exercised and ready for quick and true discernment of men and things. Without something of this sleepless vigilance, without the “inevitable eye,” we shall lose much of what is in the year, and in the year for us.

II. Promptitude. We should watch for occasions, that we may seize them; for opportunities, that we may improve them; for God in His manifold revealings and comings to us, that we may receive Him as our God.

III. Courage will often be needed to do what the hand finds to do. The possession and cultivation of moral courage therefore is another very necessary preparation for this way that we have not passed heretofore.

IV. Gentleness is a good word to put under the shelter of courage, and a good thing to put among the preparations for the unknown year.

V. We should be poorly furnished for the way without filial confidence, which will easily, when occasion comes, pass into resignation.

VI. Finally, whatever comes, there will always be, not only need and occasion, but ground and reason, for serene, invincible hopefulness. “Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.”

A. Raleigh, The Way to the City, p. 350 (see also Congregationalist, vol. i., p. 7).

References: Jos 3:4.-Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xviii., No. 1057; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. vii., p. 5; M. Nicholson, Redeeming the Time, p. 217; Outline Sermons for Children, p. 23; Old Testament Outlines, pp. 56, 59. Jos 3:5.-E. B. Pusey, Sermons from Advent to Whitsuntide, 1848, p. 35. 3:7-4:15.-Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. iv., p. 277. Jos 3:9.-Parker, vol. v., p. 274. Jos 3:11.-S. Baring-Gould, One Hundred Sermon Sketches, p. 144. Jos 3:17.-Bishop Woodford, Sermons on Subjects from the Old Testament, p. 40. 3-Parker, vol. v., pp. 88, 97. Jos 4:6, Jos 4:7.-Newman Hall, Sunday Magazine, 1865, p. 389. Jos 4:9.-Expositor, 1st series, vol. viii., pp. 159, 315; H. Macmillan, The Olive Leaf, p. 301. Jos 4:15, Jos 4:24.-Parker, vol. v., p. 116. Jos 4:23.-Ibid., p. 275. 4-Ibid., p. 107. Jos 5:11.-W. Harris, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xiv., p. 384. Jos 5:12.-H. Macmillan, Two Worlds are Ours, p. 177 (see also Sunday Magazine, 1879, p. 125); Spurgeon, Morning by Morning, p. 1; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. vi., p. 183; Homiletic Magazine, vol. xii., p. 257; J. M. Neale, Sermons for the Church Year, vol. i., p. 58.

Fuente: The Sermon Bible

3. The Passage of Jordan

CHAPTER 3

1. The Ark of Jehovah going before (Jos 3:1-6)

2. Jehovahs words to Joshua (Jos 3:7-8)

3. Joshuas words to the people (Jos 3:9-13)

4. The passage accomplished (Jos 3:14-17)

The River Jordan divided the people from the promised land. To be in the land Jordan had to be crossed. Jordan, overflowing all its banks at that time (verse 15), rolled its dark waters between them and their God-given possession. Only the power of God could bring them through those dark waters. It was a miracle which took place, when a way was opened and the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap … and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt-sea, failed and were cut off (verse 16). Unbelief has always branded this miracle as a legend. The destructive criticism has done the same. This is the second time the Lord made a way for His people through the waters. He made first a way for them through the Red Sea, by which Israel was separated from Egypt and from their enemies. The passage of Jordan separated them from the wilderness and brought them into the land.

Both, the Red Sea and Jordan, are types of the death of Christ in its blessed results for His people. The Red Sea experience typifies the fact that the believer, through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, is dead to sin and dead to the law. The passage through Jordan is the type of the fact, that the death and resurrection of Christ brings us into the heavenly places; we are seated together in Christ in heavenly places.

And how was the passage accomplished? We read now nothing more of the movement of the pillar of cloud and of fire, so prominent at the Red Sea and during the wilderness journey. The ark of the covenant of the Lord appears in the foreground to lead the way and made a way through the overflowing waters. Taken up by the priests, carried towards the river, as soon as the priests touched the brim of it, the waters were stemmed back, till all the people had passed over on dry ground. The ark with the blood-sprinkled mercy seat is the type of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the type of our Lord going into the deep waters of death to make a way through them for His people. The distance between the ark and the people was to be two thousand cubits. It illustrates the fact that our Lord had to do this work alone. Peter declared that he would go with Him into death, but the Lord told him, Thou canst not follow Me now, but thou shalt follow Me hereafter. There was none with Him, when He made the way, but He takes all His people through death into resurrection life and glory.

In the midst of Jordan, the mighty waters standing as a heap above, the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. It was a dry way, not a drop of the dark, muddy waters were left. It shows the truth, that the power of death (typified by the waters of Jordan) is completely gone; nothing is left of it. The work is accomplished for all His people. Not one is left behind; the weakest and the smallest pass over. What effect it must have had upon the enemies, and especially upon Jericho! Jericho was but five miles away. No doubt they watched the hosts of Israel before the passage. They felt secure on account of the mighty waters of Jordan, which seemed to bar the Israelitish invasion. How panic-stricken they must have become when they saw or heard of the great miracle and that Gods people had reached the other shore! But one person was calm in Jericho. One enjoyed peace and rest and did not fear. The one from whose window there streamed the scarlet line.

Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)

Jordan

The passage of Jordan, type of our death with Christ Rom 6:6-11; Eph 2:5; Eph 2:6; Col 3:1-3.

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

rose early: Archbishop Usher supposes, that this was upon Wednesday, the 28th of April, am 2553, the fortieth year of the Exodus from Egypt. From Shittim, where the israelites had been encamped for about two months – Deu 1:3, to the Jordan, was, according to Josephus, about sixty stadia; that is, between seven and eight English miles. Gen 22:3, Psa 119:60, Jer 7:13, Jer 25:3, Jer 26:5, Mar 1:35

Shittim: Jos 2:1, Num 25:1, Mic 6:5

Jordan: Jordan, called by the Arabs El Sharia, takes its rise in Anti-Libanus, about twelve miles north of Cesarea Philippi, now Banias; and, having run about twelve miles southward, it receives a considerable stream, which is now called the Moiet Hasbeia. About 15 miles farther, it forms the waters of Merom or Semechon, now Houle; and, after running about 28 miles more, it passes through the lake of Gennesareth, and thence runs southward till it loses itself in the Dead Sea; its whole course being about 160 miles.

Reciprocal: Jos 6:12 – Joshua rose Jos 7:16 – rose up Jos 8:10 – rose up Jdg 7:1 – rose up Jdg 20:19 – rose up Pro 31:15 – riseth

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Crossing the Jordan

Jos 3:1-17

INTRODUCTORY WORDS

We wish to discuss the preparatory steps to the crossing of the Jordan. These steps are set forth in the opening verses of our chapter.

1. Lodging near the river Jordan. Before they could go across they had to come down by the riverside. However, as we see the Children of Israel camped by Jordan we can but remember that “near,” or “by,” is not enough. The fathers or elders of Israel had, of old, camped at Kadesh-barnea, just at the borders of Canaan, forty years before; but they would not pass over for fear of the Canaanites. All of that group were now dead excepting Caleb and Joshua.

2. Awaiting the moving of the ark. In Jos 3:3 we read: “When ye see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, * * then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.” It is just as big a folly to run ahead of the Lord, as it is to lag behind Him. Sometimes we are in danger of getting too anxious to move out into our ordered pathway-to move before God cries “Go,” is fatal.

If we want God to go with us, and to bless our word and work we must follow His guidance, and not run ahead. To go too soon is presumption.

3. Going after our Leader. Let us observe the expression, “Ye shall * * go after it.” Our mind goes to the Book of Romans where we read: “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” If then we are led by the Spirit, we must walk “after the Spirit.”

If we would know God, we must follow on to know Him. We dare not allow fear to make us hesitate. Obedience must not be delayed by fear. The waters of the Jordan may seem an impassable barrier to our progress, but our God will attend to the difficulties.

4. The space between the priests with the Ark, and the people who followed after. Jos 3:4 says: “there shall be a space between you and it, (the Ark) about two thousand cubits by measure.”

We are not the “leaders” but the “followers.” The servant is not the Lord, and Master. We may have the sacredness of His presence and we may know Him as the One walking by our side; however, we must ever say, “Hallowed be Thy Name.”

The space between the Ark and the people was, first, to assure them that the Lord was going before to mark out the path for them; it was, secondly, to assure them of their walking in the right path,-that they “may know the way.” They had never been that way before.

5. A new experience. The last clause of Jos 3:4 says, “For ye have not passed this way heretofore.”

New experiences demand new strength, new illumination, new aid. In the Christian life we are always meeting higher ground, farther visions, enlarged revelations of truth.

As the age nears its end Satan’s strategies, world conditions, and church apostatizings, bring us new need for Divine leadership. We are, today passing along a thoroughfare we have never passed before.

I. A CALL TO SANCTIFICATION (Jos 3:5)

1. Precedents to obtaining God’s best. Our verse says, “Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

Sanctification here, as in many other Scriptures carries with it the Divine call to separation, cleansing and dedication.

God cannot work wonders in behalf of a people whose hearts are not perfect toward Him. In Nazareth, Christ could do no mighty works because of their unbelief.

In Psa 78:1-72 we read of how Israel limited God. Think of it! God Himself, in so far as His working in and through us, is either hindered or helped by our own attitude toward Him, We must be made meet for the Master’s use, before He can use us.

2. Necessary to our serving God. If it is necessary for us to be sanctified in order for God to show wonders toward us, it is necessary for us to be sanctified, in order for us to be prepared to do service for Him. We suggested this as we closed our first consideration.

It is for this cause that God has taught many young people, to “flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” The servant of the Lord must be clean, if he would bear the Lord’s burdens. Read 2Ti 2:20-22.

Unclean lips cannot proclaim acceptably the glorious Gospel of the Son of God, neither can unclean lives work His will.

II. A WONDER WORKING GOD (Jos 3:5, l.c.)

1. The day of miracles has not passed. There are many these days who are teaching that God is withholding His wonder-working powers from the Church. We have diligently studied the Bible, and particularly, of course, the Epistles; yet we have nowhere found that God has ceased to do wonders among His people.

When Christ went away He said, “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth. Go * * and, lo, I am with you.” These words can mean nothing less than this: God backs His ministering, evangelizing saints with all the power of Heaven, The fact of the business is that we, with Paul, should seek to know the mighty power which God wrought toward us in Christ. It is one thing to know His resurrection; it is another thing to experience the power of His resurrection.

2. We serve a God who never fails.

“God lives, shall I despair,

As if He were not there;

Is not my life, His care,

Is not His hand Divine?”

In the Book of the Colossians we read: “Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power.” It is when we are thus panoplied that we may be able to walk worthy of our Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work.

God pity the preacher who believes that the age of miracles is past; and that the minister, in his own strength, must fulfill his own ministry. To the contrary, Christ still lives; the Holy Spirit is still present with His people; God is still able to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Let us realize that in no place will God fail us.

III. THE LORD LEADING THE WAY (Jos 3:6-7)

1. The ark going before. In Jos 3:6 Joshua said: “Take up the Ark of the Covenant, and pass over before the people.” Thus they took up the Ark and it went before.

How wonderful is this promise! We believe that it is just as much for us, the Church, as it was for Israel, He who went before His people, of yore, to prepare the place for them to pitch their tents, still goes before us.

He is not merely behind us, backing us up with His power; but He is before us, leading us in each step of the way.

Epaphras, the beloved servant, prayed that the saints might “stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” The Lord still has a plan for every life, and when we are willing to follow on in full obedience He will lead us in the way.

2. The people standing still until the Ark moved. The people had no right to rush over to Jordan, and set siege against Jericho until the Ark of the Covenant had gone before. To have done such a thing would have spelled disaster, We dare not run till we are sent. We dare not move, until we are commanded.

The art of standing still is very necessary among believers. Have ye not read: “Be still, and know that I am God”? Some of us are so full of carnal energy that we want to be eternally doing something, whereas we should be quiet before God. God help us to be true.

IV. GLORIFYING GOD (Jos 3:8-10)

1. “As I was * * so I will be.” This is what God told Joshua in the close of Jos 3:7 : “As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.” Can we not find in this statement our right to claim that God still lives, and that He still works for us as He wrought of old?

The Children of Israel, in Isa 51:1-23, cried unto the Lord, saying, “Awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old.” Then they asked the Lord, saying, “Art thou not [He] that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not [He] which hath dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep?”

Once more we say, that He who wrought of old, still works.

2. “Hear the Words of the Lord your God.” Joshua did not assume any self-ordered leadership over Israel. He was an intermediary. He stood between God and the people. He told them what he was commanded to tell. He did what he was told to do. Here is a message for the preachers and workers of today. We preach not ourselves, but Christ. His Words are our words. We cannot go beyond what is written. Paul said to Timothy and he says to us, “Preach the Word.”

3. “The Living God is among you.” This is Joshua’s statement in Jos 3:10. How deep was its meaning then, and how wonderful is its meaning now. He is still among us, and we delight in recognizing Him, and in acclaiming His presence, while we ascribe unto Him all power and glory.

Joshua based his assurance of victory on the Presence of God. Let us give special attention to this: “He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites.”

We call this “believing before receiving.” We call it a faith that accepts as accomplished, that which is not yet done.

V. WHEREIN DIFFICULTIES VANISH AWAY (Jos 3:13)

1. The obstacles which confronted Israel. Between Israel and the fall of Jericho lay the surging waters of the Jordan. How could so great a people pass over the swelling tides? To them, after the flesh, those waters presented an impassable barrier.

How often do difficulties loom up before the saints:

How oft do we wonder what we will do,

When waters loom up, and we can’t get through,

Yet beyond the waves, there is work to do,

Who will roll the floods away?

Then when we arrive there is something new,

For the floods have gone, and the sky is blue,

And the Lord stands by to lead us through,

And victory crowns our day.

Let us never despair again though the world, the flesh, and the devil oppose us. When God stretches forth His hand all is victory.

2. Stepping forward by faith. Joshua said: “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.”

He who would try to do away with the miraculous and seek to show that by some natural cause the waters of the Jordan were held back on that memorable day, has done no less than to endeavor to do away with the glory of the Lord of all the earth. He who, today, seeks to deny the miracles does no less than to deny the Lord, even the Lord of all the earth.

Observe that the priests were to place their feet in the waters of the Jordan before the miracle began to show itself. Here was a real test, which God placed upon faith.

Who among us will do the same thing? Peter did.

VI. EVEN AS HE SAID (Jos 3:14-16)

1. “As they that bare the Ark * *, and the feet of the priests * * were dipped in the brim of the water, * * the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap * * and those (the waters) that came down toward the sea * * failed, and were cut off.”

How wonderful does it all read. The thing that impresses us is this: it was as they obeyed, with the obedience of faith, that God began to work. How often do we make impossible God’s undertakings, by our failure to undertake.

2. It all happened as the Lord had spoken. Does not His Word always come true? We like the opening statement of Jos 3:14, which says: “And it came to pass.” That coming to pass was not a mere accidental occurrence. It was an answer to the step of faith, and it was a fulfillment of the Words of Almighty God.

Every Word of God is yea and amen in Christ Jesus. There is not one thing that He has said, that He will not do. When His promises are based upon His children’s faith or faithfulness, His promises are conditional. When, however, the conditions are met and His believing saints undertake upon the basis of His command, then they will find that He will do even as He said.

We must walk by faith if we expect God to accomplish for us. Salvation is not the only gift of God which is received by faith. We are saved by faith to be sure, but we walk by faith; and, it is the prayer of faith which brings down from Heaven the workings of God for us.

It is true today as it was true in Joshua’s day-“according to your faith be it unto you.”

VII. THE ARK IN THE MIDST (Jos 3:17)

1. We have the story of the Lord in the midst of His people. Has He not written, “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save”? Has He not also written, “Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them”?

As long as the Ark was in the midst, the people had no fear. As long as God is in our midst why should we be afraid?

Had the waters come down, the Ark would have been the first to have been overwhelmed by their rush. When a trysting soul fails, God fails.

2. We have the story of the Lord sharing His people’s dangers. No matter what may befall us, it necessarily befalls Him, for He is in our midst. He does not send us forth alone to face the perils of fire or flood, He goes with us; He walks by our side. He is the Christ who looks unto us and says: “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”

3. We have the story of the Lord in the midst as the hope of His people: Had the Ark suddenly been overthrown, the people had turned in every direction to flee for their lives. As long as He is with us we have joy; hope thrills us. We are not even afraid though we travel through the valley of the shadow of death, for He is with us, and we fear no evil.

4. We have the assurance of a completed work. Not only does our key verse tell us that the people passed clean over Jordan, but it tells us that all the people passed clean over. There were none left to be cast down by the returning waters. He who believes God shall never perish.

AN ILLUSTRATION

The owner of an Aeolian harp hung his instrument where the wind could sweep over its strings. The evening zephyrs came and touched it into music soft and gentle like the sound of sweet voices far away, and when the winds rose they fanned it into harmonies grand and majestic.

Close by the harp lay a great rock half sunk in the earth, and the rock said to the harp, “Alas for me! I cannot sing. There is no music in my soul.” Directly Thor, the Thunder God, passed that way with his mighty hammer. His sword was dull and his spear was blunt. He built a fire and heated his weapons, and with the rock for an anvil, he struck with mighty force on clanging steel and ringing stone. And then the slumbering tones in the rock broke forth. Great strains of deep, rich melody floated through the valley and over the hill, and all the air about was pregnant with music. The music was in the rock as well as in the harp, but where it took only the touch of a gentle breeze to bring it out of the one, it took tremendous blows to bring it out of the other. And so it is with the hearts of men. Some yield under an easy pressure. God’s Spirit comes like a gentle breeze and the heart responds. Others are hard like steel and stone, and unless the hard blows of adversity or affliction come and beat upon them until they are almost broken, they remain dull and hard forever.-Unknown.

Fuente: Neighbour’s Wells of Living Water

JORDAN CROSSED

PREPARATION OF THE PEOPLE (3:1-13)

The events in this section are the removal to Shittim and the encampment there (Jos 3:1); directions about the leadership of the priests (Jos 3:2-4); sanctification of the people (Jos 3:5); encouragement of Joshua (Jos 3:7-8); encouragement of the people (Jos 3:9-13).

There is little requiring explanation, but notice in Jos 3:4 the care God took for the peoples guidance and the occasion for it. And do not forget the obedience required if the guidance were to prove effectual. All these things have their spiritual lessons and were written for our ensamples.

Notice in Jos 3:5 the forerunner of divine wonders. When we sanctify ourselves by putting away all known sin, God does wonders among us. Notice the demand for faith, tomorrow He will do it.

Notice in Jos 3:7 how God removes all apprehension from Joshua so far as the allegiance of the people is concerned. They will follow him because God will put His honor upon him as upon his predecessor. When God calls a man into His service He equips him for it, and makes it so plain that His people recognize it and submit themselves to his leadership (Jos 4:14).

Notice in Jos 3:9-13 that presumably the people had no knowledge how they were to cross the river till just before the event. These words of Joshua, therefore, with the miraculous result, must have greatly confirmed their faith in Jehovah as unlike the idols of the nations round about.

THE DIVISION OF THE WATERS (Jos 3:14-17)

What play for the imagination here: As the feet of the priests were dipped in the brim [brink] of the water! Not a minute before, but just then the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap. Read the comment in Psalms 114.

All the more marvelous because it was the time that Jordan overflowed its banks (Jos 3:15), i.e., about our April or May, the period of the early harvest in that land. The river about Jericho is ordinarily only about 150 to 180 feet across, but at this time it was twice as broad, as well as deep and rapid.

The city of Adam beside Zaretan (Jos 3:16) is about thirty miles north. There the river suddenly stayed and the waters gathered into a heap. From that point downward being no longer supplied from above, they began to fail, and hurrying towards the Dead Sea were swallowed up. The riverbed for miles was dry, it has a pebbly bottom there and the people passed over right against Jericho.

THE MEMORIAL STONES (Jos 4:1-9)

Observe that Jos 4:2 is a repetition of Jos 3:12, indicating that these twelve men had been chosen previously for this service, though only now had they been made acquainted with its nature. That nature is described in the verses following. Verses 19-20 show where the stones were placed.

Observe their purpose (Jos 4:6-7). A common mode in earlier times of remembering remarkable events. No inscription need have been placed upon them, as tradition would hand down the story from age to age.

Observe that another set of stones was set up elsewhere (Jos 4:9). Unto this day means when the record was made in the book, which may have been in Joshuas own time and by him, or at a later time by some other hand.

THE CIRCUMCISION AND THE PASSOVER (Jos 5:2-12)

The reason for this circumcision is in Jos 5:2-7, but the moral effect of it is stated in Jos 5:9.

The observance of the Passover at the time fixed by the law (Jos 5:10, see marginal references) was another evidence that the national existence was recommenced, and it was appropriate that the manna should cease at this time and the new chapter of their history begin with a new dietetic regimen.

The old corn of the land seems to mean that found in the storehouses of Gilgal and its neighborhood on which they levied. The fact that the manna ceased at this time when they no longer needed it is a further proof of its miraculous provision in the wilderness.

THE LORD OF HOSTS (Jos 5:13-15)

This occurrence is another of the theophanies, a subject on which we have commented. Theophany means a manifestation of God to men by actual appearance. It might be called a Christophany or manifestation of Christ, for all such appearances in the Old Testament were those of the Second Person of the Trinity.

We are impressed with the intrepidity of Joshua, suggesting a supernatural enduement of courage (Jos 5:13). We are impressed, too, with the warlike appearance and the warlike declaration of his divine visitor. As before stated, men ask in ignorance whether war is ever justifiable? Let them remember that the Lord is a God of war, and that until His enemies are subdued war will never end. In the present instance everything betokens heavens approval of this war of invasion. Only a weak apprehension of sin, and of the divine character, can argue otherwise.

Observe the evidences of the deity of this Person His name, His acceptance of worship, His command and the reason for it. He appeared at Gilgal, part of accursed Canaan; yet His presence made it holy (Jos 5:15).

QUESTIONS

1. Name the events in the first section of this lesson.

2. At what period of the year was the Jordan crossed?

3. How far north of the crossing did the flow of the river cease?

4. How many sets of memorial stones were there?

5. What further evidence of the miraculous nature of the manna does this lesson afford?

6. What is the meaning of the word theophany?

7. How is the deity of this Captain proven?

Fuente: James Gray’s Concise Bible Commentary

The text does not tell us why Joshua broke camp at Shittim, not more than 6 miles from Jordan, to move closer to the river. Some suggest it was to impress upon the people the fact that they could not cross the river without God’s help ( Jos 3:1 ).

The people were instructed to follow the priests of Levi as they carried the ark of the covenant. Ordinarily, the Kohathites would carry the vessels of the sanctuary after Aaron and his sons had finished covering the sanctuary and its vessels ( Num 4:15 ; Num 4:17-20 ). They had strict orders not to touch any of the holy things or they would die. On this and several other special occasions, the priests themselves bore the ark. This may signify the importance of the role of the priests and underscore God’s presence with the people ( Jos 3:2-3 ).

The people were to stay some two thousand cubits, or about 3,000 feet, away from the ark. They were to follow the ark because they had never been where they were going. Rules of sanctification had already been issued by God and involved washing garments and abstaining from acts that would make one unclean ( Exo 29:1-46 ). Thus, we could say the people only crossed the river by God’s power but they were still required to do something to prepare themselves in accord with his desire ( Jos 3:4-6 ).

God told Joshua to tell the people exactly what would happen so they would know he was their approved leader. The water did not stand in a heap until the soles of the feet of the priests touched the water. That such a great rushing river ceased to flow at precisely the right moment and did not flow again until all the people had crossed is absolute proof there is a God in heaven and he was fighting for Israel ( Jos 3:7-17 ).

Before the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had fully passed through the river’s bed, Joshua, in accord with God’s instructions, had one man from each of the twelve tribes go and pick up a stone to be used in building a memorial. Joshua also erected a twelve stone memorial in the midst of the river in the very place the priests had stood.

Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books

Jos 3:1. Joshua rose early in the morning Not after the return of the spies, as may seem at first view, but after the three days mentioned Jos 1:11, when orders were given to the army to make all necessary provision for invading the enemies country. They came to Jordan and lodged there That night, that they might go over in the day-time, that the miracle might be more evident and unquestionable, and might strike the greater terror into their enemies.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jos 3:5. Sanctify yourselves, by washings and purifications. The Persians, when commissioned to march against Babylon, are called Gods sanctified ones; for the ministers of his vengeance are holy. Isa 13:3.

Jos 3:13. The waters of Jordan. The river near the place where the Israelites passed was a rapid stream; its depth is from five to six feet, and its breadth about twenty yards. But by overflowing its banks it has worked an outward bank at the distance of two hundred and twenty yards from the channel. This overflowing is occasioned by the melting of the snow of the northern mountains. The Euphrates overflows at the same time, and from the same cause.

Jos 3:16. The waters were stopped at the city of Adam by the Angel of the covenant. The ark proceeded about half a mile at the head of the Israelites, unawed by the Jordan and the hostile nations. The ark is still able to defend itself against the waters of death, and all the enemies of the church. The people kept at this respectful distance because of the majesty of God.

REFLECTIONS.

No sooner had the spies arrived than all the hopes of Israel revived. Joshua rose up early next morning, and received a series of the most encouraging promises from the mercyseat. He therefore hastened the people to the bank of the Jordan, that they might repose awhile in sight of the promised land. The Canaanites, confident of security from the overflowing of the river, seem to have made no immediate preparations to oppose their passage. Great stupors often seize the wicked in the hour of death.

On approaching the river they were directed to follow the ark, and at the usual respectful distance of a thousand paces; for God abode with the ark of his strength. Of the cloud we hear no more. It had been given for a guide by day, and a cheering flame by night. It had led them in a winding peaceful path, and led them to the promised inheritance. Even so now, the cloud of providence and grace is often pleased to lead the saints in a humble retired path, that they may get the more quietly through the desert into the heavenly rest. Let us therefore simply follow the ark, or letter of the covenant, and it will lead us also to his holy place. The people for three days, as when the law was given on Sinai, were required to purify themselves and calmly wait the Lords pleasure. Wise and salutary advice. Do we in like manner approach the Jordan; do many of us already stand on the brink? Let us put away all defilements of body and mind; let us purify the soul by devotion, and raise it to God by constant acts of faith and love. It is serious and great to die; and they are the most prepared who live with death and heaven constantly in view.

But how shall we cross the river? Alas, we have neither bridge nor boats; what shall we do. These were Israels fears; these were difficulties they could not solve. It is often the same with timorous saints. To us also Jordan seems to overflow his banks. Death seems preseded by all awful train of afflictions, of fears, of doubts and temptations. Meanwhile where is our faith? Has not God said, When thou passest through the water, the floods shall not drown thee? Let us then be confident in Jeshuruns God. He has said to the fearful, by his servant, Stand still and see the salvation of God.

And what did he do for his people, when human means were inadequate? The moment Eleazars feet were dipped in the river, the waters were afraid. Knowing the presence of their God, they fled back far as the city of Adam; and those below, trembling with fear, were drained away, leaving an open channel to the sea of Sodom. Israel now saw the hand of God as they had seen it forty years before at the Red sea. What a glorious sight to behold a whole nation at once walk dryshod over the channel, not fearing, but rejoicing to put their hallowed feet on the inheritance covenanted to their fathers. The whitening of the barley harvest, with all the charms of nature, made them welcome; while the enemy saw it, and fainted with fear. And now, oh my soul, look at the wonders of the Lord, and dismiss thy fears. Jesus, thy great Highpriest dipping his feet in the cold waters of Calvary, hath made the grave afraid. He hath rolled away the stone, and put on life and immortality as a garment. He holds the waters of affliction and death in his hand to give passage to his people, that crossing the Jordan they may die no more. Contemplating Jesus in the triumphs of his death, and the glory of his resurrection, the terrors of dying are vanished away, while all heaven, with a smiling aspect, says, come timid soul, cross the vale, there are no waters here.

Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jos 3:1 to Jos 5:1. The Crossing of Jordan.Here we begin to meet with more serious difficulties. The old tradition was that after the Israelites had crossed the Jordan, they commemorated the event by the erection of twelve stones. But this simple narrative existed in two recensions, which differed as to the destination of these memorial stones. According to one account, they were to be placed in the midst of the river; according to the other, they were to be set up on the W. side of the Jordan in the place where the army encamped for the night. Deuteronomic additions have been made to these narratives, i.e. additions of a religious colouring as in Jos 3:7, And Yahweh 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. In spite of this, ch. 3 on the whole presents an intelligible narrative if the first clause of Jos 3:4, which speaks of the distance to be maintained between the Ark and the people, is made a parenthesis. It is probably an insertion in the spirit of the priestly writers, emphasizing the sacred character of the Ark in accordance with Num 4:15 ff. As the text stands, we must take Jos 3:5 as spoken the day before Jos 3:6, and in Jos 3:6 insert some such phrase as and on the morrow. We must also delete Jos 3:12, which has no connexion with what precedes or follows. With these alterations, the narrative is straightforward. In ch. 4, however, we get into hopeless confusion. In Jos 4:1 the people have completely passed over Jordan. Then twelve men are commanded to go back and fetch twelve stones from the bed of the river. But in Jos 4:4 f. the twelve men are ordered to pass over before the Ark, and the narrative of the crossing which we have already had at the end of ch. 3 is repeated down to Jos 4:19.

Moreover, instead of the two accounts of the stones which we expect in the two narratives, there are, practically, three. One tells us quite plainly that twelve stones were taken out of the midst of the river, and the second just as plainly says that twelve stones were set up in the midst of the river; while the account we should naturally expect, that twelve stones were taken across the river from one side to another, only appears if we take the last half of Jos 3:3 by itself; viz. the words, And carry them over with you and put them in the lodging place where ye shall lodge to-night. These words, taken alone, certainly seem to speak of the transference of stones from one side of the river to the other. Further, the four words previous to those just quoted can be translated as follows: Prepare (hkin) twelve stones (and carry them over, etc.), a command which fits in with the rest of the verse. But by the words in the first part of Jos 3:3, which speak of taking stones out of the river, the purport of this command is entirely altered. It is here maintained that all the references to stones being taken out of the bed of the river are insertions which arose from a misunderstanding of Jos 3:5. But it will be askedDoes not Jos 3:5 speak of taking up stones from the river? At first sight it does; but the command, Cross over before the ark into Jordan and take every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, is given to the men who are already on the bank of the river where the stones are in readiness, so that the taking up of the stones would be the first thing to be done. But as the words lift up the stones came after the words cross over before the ark, it was thought that the action corresponded with this order; that the stones were lifted up after the men had marched into the bed of the river; hence arose the erroneous idea that stones were taken up out of the bed of the river, after the twelve men had marched into position before the Ark. This led first to the insertion of the words, out of the midst of Jordan in Jos 3:8, and afterwards to another insertion at the beginning of Jos 3:3.

When the text has been cleared in this way, ch. 4 gives a second account of the crossing, with the usual additions of the Deuteronomist. Jos 4:9 is out of place unless it is explained, as the Greek translation does, by the insertion of the word other before the words twelve stones.

Jos 4:3. The priests the Levites: i.e. the Levitical priests. The term is Deuteronomic. In Dt. the whole tribe of Levi, not the descendants of Aaron merely, exercise priestly functions. Cf. Deu 18:1.

Jos 4:4. The sanctity of the Ark was such that the people must keep far from it, lest Yahweh should break forth upon them. Cf. 1Sa 5:3*, 1Sa 6:19 f, 2Sa 6:6-8.A. S. P.]

Jos 4:5. Sanctify yourselves.War was a sacred act among the Israelites, for which they prepared, as for any other sacred function, by ceremonial purification (p. 99 and see W. R. Smith, RS2, p. 455).

[Jos 4:16. A remarkable parallel is quoted by Clermont Ganneau (see article by C. M. Watson, Pal. Expl. Fund Quarterly, 1895, pp. 253 ff. See also HDB, ii. p. 265, EBi, cols. 2399f.) from the Arabic chronicler Nowairi. He describes how, in December 1267, the Jordan was dammed for several hours in this neighbourhood by a landslip. Smaller landslips, in fact, still occur in the district.A. S. P.]

Jos 4:20. The words out of Jordan should be from Jordan.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

THE CROSSING OF JORDAN

(vv. 1-17)

The next morning Joshua arose early and led Israel to the river. There may be a question as regards the three days spoken of in chapter 2:11 and the three days the spies hid.Whether the latter two are the same three days spoken of in chapter 2:11 seems to be rather unclear; but the spiritual lesson of three days is the most important, speaking of resurrection, thus Israel acting in “newness of life,” the energy of resurrection power.

The people were told they were to follow the ark of the covenant carried by the priests (v. 3). However, they were to allow a space of 2000 cubits between them and the ark. Thus, all would be able to see the ark and recognize its leading. In other words, they would not be merely following one another. Thus, for us today also, we see Christ in the distance before us, and each individual is to be concerned to personally follow Him, yet giving Him the sole honor that belongs to Him, of being the distinct and distinguished leader of His people.

Joshua then commanded the people to sanctify themselves in view of the Lord’s doing wonders among them (v. 5). Sanctification involves separation from what does not honor God and separation to God, for He was to work mightily among them. We too should be morally prepared for receiving God’s blessing, by being set apart for His glory.

The time had now come for another amazing miracle of God on behalf of Israel. Joshua told the priests to take up the ark and begin the crossing of the River Jordan (v. 6).The Lord at the same time told Joshua that now He would begin to magnify Joshua in the sight of Israel in order that they might realize that as God was with Moses, so He was now with Joshua (v. 7). He is told then to instruct the priests to carry the ark and actually stand in the water at the edge of Jordan (v. 8).

Speaking to all Israel, Joshua informs them beforehand how God was going to work among them, giving the assurance by what He would do that day, that He is indeed the living God who would without fail drive out the seven nations from the land before the children of Israel. “The ark of the covenant of all the earth,” he tells them “is crossing over before you into the Jordan” (v.11). They were therefore to appoint a man from each tribe as a representative (v. 12).This was in view of chapter 4:2.

Joshua assures them in advance that as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark would rest in the waters of Jordan, the waters would be cut off, no longer flowing, but standing as a heap upstream from them (v. 13).

Thus, neither Joshua nor the people were taken by surprise when this astounding miracle took place. The priests’ feet barely dipped in the water at the edge of Jordan when the waters were cut off. It must have been a tremendous heap of waters that accumulated far upstream, especially since at that time the river was at flood stage (vv. 15-16). Typically, Jordan is the river of death (running into the Dead Sea), and the heaping up of the waters speaks of the death of the Lord Jesus, who bore the overflowing judgment of God for us at Calvary, taking all that judgment into His own bosom in order that we might have none whatever to bear. For the people passed over on dry ground, while the priests with the ark remained in the middle of Jordan until all the people had crossed over (v. 17).Thus all the power of death was defeated. So, in the cross of Christ we see death’s power annulled and believers now identified with Christ in resurrection, though this is particularly seen in the stones taken from the Jordan in Chapter 4:5.

Fuente: Grant’s Commentary on the Bible

3:1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to {a} Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

(a) Which according to the Hebrews was in March, about 40 days after Moses’ death.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

B. Entrance into the land 3:1-5:12

The entrance into the land was an extremely important event in the life of Israel. The writer marked it off in three major movements. Each one begins with a command from God to Joshua (Jos 3:7-8; Jos 4:1-3; and Jos 4:15-16), followed by the communication of the command to the people, and then its execution. The way the narrator told the story seems designed to impress on the reader that it was Yahweh who was bringing His people miraculously into the land.

1. Passage through the Jordan chs. 3-4

This section contains two parts: the actual crossing of the Jordan River (ch. 3) and the commemoration of that crossing (ch. 4).

The crossing of the river ch. 3

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Joshua may have moved the nation from Shittim to the Jordan’s edge at approximately the same time he sent the spies on their mission (cf. Jos 3:1-2; Jos 1:11; Jos 2:22). However, the sequence of events was probably as it appears in the text. Chapter 1 Jos 3:11 describes one three-day period during which the spies were in Jericho and the hills. A second, overlapping three-day period began on the next day (day four) with the people’s arrival at Shittim (Jos 3:1), and concluded two days later (on the sixth day) with the officers giving the people last-minute instructions about the crossing (Jos 3:2-4). The people then crossed the Jordan on the next day (day seven). [Note: David M. Howard Jr., "’Three Days’ in Joshua 1-3 : Resolving a Chronological Conundrum," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 41:4 (December 1998):539-50.]

"Duty often calls us to take one step without knowing how we shall take the next; but if brought thus far by the leadings of Providence, and while engaged in his service, we may safely leave the event to him." [Note: Bush, p. 41.]

God continued to lead His people by means of the ark. Whereas in the wilderness the cloudy pillar over the ark was the focus of the Israelites’ attention, now the ark itself became the primary object of their interest. The writer mentioned the ark 17 times in chapters 3 and 4. It was the visible symbol that God Himself was leading His people into the land and against their enemies.

". . . the ark was carried in front of the people, not so much to show the road as to make a road by dividing the waters of the Jordan, and the people were to keep at a distance from it, that they might not lose sight of the ark, but keep their eyes fixed upon it, and know the road by looking at the ark of the covenant by which the road had been made, i.e., might know and observe how the Lord, through the medium of the ark, was leading them to Canaan by a way which they had never traversed before; i.e., by a miraculous way." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, p. 41.]

Other frequently recurring words in chapters 3 and 4 are "cross" and "stand" used 22 and five times respectively. These words identify other emphases of the writer.

The people’s self-consecration (Jos 3:5) consisted of their turning their hearts to God and getting their attitudes and actions right with Him (cf. Mat 3:2; Mat 4:17). God had previously promised to do wonders (Jos 3:5, awesome miracles) when they would enter the land (cf. Exo 34:10). Undoubtedly the people had been looking forward to seeing these miracles in view of what their parents had told them and what some of them remembered about the plagues in Egypt.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

CHAPTER VIII.

JORDAN REACHED.

Jos 3:1-7.

THE host of Israel had been encamped for some time at Shittim on the east side of the river Jordan. It is well to understand the geographical position. The Jordan has its rise beyond the northern boundary of Palestine in three sources, the most interesting and beautiful of the three being one in the neighbourhood of Caesarea Philippi. The three streamlets unite in the little lake now called Huleh, but Merom in Bible times. Issuing from Merom in a single stream the Jordan flows on to the lake of Galilee or Gennesareth, and from thence, in a singularly winding course, to the Dead Sea. Its course between the lake of Galilee and the Dead Sea is through a kind of ravine within a ravine; the outer ravine is the valley or plain of Jordan, now called by the Arabs El Ghor, which is about six miles in width at its northern part, and considerably more at its southern, where the Israelites now were. Within this “El Ghor” is a narrower ravine about three-quarters of a mile in width, in the inner part of which flows the river, its breadth varying from twenty to sixty yards. Some travellers say that the Jordan does not now rise so high as formerly, but others tell us they have seen it overflowing its banks at the corresponding season. But ”the plain” is not fertilized by the rising waters: hence the reason why the banks of the river are not studded with towns as in Egypt. It is quite possible, however, that in the days of Abraham and Lot artificial irrigation was made use of: hence the description given of it then that it was “like the land of Egypt” (Gen 13:10). If it be remarked as strange that Jordan should have overflowed his banks ”in time of harvest” (Jos 3:15) when usually rain does not fall in Palestine, it is to be remembered that all the sources of the Jordan are fountains, and that fountains do not usually feel the effects of the rain until some time after it has fallen. The harvest referred to is the barley harvest, and near Jericho that harvest must have occurred earlier than throughout the country on account of the greater heat. The host of Israel lay encamped at Shittim, or Abel Shittim, “the meadow or moist place of the acacias,” somewhere in the Arboth-Moab or fields of Moab. The exact spot is unknown, but it was near the foot of the Moabite mountains, where the streams, coming down from the heights on their way to the Jordan, caused a luxuriant growth of acacias, such as are still found in some of the adjacent parts. Sunk as this part of the plain is far below the level of the Mediterranean, and enclosed by the mountains behind it as by the walls of a furnace, it possesses an almost tropical climate which, though agreeable enough in winter and early spring, would have been unbearable to the Israelites in the height of summer. It was while Israel “abode in Shittim,” during the lifetime of Moses, that they were seduced by the Moabites to join in the idolatrous revels of Baal-peor and punished with the plague. The acacia groves gave facilities for the unhallowed revelling. That chastisement had brought them into a better spirit, and now they were prepared for better things.

The Jordan was not crossed then by bridges nor by ferry boats; the only way of crossing was by fords. The ford nearest to Jericho, now called El Mashra’a, is well known; it was the ford the Israelites would have used had the river been fordable; and perhaps the tradition is correct that there the crossing actually took place. When the spies crossed and recrossed the river it must have been by swimming, as it was too deep for wading at the time; but though this mode of crossing was possible for individuals, it was manifestly out of the question for a host. That the Israelites could by no possibility cross at that season must have been the forlorn hope of the people of Jericho; possibly they smiled at the folly of Joshua in choosing such a time of the year, and asked in derision, How is he ever to get over?

The appointed day for leaving Shittim has come, and Joshua, determined to lose no time, rises ”early in the morning.” Nor is it without a purpose that so often in the Old Testament narrative, when men of might commence some great undertaking, we are told that it was early in the morning. In all hot climates work in the open air, if done at all, must be done early in the morning or in the evening. But, besides this, morning is the appropriate time for men of great energy and decision to be astir; and it readily connects itself with the New Testament text – ”Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” The benefits of an early start for all kinds of successful work are in the proverbs of all nations; and we may add that few have reached a high position in the Christian life who could not say, in the spirit of the hymn, “early in the morning my song shall rise to Thee.” Nor can it easily be understood how under other conditions the precept could be fulfilled – ”Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”

From Shittim to the banks of the Jordan is an easy journey of a few miles, the road being all over level ground, so that the march was probably finished before the sun had risen high. However strong their faith, it could not be without a certain tremor of heart that the people would behold the swollen river, and mark the walls and towers of Jericho a few miles beyond. Three days are to be allowed, if not for physical, certainly for moral and spiritual preparation for the crossing of the river. The three days are probably the same as those adverted to before (Jos 1:11), just as the order to select twelve men to set up twelve stones (Jos 3:12) is probably the same as that more fully detailed in Jos 4:2. The host is assembled in orderly array on the east bank of the Jordan, when the officers pass through to give instructions as to their further procedure. Three such instructions are given.

First, they are to follow the ark. Whenever they see the priests that bear it in motion, they are to move from their places and follow it. There was no longer the pillar of fire to guide them – that was a wilderness-symbol of God’s presence, now superseded by a more permanent symbol – the ark. Both symbols represented the same great truth – the gracious presence and guidance of God, and both called the people to the same duty and privilege, and to the same assurance of absolute safety so long as they followed the Lord. Familiar sights are apt to lose their significance, and the people must have become so familiar with the wilderness-pillar that they would hardly think what it meant. Now a different symbol is brought forward. The ark carried in solemn procession by the priests is now the appointed token of God’s guidance, and therefore the object to be unhesitatingly followed. A blessed truth for all time was clearly shadowed forth. Follow God implicitly and unhesitatingly in every time of danger, and you are safe. Set aside the counsels of casuistry, of fear, and of worldly wisdom; find out God’s will and follow it through good report and through evil report, and you will be right. It was thus that Joshua and Caleb did, and counselled the people to do, when they came back from exploring the land; and now these two were reaping the benefit; while the generation, that would have been comfortably settled in the land if they had done the same, had perished in the wilderness on account of their unbelief.

Secondly, a span of two thousand cubits was to be left between the people and the ark. Some have thought that this was designed as a token of reverence; but this is not the reason assigned. Had it been designed as a token of reverence, it would have been prescribed long before, as soon as the ark was constructed, and began to be carried with the host through the wilderness. The intention was, ”that ye may know the way by which you must go” (Jos 3:4). If this arrangement had not been made, the course of the ark through the flat plains of the Jordan would not have been visible to the mass of the host, but only to those in the immediate neighbourhood, and the people would have been liable to straggle and fall into confusion, if not to diverge altogether. In all cases, when we are looking out for Divine guidance, it is of supreme importance that there be nothing in the way to obscure the object or to distort our vision. Alas, how often is this direction disregarded! How often do we allow our prejudices, or our wishes, or our worldly interests to come between us and the Divine direction we profess to desire! At some turn of our life we feel that we ought not to take a decisive step without asking guidance from above. But our own wishes bear strongly in a particular direction, and we are only too prone to conclude that God is in favour of our plan. We do not act honestly; we lay stress on all that is in favour of what we like; we think little of considerations of the opposite kind. And when we announce our decision, if the matter concern others, we are at pains to tell them that we have made it matter of prayer. But why make it matter of prayer if we do so with prejudiced minds? It is only when our eye is single that the whole body is full of light. This clear space of two thousand cubits between the people and the ark deserves to be remembered. Let us have a like clear space morally between us and God when we go to ask His counsel, lest peradventure we not only mistake His directions, but bring disaster on ourselves and dishonour on His name.

Thirdly, the people were instructed, – “Sanctify yourselves, for to-morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” It is an instinct of our nature that when we are to meet with some one of superior worldly rank preparation must be made for the meeting. When Joseph was summoned into the presence of Pharaoh, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon, “he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.” The poorest subject of the realm would try to wear his best and to look his best in the presence of his sovereign. But while ”man looketh on the outward appearance the Lord looketh on the heart.”

And our very instincts teach us, that the heart needs to be prepared when God is drawing near. It is not in our ordinary careless mood that we ought to stand before Him who ”sets our iniquities before Him, our secret sins in the light of His countenance.” Grant that we can neither atone for our sin, nor cleanse our hearts without His grace; nevertheless, in God’s presence everything that is possible ought to be done to remove the abominable thing which He hates, so that He may not be affronted and offended by its presence. Most appropriate, therefore, was Joshua’s counsel, – “Sanctify yourselves, for to-morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” He will surpass all that your eyes have seen since that night, much to be remembered, when He divided the sea. He will give you a token of His love and care that will amaze you, much though you have seen of it in the wilderness, and in the country of Sihon and Og. Expect great things, prepare for great things; and let the chief of your preparations be to sanctify yourselves, for ”the foolish shall not stand in His sight, and He hateth all workers of iniquity.”

Next day (compare Jos 3:5, ”to-morrow,” and Jos 3:7, ”this day “) Joshua turns to the priests and bids them ”take up the ark of the covenant.” The priests obey; ”they take up the ark, and go before the people.”

Shall we take notice of the assertion of some that all those parts of the narrative which refer to priests and religious service were introduced by a writer bent on glorifying the priesthood? Or must we repel the insinuation that the introduction of the ark, and the miraculous effects ascribed to its presence, are mere myths? If they are mere myths, they are certainly myths of a very peculiar kind. Twice only in this book is the ark associated with miraculous events – at the crossing of the Jordan and at the taking of Jericho. If these were myths, why was the myth confined to these two occasions? When mythical writers find a remarkable talisman they introduce it at all sorts of times. Why was the ark not brought to the siege of Ai? Why was it absent from the battles of Bethhoron and Merom? Why was its presence restricted to the Jordan and Jericho, unless it was God’s purpose to inspire confidence at first through the visible symbol of His presence, but leave the people afterwards to infer His presence by faith?

The taking up of the ark by the priests was a decisive step. There could be no resiling now from the course entered on. The priests with the ark must advance, and it will be seen whether Joshua has been uttering words without foundation, or whether he has been speaking in the name of God. Shall mere natural forces be brought into play, or shall the supernatural might of heaven come to the conflict, and show that God is faithful to His promise?

Let us put ourselves in Joshua’s position. We do not know in what manner the communications were carried on between him and Jehovah of which we have the record under the words ”the Lord spake unto Joshua.” Was it by an audible voice? Or was it by impressions on Joshua’s mind of a kind that could not have originated with himself, but that were plainly the result of Divine influence? In any case, they were such as to convey to Joshua a very clear knowledge of the Divine will. Yet even in the best of men nature is not so thoroughly subdued in such circumstances but that the shadow of anxiety and fear is liable to flit across them. They crave something like a personal pledge that all will go well. Hence the seasonableness of the assurance now given to 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.” How full and manifold the assurance! First, I will magnify thee. I will endue thee with supernatural might, and that will give you authority and weight, corresponding to the position in which you stand. Further, this shall be but the beginning of a process which will be renewed as often as there is occasion for it. ”This day I will begin. You are not to go a warfare on your own charges, but ”as your days, so shall your strength be.” Moreover, this exaltation of your person and office will take place “in the sight of all Israel,” so that no man of them shall ever be justified in refusing you allegiance and obedience. And to sum up – you shall be just as Moses was; the resources of My might will be as available for you as they were for him. After this, what misgivings could Joshua have? Could he doubt the generosity, the kindness, the considerateness of his Master? Here was a promise for life; and no doubt the more he put it to the test in after years the more trustworthy did he find it, and the more convincing was the proof it supplied of the mindfulness of God.

It is an experience which has been often repeated in the case of those who have had to undertake difficult work for their Master. Of all our misapprehensions, the most baseless and the most pernicious is, that God does not care much about us, and that we have not much to look for from Him. It is a misapprehension which dishonours God greatly, and which He is ever showing Himself most desirous to remove. It stands fearfully in the way of that spirit of trust by which God is so much honoured, and which He is ever desirous that we should show. And those who have trusted God, and have gone forward to their work in His strength, have always found delightful evidence that their trust has not been in vain. What is the testimony of our great Christian philanthropists, our most successful missionaries, and other devoted Christian workers? Led to undertake enterprises far beyond their strength, and undergo responsibilities far beyond their means, we know not a single case in which they have not had ample proof of the mindfulness of their Master, and found occasion to wonder at the considerateness and the bountifulness which He has brought to bear upon their position. And is it not strange that we should be so slow to learn how infinite God is in goodness? That we should have no difficulty in believing in the goodness of a parent or of some kind friend who has always been ready to help us in our times of need, but so slow to realize this in regard to God, though we are constantly acknowledging in words that He is the best as well as the greatest of beings? It is a happy era in one’s spiritual history when one escapes from one’s contracted views of the love and liberality of God, and begins to realize that ”as far as heaven is above the earth, so far are His ways above our ways, and His thoughts above our thoughts”; and when one comes to find that in one’s times of need, whether arising from one’s personal condition or from the requirements of public service, one may go to God for encouragement and help with more certainty of being well received than one may go to the best and kindest of friends.

It is sometimes said that the Old Testament presents us with a somewhat limited view of God’s love. Certainly it is in the New Testament that we see it placed in the brightest of all lights – the Cross, and that we find the argument in its most irresistible form – “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not, with Him also, freely give us all things?” But one must have read the Old Testament in a very careless spirit if one has not been struck with its frequent and most impressive revelations of God’s goodness. What scenes of gracious intercourse with His servants does it not present from first to last, what outpourings of affection, what yearnings of a father’s heart! If there were many in Old Testament times whom these revelations left as heedless as they found them, there were certainly some whom they filled with wonder and roused to words of glowing gratitude. The Bible is not wont to repeat the same thought in the same words. But there is one truth and one only which we find repeated again and again in the Old Testament, in the same words, as if the writers were never weary of them – “For His mercy endureth for ever.” Not only is it the refrain of a whole psalm (Psa 136:1-26), but we find it at the beginning of three other psalms (Psa 106:1-48; Psa 107:1-43; Psa 118:1-29), we find it in David’s song of dedication when the ark was brought up to Jerusalem (1Ch 16:34), and we find also that on the same occasion a body of men, Heman and Jeduthun and others, were told off expressly “to give thanks to the Lord, because His mercy endureth for ever” (1Ch 16:41). This, indeed, is the great truth which gives the Old Testament its highest interest and beauty. In the New Testament, in its evangelical setting, it shines with incomparable brightness. Vividly realized, it makes the Christian’s cup to flow over; as it fills him likewise with the hope of a joy to come – “a joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary

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