Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 4:11
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
The people looking on, and beholding this wonderful work of God with attention and admiration.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. the ark of the Lord passed over,and the priests, in the presence of the peopleThe ark ismentioned as the efficient cause; it had been the first to moveitwas the last to leaveand its movements arrested the deep attentionof the people, who probably stood on the opposite bank, wrapt inadmiration and awe of this closing scene. It was a great miracle,greater even than the passage of the Red Sea in this respect: that,admitting the fact, there is no possibility of rationalisticinsinuations as to the influence of natural causes in producing it,as have been made in the former case.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And it came to pass, when the people were clean passed over,…. Every one of them, as in Jos 3:17;
that the ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people; that is, the priests bearing the ark came out of the midst of Jordan in the sight of all the people, who were on the banks of it, on the other side, where they had been stationed during the passage of the people; though this motion of them was not until they received an order for it, of which there is an after mention. The Septuagint version reads, “and the stones before them”; see Jos 4:8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
11. The ark of the Lord passed over Great prominence is given to the ark as the visible instrument of the miracle, the first to enter and the last to leave the bed of the Jordan.
In the presence of the people Who, after their own hasty passage, were now standing on the western bank, contemplating the wonderful spectacle. This greatest miracle of the Old Testament had at least a million eye-witnesses.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And so it was that, when the people were clean crossed over, the Ark of YHWH crossed over, and the priests in front of (in the presence of, in front of the eyes of) the people.’
Once all were over and the stones in the Jordan were in place, and the other stones were on the bank waiting to be set in their night’s lodging-place, then the priest’s finished their crossing, bearing the Ark of YHWH ready for the battle to come (see Jos 4:11-12), in front of all the people.
“In front of”. ‘In the presence of the people’ or ‘before the people’, compare the use of ‘before’ in Jos 3:5). It means in front of their very eyes.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The distinction between the ark and the people is not noticed for nothing. No doubt much is couched under it. And it may, perhaps, be intended to show, that as the ark rested in the water until all the people were secured from danger, so Jesus, whom the ark represented, will remain with the hindmost of his redeemed ones until every hoof is in safety. Precious Jesus! as thou art first, so last in everything which concerns redemption-work, that in all things thou mightest have the pre-eminence. Col 1:17-18 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 4:11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
Ver. 11. That the ark of the Lord passed over. ] That it might be both van and rear. “For ye shall not go out with haste” (it was weakness of faith that made this people to do so), “nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.” Isa 52:12
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
that the ark: Jos 4:18, Jos 3:8, Jos 3:17
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, {e} in the presence of the people.
(e) Meaning, in the presence or sight of the people.