Joshua 3:6-17

6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.

7 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.

8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’ ”

9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.

10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.

11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.

12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.

15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,

16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

Joshua 3:6-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 3

Joshua removed from Shittim to Jordan, where he stayed three days, Jos 3:1,2; the people are directed to move when they saw the ark bore by the priests, and what distance they should keep from it, Jos 3:3,4; are bid to sanctify themselves against the morrow, when wonders would be wrought, Jos 3:5; and the priests are ordered to take up the ark, Jos 3:6; Joshua is encouraged by the Lord, and instructed to command the priests when they come to Jordan to stand still in it, Jos 3:7,8; and he declares to all the people, as a token that God would drive the Canaanites from before them, that as soon as the feet of the priests bearing the ark should rest in the waters of Jordan, they should be parted, and make way for them to pass through, Jos 3:9-13; which accordingly came to pass, so that all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, Jos 3:14-17.

Cross References

• 1. Joshua 4:14; 1 Chronicles 29:25
• 2. Joshua 1:5
• 3. S ver 3
• 4. Deuteronomy 5:26; 1 Samuel 17:26,36; 2 Kings 19:4,16; Psalms 18:46; Psalms 42:2; Psalms 84:2; Isaiah 37:4,17; Jeremiah 10:10; Jeremiah 23:36; Daniel 6:26; Hosea 1:10; S Matthew 16:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:9
• 5. S Deuteronomy 7:21
• 6. S Genesis 26:34
• 7. Joshua 17:15; Joshua 24:11; Judges 1:4; Judges 3:5
• 8. S Exodus 3:8; S Exodus 23:23; S Deuteronomy 7:1">Deuteronomy 7:1; Joshua 9:1; Joshua 11:3; Joshua 12:8; Judges 19:11; 1 Chronicles 11:4; Exodus 33:2; Deuteronomy 7:1">Deuteronomy 7:1
• 9. ver 13; Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 10:14; Job 9:10; Job 28:24; Job 41:11; Psalms 50:12; Psalms 97:5; Zechariah 6:5
• 10. S Deuteronomy 9:3
• 11. Joshua 4:2,4
• 12. S ver 11
• 13. ver 16
• 14. Joshua 4:7
• 15. S Exodus 14:22; S Isaiah 11:15; Exodus 15:8; Psalms 78:13
• 16. Psalms 132:8
• 17. Acts 7:44-45
• 18. 2 Kings 2:6
• 19. Joshua 4:18; 1 Chronicles 12:15; Isaiah 8:7
• 20. S Genesis 8:22
• 21. Psalms 66:6; Psalms 74:15; Psalms 114:3
• 22. Job 38:37; Psalms 33:7
• 23. 1 Kings 4:12; 1 Kings 7:46
• 24. ver 13
• 25. S Deuteronomy 1:1
• 26. S Genesis 14:3
• 27. S Genesis 8:1; S Exodus 14:22
• 28. 2 Kings 2:4
• 29. S ver 3
• 30. Jos 4:3,5,8,9,10
• 31. S Exodus 14:22; S Joshua 2:10; Exodus 14:22,29