Joshua 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... [ Continue Reading ]
_after three days_ See above, Joshua 1:11. _the officers went through the host_ Or, overseers: Vulg. _præcones_. The word denotes (i) _the head man of the people_(Exodus 5:6-19; Numbers 11:16); (ii) the magistrates in the towns (Deuteronomy 16:18; 1 Chronicles 23:4).... [ Continue Reading ]
_the ark of the covenant_ called sometimes (i) "the Ark of God," 1 Samuel 3:3; sometimes (ii) "the Ark of the Testimony," Exodus 25:22. Here it means "the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah," the Sacred Ark, an oblong chest of acacia wood, overlaid with the purest gold within and without, 2½ cubits in l... [ Continue Reading ]
_there shall be a space_ Partly for the sake of reverence, partly that it might be observed and marked as it led the way. _two thousand cubits_ a Sabbath day's journey (Acts 1:12) = 3000 feet.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sanctify yourselves_ Compare the instructions of Moses before the giving of the Law (Exodus 19:10-15). This would consist partly in ceremonial purification, partly in turning to the Lord in a spirit of expectant faith in "the wonders" which "the Lord would do" amongst them. Wyclif renders the verse... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they took up_ i.e. on the day following.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Joshua said_ Joshua 3:9-13 contain the substance of an address to a solemn assembly of the people, in which a fuller explanation is given of what has been stated generally in Joshua 3:7-8.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the living God_ Comp. Deuteronomy 5:26, "For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of _the living_God?" This title is applied to God to indicate that He is not _dead_, like the "lying vanities" of heathenism (Leviticus 19:4; Deuteronomy 32:21; Jonah 2:8), but the source of all life.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Lord of all the earth_ A significant title of the Most High, at a time when the conquest of the Land was contemplated.... [ Continue Reading ]
_shall be cut off_ See below, Joshua 3:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jordan turned backwards 14. _when the people removed_ i.e. on the 10th day of Abib or Nisan, the same month they before witnessed the departure from Egypt, corresponding to our April or May.... [ Continue Reading ]
_for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest_ In the deeply sunken, tropical valley of the Jordan, the harvest had already commenced, and the snow on Hermon having begun to melt, the "yellow" water of the river stood high and had overflowed its lower bank. "We were on the banks of t... [ Continue Reading ]
_the waters which came down from above_ Let us try to realise the scene; (_a_) At a distance of about 2000 cubits, or a mile, from the river stood the great mass of the army (Joshua 3:4). (_b_) On the broken edge of the river were the priests bearing on their shoulders the sacred Ark; (_c_) As so... [ Continue Reading ]
_all the Israelites passed over_ Where the passage exactly took place cannot now be determined, but the typical significance of the narrative is very impressive. Whether we consider (i) the solemn inauguration of Joshua to his office; or (ii) his attestation by the waters of the Jordan; or (iii) the... [ Continue Reading ]