Joshua 3:7-17 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 3:16

That the waters which came down from above ,.... Above where the priests' feet rested, and which came down from Mount Lebanon, and the fountains of Jordan northward: stood and rose up upon an heap ; they stopped their current, and as the water came down they rose up on high, and made one vast heap of waters: very far from the city of Adam, that is, beside Zaretan ; the Cetib, or textual reading, is, "in Adam the city"; we follow the marginal reading, "from Adam": both readings, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 3:17

And the priests that bare the ark of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan ,.... Which for its breadth Mr. Maundrell, the above mentioned traveller, says F3 Maundrell, Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem, p. 83. might be about twenty yards over, and its depth exceeded his height; but Dr. Shaw F4 Travels, p. 346. , a later traveller still, says,"the river Jordan is by far the most considerable river, excepting the Nile, either of the coast of Syria, or of Barbary.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:7

This day will I begin to magnify thee - By making him the instrument in this miraculous passage, he did him honor and gave him high credit in the sight of the people: hence his authority was established, and obedience to him as their leader fully secured. What must have confirmed this authority was, his circumstantially foretelling how the waters should be cut off as soon as the feet of the priests had touched them, Joshua 3:13 . This demonstrated that the secret of the Lord... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:8

Ye shall stand still in Jordan - The priests proceeded first with the ark, and entered into the bed of the river the course of which was immediately arrested, the waters collecting above the place where the priests stood, while the stream fell off towards the Dead Sea; so that the whole channel below where the priests were standing became dry. The whole camp, therefore, passed over below where the priests were standing, keeping at the distance of two thousand cubits from the ark;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:10

Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you - The Israelites were apt to be discouraged, and to faint at even the appearance of danger; it was necessary, therefore, that they should have the fullest assurance of the presence and assistance of God in the important enterprise on which they were now entering. They are to combat idolaters, who have nothing to trust in and help them but gods of wood, stone, and metal: whereas they are to have the living God in the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:12

Take you twelve men - See the note on Joshua 4:2 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:15

And the feet of the priests - were dipped in the brim of the water - Thus we find that every thing occurred exactly in the way in which Joshua had foretold it. This must have greatly increased his credit among the people. For Jordan overfloweth all his banks , etc. - It has often been remarked that there was no need of a miracle in crossing Jordan, as it is but an inconsiderable stream, easily fordable, being but about twenty yards in breadth. But... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:16

Rose up upon a heap - That is, they continued to accumulate, filling up the whole of the channel toward the source, and the adjacent ground over which they were now spread, to a much greater depth, the power of God giving a contrary direction to the current. We need not suppose them to be gathered up like a mountain, instar montis , as the Vulgate expresses it, but that they continued to flow back in the course of the channel; and ere they could have reached the lake of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:17

The priests - stood firm on dry ground - They stood in the mid channel, and shifted not their position till the camp, consisting of nearly 600,000 effective men, besides women, children, etc., had passed over. Is it not surprising that the Canaanites did not dispute this passage with the Israelites? It is likely they would, had they had any expectation that such a passage would have been attempted. They must have known that the Israelitish camp was on the other side of the... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 3:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 3:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 3:17

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:10

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:15

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:17

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