INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 3 Joshua removed from Shittim to Jordan, where he stayed three days, Joshua 3:1; the people are directed to move when they saw the ark bore by the priests, and what distance they should keep from it, Joshua 3:3; are bid to sanctify themselves against the morrow, when wonders... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Joshua 3:5. Moses, according to the Jewish writers, died on... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THREE DAYS,.... At the end of the three days they were bid to prepare food for their expedition, and to go over Jordan, Joshua 1:11; THAT THE OFFICERS WENT THROUGH THE HOST; the camp of Israel; very probably the same as in Joshua 1:10; this was, no doubt, by the order of J... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY COMMANDED THE PEOPLE,.... In the name of Joshua, by whom they were sent: SAYING, WHEN YE SEE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND THE PRIESTS THE LEVITES BEARING IT: the Targum reads, the priests and Levites; so the Septuagint: it was the business of the Levites, particularly... [ Continue Reading ]
YET THERE SHALL BE A SPACE BETWEEN YOU AND IT,.... The ark; the Keri or marginal reading is, "between you and them"; the priests that bear it: hence sprung a fiction among the Jews, that there were two arks, the ark of the Shechinah or divine Majesty, and the ark of Joseph, in which his bones were p... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA SAID UNTO THE PEOPLE,.... On the third day; and the thirtieth day of the mourning for Moses, Jarchi says, was the first of the three days, and that being the seventh day of the month, this must be the ninth, as it is most clear the morrow was the tenth: SANCTIFY YOURSELVES; in a ceremoni... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA SPOKE UNTO THE PRIESTS,.... On the morrow, that is, on the tenth day of the month, the day on which they went over Jordan: SAYING, TAKE UP THE ARK OF THE COVENANT; in which the law was put, which was the covenant between God and the people, from whence the ark had this name; and in which... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO JOSHUA,.... Out of the tabernacle: THIS DAY WILL I BEGIN TO MAGNIFY THEE IN THE SIGHT OF ALL ISRAEL; by working the miracle afterwards related; dividing the waters, which was done on this day, and was but the beginning of wonders; for other great and marvellous things were do... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT COMMAND THE PRIESTS THAT BEAR THE ARK OF THE LORD,.... Who were subject to Joshua, the chief governor of the nation, and general of the army, as well as the common people; and whose commands they were to obey, and especially when they appeared to be from the Lord: SAYING, WHEN YE COM... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA SAID UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, COME HITHER,.... Very probably to the door of the tabernacle: AND HEAR THE WORDS OF THE LORD YOUR GOD; which he was about to deliver to them as from him, and in his name.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA SAID,.... To the people as follows: HEREBY YE SHALL KNOW THAT THE LIVING GOD [IS] AMONG YOU; who has life in and of himself, and is the author of life to all his creatures; and is so called in opposition to the lifeless idols of the Gentiles: and it may be, as Abarbinel observes, to sugg... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE ARK OF THE COVENANT OF THE LORD OF ALL THE EARTH,.... Some both Jewish and Christian interpreters, because there is a distinguishing accent on the word "covenant", read the words "the ark of the covenant, even the Lord of all the earth"; so in some copies of our English Bible, as if the... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE TAKE YE TWELVE MEN,.... For what end and purpose is not mentioned. Abarbinel is of opinion, that they were chosen and appointed, that every man might pitch upon and take a place for his tribe to encamp in, when they came on the other side Jordan: whether this was Joshua's view or no is... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, AS SOON AS THE SOLES OF THE FEET OF THE PRIESTS THAT BEAR THE ARK OF THE LORD,.... Which they were bid to take up and carry, Joshua 3:6; THE LORD OF ALL THE EARTH; this shows that not the ark, but the Lord, is called "the Lord of all the earth", Joshua 3:11: SHALL REST I... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE PEOPLE REMOVED FROM THEIR TENTS TO PASS OVER JORDAN,.... Which they had pitched very near it, upon their removal from Shittim, and in which they had lodged the night past: AND THE PRIESTS BEARING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT BEFORE THE PEOPLE; at the distance of two thousan... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS THEY THAT BARE THE ARK WERE COME UNTO JORDAN,.... Not to the bank, which was overflowed, but to the extremity of the water overflowing: AND THE FEET OF THE PRIESTS THAT BARE THE ARK WERE DIPPED IN THE BRIM OF THE WATER; which was doubtless the first they came to, and not the brim or extremit... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE WATERS WHICH CAME DOWN FROM ABOVE,.... Above where the priests' feet rested, and which came down from Mount Lebanon, and the fountains of Jordan northward: STOOD [AND] ROSE UP UPON AN HEAP; they stopped their current, and as the water came down they rose up on high, and made one vast heap... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIESTS THAT BARE THE ARK OF THE LORD STOOD FIRM ON DRY GROUND IN THE MIDST OF JORDAN,.... Which for its breadth Mr. Maundrell, the above mentioned traveller, says c might be about twenty yards over, and its depth exceeded his height; but Dr. Shaw d, a later traveller still, says, "the rive... [ Continue Reading ]