Joshua's swift action in rising early and moving the people to the Jordan shows a remarkable urgency to fulfill God's command. This immediate departure from their camp at Shittim, even before a clear plan for crossing the overflowing river was revealed, highlights a profound trust that God would provide the way.
Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. At the end of three days the officers went through the camp
English Standard Version (ESV)
After forty years in the wilderness, the people of Israel, led by Joshua, have arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, their final obstacle before entering the Promised Land. Joshua mobilizes the entire nation, setting up camp by the river, signaling a crucial moment of transition and divine intervention. This movement from their last encampment at Shittim to the river's edge marks the beginning of their conquest, requiring faith and obedience as they prepare for an unprecedented crossing orchestrated by God Himself.
Joshua's early rise wasn't just a prompt start; it marked a pivotal moment. It was God's signal to move from rest to a new, uncharted phase of their journey.
Joshua 3:1 tells us, 'Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim.' This wasn't a casual departure. The context reveals that this move happened shortly after the spies returned with their report and after Joshua had made the announcement to the people.
A Prompted Departure
The early rising signifies a readiness and an eagerness to obey God's command. After years in the wilderness, a period of mourning for Moses, and waiting for the right moment, God gave the word to advance. Shittim was their last encampment, a place of temporary rest before the monumental task ahead.
Entering the Unfamiliar
'And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.' Arriving at the Jordan River meant they had reached a natural boundary and the edge of a territory they had never before entered as a nation. This was a new beginning, a step into the unknown, guided by God's explicit instruction and promise.
The Jordan River, swollen and impassable, stood between Israel and their promised land. Yet, they camped at its edge, waiting. What does this profound pause reveal about their faith?
The scene at the Jordan River in Joshua 3:1 is one of immense tension. The Israelites have arrived, but they don't immediately cross. They 'lodged there before they passed over.' This pause is crucial.
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The Impossibility of the Task
At this time of year (spring), the Jordan River was known to be at its fullest, swollen by melting snow from the mountains. It overflowed its banks, making a natural crossing impossible for such a large population, complete with families, livestock, and possessions. This was not a minor stream; it was a formidable barrier.
Obedience in Uncertainty
Despite the apparent impossibility, the people obeyed. They moved to the river's edge and waited. This wasn't passive waiting; it was active trust. They had been promised a way, and their encampment by the roaring water demonstrated a faith that trusted God's provision even when the 'how' was completely unclear. They were demonstrating a faith that learned to rely on God's power, not their own understanding or ability to overcome obstacles.
This moment highlights a key aspect of biblical faith: it's not about seeing the path cleared, but about taking the first step (or in this case, camping at the edge of the impassable) in obedience to God's word.
Understand the original words
Yĕhowshuwa` · Hebrew Proper Noun
A term used to describe the primary leader appointed by God to succeed Moses, whose name means 'The LORD is salvation.' He serves as a type of Christ who leads God's people into their inheritance.
Yarden · Hebrew Proper Noun
A prominent river in the Bible, often symbolizing a boundary, a place of transition, or an obstacle that can only be crossed through God's power. It represents the final threshold between the wilderness and the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Israelites Encamp at Shittim
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites finish their journey and encamp in the acacia groves of Shittim, on the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River.
c. 1406 BC
Spies Sent to Jericho
Joshua, following God's command, sends two spies to scout the land of Canaan, specifically Jericho, the first major obstacle.
c. 1406 BC
Ark of the Covenant Prepared
Joshua instructs the priests to prepare to carry the Ark of the Covenant, signaling the imminence of the crossing and God's presence.
c. 1406 BC
Divine Instructions for Crossing
God commands Joshua on the specific method for crossing the Jordan: the priests bearing the Ark will lead, and the river will divide.
c. 1406 BC
Jordan River Swollen and Flooded
The Jordan River is at its spring flood stage due to melting snow from Mount Lebanon, making a normal crossing impossible and highlighting the miraculous nature of God's intervention.
This passage parallels Joshua's crossing of the Jordan as God miraculously parts the waters, just as He did the Red Sea, demonstrating His power to lead His people through impossible situations.
Numbers 10:33-36This describes the ark of the covenant leading the Israelites through the wilderness, similar to how it leads them across the Jordan in Joshua 3, signifying God's presence and guidance.
Joshua 4:14This verse directly reflects on the event of crossing the Jordan, stating that God magnified Joshua 'on that day' in the sight of Israel, echoing the divine promise in Joshua 3:7.
Psalm 114:1-8This psalm poetically recounts the miraculous parting of the Red Sea and the Jordan River, attributing the events to the presence and power of God, the 'Holy One of Israel'.
Hebrews 11:29This verse in Hebrews highlights the faith of the Israelites in passing through the Red Sea as through dry land, a foundational act of faith that directly parallels their crossing of the Jordan by faith.
calvinJoshua 3:1-13: "And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over."
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that you may know the way by which you must go: for you have not passed this way heretofore.
Veruntamen interstitium erit inter vos et ipsam fere duorum milium cubitorum in mensura: ne appropinquetis e…
cambridgeJoshua 3:1: "And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over."
Ch. Joshua 3:1-13 . The Preparation for the Passage of Jordan 1 . they removed from Shittim ] They descended from the upper terraces of the valley of Jordan, from “the Grove of Acacias,” to the level of the river. to Jordan ] Speaking strictly, Jordan has a threefold bank:— ( a ) The lowest, at the edge of the river,…
Joshua's swift action in rising early and moving the people to the Jordan shows a remarkable urgency to fulfill God's command. This immediate departure from their camp at Shittim, even before a clear plan for crossing the overflowing river was revealed, highlights a profound trust that God would provide the way.
After forty years in the wilderness, the people of Israel, led by Joshua, have arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, their final obstacle before entering the Promised Land. Joshua mobilizes the entire nation, setting up camp by the river, signaling a crucial moment of transition and divine intervention. This movement from their last encampment at Shittim to the river's edge marks the beginning of their conquest, requiring faith and obedience as they prepare for an unprecedented crossing orchestrated by God Himself.
After forty years in the wilderness, the people of Israel, led by Joshua, have arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, their final obstacle before entering the Promised Land. Joshua mobilizes the entire nation, setting up camp by the river, signaling a crucial moment of transition and divine intervention. This movement from their last encampment at Shittim to the river's edge marks the beginning of their conquest, requiring faith and obedience as they prepare for an unprecedented crossing orchestrated by God Himself.
"Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. At the end of three days the officers went through the camp" — Joshua's swift action in rising early and moving the people to the Jordan shows a remarkable urgency to fulfill God's command. This immediate departure from their camp at Shittim, even before a clear…
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Last reviewed October 2026
