Joshua 3:8

8 Tell the priests carrying the Covenant Box that when they reach the river, they must wade in and stand near the bank."

Joshua 3:8 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 3:8

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 come to the brink of the water of Jordan;
not of the bank of it, but of the water, which had now overflowed its bank; that is, the brink or extremity of it, which was nearest to them, and to which they first came; though it is a notion of some Jewish commentators F20, and which some Christian interpreters F21 have given into, and both of considerable note, that this was the further extremity, or the brink on the other side of the river; but, according to this notion, they must pass the river to the other side before the waters were divided, which is not credible; and must return again into the midst of the river, which is not probable; and besides, it is expressly said, that as soon as their feet dipped in the brim, or extremity of the water, the waters parted, which must be the first brim or extremity they came at, ( Joshua 3:15 ) ;

ye shall stand still in Jordan;
after the waters were parted; upon their coming to, and touching, the brink of them, they proceeded, and went into the middle of the river, where they were ordered to stop and stand still.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 Kimchi, Abarbinel.
F21 Masius, Drusius.

Joshua 3:8 In-Context

6 Then he told the priests to take the Covenant Box and go with it ahead of the people. They did as he said.
7 The Lord said to Joshua, "What I do today will make all the people of Israel begin to honor you as a great man, and they will realize that I am with you as I was with Moses.
8 Tell the priests carrying the Covenant Box that when they reach the river, they must wade in and stand near the bank."
9 Then Joshua said to the people, "Come here and listen to what the Lord your God has to say.
10 As you advance, he will surely drive out the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. You will know that the living God is among you
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.