Josué 3

1 Los israelitas cruzan el Jordán
Temprano a la mañana siguiente, Josué y todos los israelitas salieron de la arboleda de Acacias
y llegaron a la orilla del río Jordán, donde acamparon antes de cruzar.

2 Tres días después, los jefes israelitas fueron por el campamento

3 y dieron al pueblo las siguientes instrucciones: «Cuando vean a los sacerdotes levitas llevar el arca del pacto del Señor
su Dios, dejen sus puestos y síganlos.

4 Dado que ustedes nunca antes viajaron por este camino, ellos los guiarán. Quédense como a un kilómetro
detrás de ellos, mantengan una buena distancia entre ustedes y el arca. Asegúrense de no acercarse demasiado».

5 Entonces Josué le dijo al pueblo: «Purifíquense, porque mañana el Señor
hará grandes maravillas entre ustedes».

6 Por la mañana, Josué les dijo a los sacerdotes: «Levanten el arca del pacto y guíen al pueblo hasta el otro lado del río». Así que ellos se pusieron en marcha y fueron delante del pueblo.

7 El Señor
le dijo a Josué: «A partir de hoy, empezaré a convertirte en un gran líder a los ojos de todos los israelitas. Sabrán que yo estoy contigo, tal como estuve con Moisés.

8 Dales la siguiente orden a los sacerdotes que llevan el arca del pacto: “Cuando lleguen a la orilla del río Jordán, den unos cuantos pasos dentro del río y deténganse allí”».

9 Entonces Josué les dijo a los israelitas: «Vengan y escuchen lo que dice el Señor
su Dios.

10 Hoy sabrán que el Dios viviente está entre ustedes. Sin lugar a dudas, él expulsará a los cananeos, a los hititas, a los heveos, a los ferezeos, a los gergeseos, a los amorreos y a los jebuseos de delante de ustedes.

11 ¡Miren, el arca del pacto que pertenece al Señor de toda la tierra los guiará al cruzar el río Jordán!

12 Elijan ahora a doce hombres de las tribus de Israel, uno de cada tribu.

13 Los sacerdotes llevarán el arca del Señor
, el Señor de toda la tierra. En cuanto sus pies toquen el agua, la corriente de agua se detendrá río arriba, y el río se levantará como un muro».

14 Entonces los israelitas salieron del campamento para cruzar el Jordán, y los sacerdotes que llevaban el arca del pacto iban delante de ellos.

15 Era la temporada de la cosecha, y el Jordán desbordaba su cauce. Pero en cuanto los pies de los sacerdotes que llevaban el arca tocaron el agua a la orilla del río,

16 el agua que venía de río arriba dejó de fluir y comenzó a amontonarse a una gran distancia de allí, a la altura de una ciudad llamada Adán, que está cerca de Saretán. Y el agua que estaba río abajo desembocó en el mar Muerto
hasta que el lecho del río quedó seco. Después, todo el pueblo cruzó cerca de la ciudad de Jericó.

17 Mientras tanto, los sacerdotes que llevaban el arca del pacto del Señor
se quedaron parados en tierra seca, en medio del lecho, mientras el pueblo pasaba frente a ellos. Los sacerdotes esperaron allí hasta que toda la nación de Israel terminó de cruzar el Jordán por tierra seca.

Josué 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The Israelites come to Jordan. (1-6) The Lord encourages joshua-Joshua encourages the people. (7-13) The Israelites pass through Jordan on dry land. (14-17)

Verses 1-6 The Israelites came to Jordan in faith, having been told that they should pass it. In the way of duty, let us proceed as far as we can, and depend on the Lord. Joshua led them. Particular notice is taken of his early rising, as afterwards upon other occasions, which shows how little he sought his own ease. Those who would bring great things to pass, must rise early. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty. All in public stations should always attend to the duty of their place. The people were to follow the ark. Thus must we walk after the rule of the word, and the direction of the Spirit, in everything; so shall peace be upon us as upon the Israel of God; but we must follow our ministers only as they follow Christ. All their way through the wilderness was an untrodden path, but most so this through Jordan. While we are here, we must expect and prepare to pass ways that we have not passed before; but in the path of duty we may proceed with boldness and cheerfulness. Whether we are called to suffer poverty, pain, labour, persecution, reproach, or death, we are following the Author and Finisher of our faith; nor can we set our feet in any dangerous or difficult spot, through our whole journey, but faith will there see the prints of the Redeemer's feet, who trod that very path to glory above, and bids us follow him, that where he is, we may be also. They were to sanctify themselves. Would we experience the effects of God's love and power, we must put away sin, and be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

Verses 7-13 The waters of Jordan shall be cut off. This must be done in such a way as never was done, but in the dividing of the Red sea. That miracle is here repeated; God has the same power to finish the salvation of his people, as to begin it; the WORD of the Lord was as truly with Joshua as with Moses. God's appearances for his people ought to encourage faith and hope. God's work is perfect, he will keep his people. Jordan's flood cannot keep out Israel, Canaan's force cannot turn them out again.

Verses 14-17 Jordan overflowed all its banks. This magnified the power of God, and his kindness to Israel. Although those who oppose the salvation of God's people have all advantages, yet God can and will conquer. This passage over Jordan, as an entrance to Canaan, after their long, weary wanderings in the wilderness, shadowed out the believer's passage through death to heaven, after he has finished his wanderings in this sinful world. Jesus, typified by the ark, hath gone before, and he crossed the river when it most flooded the country around. Let us treasure up experiences of His faithful and tender care, that they may help our faith and hope in the last conflict.

Chapter Summary

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.