III. THE PASSAGE OF JORDAN (Joshua 3:1 to Joshua 4:18, inclusive). Joshua 3:1, preliminaries; 3:7- 4:14, the passage of the people and _Joshua 4:15_, the passage of the ark itself. (1) THEY REMOVED FROM SHITTIM. — See Note on Joshua 2:1. Shittim may be called the last stage of the Exodus of Israel,... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THREE DAYS. — See Joshua 1:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
(2-6) PRELIMINARY ORDERS. — The priests are to bear the ark. This was usually the duty of the Levites of the family of Kohath; but both at the passage of Jordan and the taking of Jericho, the priests were employed as bearers. The people must be sanctified, as they were in preparation for the giving... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SAID UNTO JOSHUA, THIS DAY WILL I BEGIN TO MAGNIFY THEE... — Compare Joshua 4:14, “on that day the Lord magnified Joshua.” These words mark the beginning and end of the section. The details that follow in Joshua 4:15, &c., seem to be added by way of appendix. The passage of Jordan, being th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ARK OF THE COVENANT. — The ten commandments are presented throughout this narrative as a _covenant._ So Exodus 34:28, “the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.” It must be remembered that a promise precedes all the commandments. “I am Jehovah thy God.” The “ten words” that follow are the... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE YOU TWELVE MEN. — These were selected beforehand and kept in readiness, that there might be no delay in the work which they had to do (Joshua 4:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SOLES OF THE FEET OF THE PRIESTS. — Observe that the priests, the ark-bearers, did not stand in the middle of the _bed_ of the river, but at the edge of the flood. They had no need to advance further. As soon as their feet “rested” in the overflow, “Jordan was driven back.” The waters descending... [ Continue Reading ]
VERY FAR FROM THE CITY ADAM, THAT IS BESIDE ZARETAN. — The written text is _“in_ Adam,” but the Masorites read it _“from_ Adam.” The reading makes no difference to the literal fact. The two prepositions, _in and from,_ express the same thought. The heap of water stood up as it were in Adam. From Ada... [ Continue Reading ]