Josua 3:15

15 und an den Jordan kamen und ihre Füße vorn ins Wasser tauchten (der Jordan aber war voll an allen seinen Ufern die ganze Zeit der Ernte), {~} {~} {~}

Josua 3:15 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 3:15

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 extremity of it on the other side:

for Jordan overfloweth all its banks all the time of harvest;
that is, of barley harvest, as appears from the time of year; for it was in the first month, the month Nisan, or Abib, which answers to part of March, and April, it used to overflow, ( 1 Chronicles 12:15 ) ; and it was now the tenth day of that month, ( Joshua 4:19 ) ; on the sixteenth of which, at the time of the passover, the sheaf of the firstfruits of barley harvest was offered up, ( Leviticus 23:10 Leviticus 23:11 ) ; the inundation continued all the time of harvest; and so Aristeas ^F23 testifies, that

``the river being filled, it overflows as the Nile in the time of harvest, and waters much of the country:''

it overflows its banks both on the one side and on the other, the eastern and western shores. This overflow is supposed to be occasioned either by the latter rains, which fell about this time; or rather by the snow on Mount Lebanon melting at this time of the year, when the sun has great strength in those parts, and which poured down in great quantities into this river, that took its rise from thence. Josephus

---

FOOTNOTES:

F24 speaks of Mount Lebanon and of the fountains of Jordan together; and says they have their rise from the mountain; and of the snow of Lebanon see ( Jeremiah 18:14 ) . This river continued to overflow at this season in the times of David, ( 1 Chronicles 12:15 ) ; and in the times of Aristeas, who lived in the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, as before observed; and some late travellers ^F25 observe,

``it generally happens in the month Nisan; that is, from the middle of March to the middle of April, the time of the first harvest;''

but Mr. Maundrell ^F26, who was upon the spot in 1697, and at the proper time of its overflowing, perceived nothing of it. He says,

``there is a small descent, which you may fitly call the, first and outermost bank of Jordan, as far as which it may be supposed the river does, or at least did anciently, overflow; but at present (whether it was because the river has by its rapidity of current worn its channel deeper than it was formerly, or whether because its waters are diverted some other way) it seems to have forgot its ancient greatness; for we could discern no sign or probability of such overflowings when we were there, which was the thirtieth of March, being the proper time for these inundations; nay, so far was the river from overflowing, that it ran at least two yards below the brink of the channel.''

However, at this time of the passage of the children of Israel through it, it was overflowing; which made the miracle the greater.

F23 Hist. de 72. Interpret. p. 41.
F24 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 22.
F25 Egmont and Heyman's Travels, vol. 1. p. 335, 336.
F26 Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem, p. 81, 82.

Josua 3:15 In-Context

13 Wenn dann die Fußsohlen der Priester, die des HERRN Lade, des Herrschers über alle Welt, tragen, in des Jordans Wasser sich lassen, so wird das Wasser, das von oben herabfließt im Jordan, abreißen, daß es auf einem Haufen stehen bleibe. {~}

14 Da nun das Volk auszog aus seinen Hütten, daß sie über den Jordan gingen, und die Priester die Lade des Bundes vor dem Volk her trugen

15 und an den Jordan kamen und ihre Füße vorn ins Wasser tauchten (der Jordan aber war voll an allen seinen Ufern die ganze Zeit der Ernte), {~} {~} {~}

16 da stand das Wasser, das von oben herniederkam, aufgerichtet auf einem Haufen, sehr ferne, bei der Stadt Adam, die zur Seite Zarthans liegt; aber das Wasser das zum Meer hinunterlief, zum Salzmeer, das nahm ab und verfloß. Also ging das Volk hinüber, Jericho gegenüber.

17 Und die Priester, die die Lade des Bundes des HERRN trugen, standen still im Trockenen mitten im Jordan. Und ganz Israel ging trocken durch, bis das ganze Volk alles über den Jordan kam.