Bible Commentaries

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.

And it came to pass after ^b three days, that the officers went through the host;

(b) Which was given to prepare food (Joshua 1:11).

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 ^c in Jordan.

(c) Even in the channel where the stream had run, (Joshua 3:17)

And Joshua said, ^d Hereby ye shall know that the living God [is] among you, and [that] he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

(d) By this miracle in dividing the water.

Now therefore take you ^e twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

(e) Who would set up twelve stones in remembrance of the benefit.

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 ^f banks all the time of harvest,)

(f) Because the river was accustomed at this time to be full, the miracle is so much greater.

And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood ^g 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.

(g) Either tarrying till the people were past, or as some read, sure, as though they had been on dry land.