Joshua 3:15-16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 3:14-17

Here we have a short and plain account of the dividing of the river Jordan, and the passage of the children of Israel through it. The story is not garnished with the flowers of rhetoric (gold needs not to be painted), but it tell us, in short, matter of fact. I. That this river was now broader and deeper than usually it was at other times of the year, Josh. 3:15. The melting of the snow on the mountains of Lebanon, near which this river had its rise, was the occasion that at the time of... read more

John Gill

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

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

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 3:15

Verse 15 15.And as they that bare the ark, etc The valor of the priests in proceeding boldly beyond the bed into the water itself, was deserving of no mean praise, since they might have been afraid of being instantly drowned. For what could they expect on putting in their feet, but immediately to find a deep pool in which they would be engulfed? In not being afraid on reaching the stream, and in continuing to move firmly forward to the appointed place, they gave a specimen of rare alacrity,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 3:7-17

The passage of Jordan. I. THE MINISTRY OF JOSHUA AND JESUS BEGAN AT JORDAN . As with Joshua at his crossing, so with Jesus at His baptism, God marked the moment of their coming to Jordan with a special favour. For as the waters of the Red Sea ( 1 Corinthians 10:2 ), so the waters of Jordan are the type of Christian baptism. In connection with the wandering in the wilderness, the stream of Jordan is the type of death, which admits us to the promised land. But in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 3:14-17

The division of the waters. The passage of Jordan, like that of the Red Sea, marks a momentous crisis in the career of the chosen people. The events are similar in their general character as Divine interpositions, but there are notable points of difference. In the first case there was haste, confusion, and alarm; the people fled precipitately, the noise of the Egyptian host behind them, the mountains shutting them in, the sea an object of terror before them; they cried unto the Lord, in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 3:15

Brim. The water's edge is meant here, as in Joshua 3:8 , where the same word is translated brink (see note on Joshua 3:17 , and on Joshua 4:19 ). Jordan overfloweth all his banks. Some commentators translate here, filleth all his banks ( ἐπληροῦτο , LXX ). But this rendering is contrary The literal rendering here is, "filleth out (or upon ) all its banks." In Joshua 4:18 we read that Jordan goeth over all its banks And that the Jordan is not merely full, but... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 3:16

Stood and rose up upon a heap. Literally, "stood—they rose up, one heap." The narrative assumes a poetic form here (cf. Exodus 15:8 , Exodus 15:9 ; 5:27 ). Very far from the city Adam. The Masorites have corrected the text here. The original text has בְאָדָם for which the suggested Keri is מֵאָדָס . But the correction is needless. It is better to render, "they rose up, one heap, very far off, at the city Adam." The city Adam is nowhere else mentioned in Scripture, The LXX .... read more

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