Joshua 3:1

1 Joshua was up early and on his way from Shittim with all the People of Israel with him. He arrived at the Jordan and camped before crossing over.

Joshua 3:1 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 3:1

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 ) ( 4:19 ) . Moses, according to the Jewish writers, died on the seventh of Adar or February; the thirty days of his mourning ended the seventh of Nisan or March; two days before they were ended the spies were sent, who returned on the eighth day of the month; and the morning following Joshua rose early, which shows his readiness and alacrity to proceed in the expedition he was directed and encouraged to:

and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan;
from Shittim in the plains of Moab, to the river Jordan:

he and all the children of Israel;
he as their general, and they an army of six hundred thousand fighting men under him, besides women and children, and others that came along with them:

and lodged there before they passed over;
lay there encamped a night before they passed over the river Jordan.

Joshua 3:1 In-Context

1 Joshua was up early and on his way from Shittim with all the People of Israel with him. He arrived at the Jordan and camped before crossing over.

2 After three days, leaders went through the camp

3 and gave out orders to the people: "When you see the Covenant-Chest of God, your God, carried by the Levitical priests, start moving. Follow it.

4 Make sure you keep a proper distance between you and it, about half a mile - be sure now to keep your distance! - and you'll see clearly the route to take. You've never been on this road before."

5 Then Joshua addressed the people: "Sanctify yourselves. Tomorrow God will work miracle-wonders among you."