Joshua's promptness in rising and moving shows a leader eager to obey God, but the key is that they "lodged there before they passed over." This pause wasn't idleness; it was a crucial period of preparation and trust, allowing God's power to be displayed in their crossing of an un-traversed path.
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 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Israelites have arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, their final obstacle before entering the Promised Land. After forty years in the wilderness, Joshua is now leading them, and the immediate task is to cross this formidable, flooded river. This moment marks a critical transition, requiring faith and obedience as they prepare for a miraculous passage.
Imagine standing at the edge of a massive, swollen river, with no bridge, no boats, and no clear way across. This was Israel's reality. How do we step forward when the path ahead is completely unknown?
Joshua 3:1 describes Israel's arrival at the Jordan River. They 'lodged there before they passed over.' This wasn't a pause out of indecision, but a deliberate stop before an unprecedented act of faith.
The Challenge of the Unfamiliar
This moment calls us to consider where God might be asking us to step out into the unknown, trusting that He who called us will also provide the way.
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God used Israel's impending, seemingly impossible crossing of the Jordan not just to get them into the land, but to display His power and elevate Joshua.
Joshua 3:1 marks the beginning of a pivotal moment where God's power is about to be dramatically revealed. The commentaries highlight that this event was designed to 'magnify' Joshua in the eyes of the people.
God's Purpose in the Miracle
God doesn't just want to accomplish His will; He also uses these moments to shape His people's understanding of Him and to affirm the leaders He has appointed.
Why did the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant have to lead the way into the raging Jordan? It wasn't just a symbol; it was a powerful statement about God's holiness and authority.
The instruction for the priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant and step into the Jordan (Joshua 3:6, 8, 11) is central to the narrative. This wasn't merely ceremonial; it was a profound display of God's presence and power.
The Ark's Significance
The Ark's prominent role reminds us that our journey with God is always guided by His presence, which demands both deep reverence and confident trust.
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.
'arown briyth Yhwh · Hebrew Noun phrase
The sacred chest containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, representing the visible throne and presence of God among His people. It served as the focal point of God's covenantal relationship with Israel.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The self-revealed, covenant-keeping God of Israel. The personal name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and eternal, unchangeable nature.
Leviy kohen · Hebrew Noun phrase
Members of the tribe of Levi set apart by God for priestly service and the maintenance of the Tabernacle and its sacred articles. They mediated between God and the people through the sacrificial system.
The transition from Shittim to the Jordan signifies Israel's final step before entering the Promised Land. This verse captures the moment of immediate anticipation, where the people pause at the river's edge, awaiting the divine intervention that will enable their passage, underscoring a critical act of faith and obedience.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Israelites camp at Shittim
Following their long journey through the wilderness and miraculous defeat of Sihon and Og, the Israelites make their final encampment on the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River, at a place called Shittim.
c. 1406 BC
Spies sent to Jericho
Joshua, following God's command and the example of Moses, sends two spies across the Jordan River to reconnoiter the city of Jericho and the land of Canaan, receiving vital intelligence from Rahab.
c. 1406 BC
Three days of preparation
After the spies return with their report, Joshua instructs the people to prepare for their imminent crossing of the Jordan River, allotting three days for these preparations and for the priests to sanctify themselves.
c. 1406 BC
Arrival at the Jordan River
The Israelites break camp at Shittim and march to the banks of the Jordan River, where they lodge for the night, poised on the brink of entering the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC
Crossing the Jordan River
Led by the Ark of the Covenant, the Jordan River miraculously parts, allowing the entire host of Israel to cross over on dry ground into the land of Canaan, marking a pivotal moment in their history.
c. 1406 BC
Establishment of memorial stones
After crossing, Joshua commands twelve men, one from each tribe, to take stones from the riverbed and set them up as a memorial, ensuring future generations will remember God's mighty act.
c. 1406 BC
Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal
The Israelites circumcise the new generation at Gilgal and celebrate their first Passover in the Promised Land, symbolizing their covenant renewal and dependence on God.
This passage mirrors the theme of God miraculously intervening to provide a way for His people when faced with an impassable obstacle, just as He did at the Red Sea before the crossing of the Jordan.
Numbers 10:33-34The narrative describes the ark of the covenant leading the people, similar to how it leads the way into the Jordan, emphasizing God's presence and guidance through this sacred symbol.
Psalm 114:3-5This poetic reflection on Israel's history recalls the Jordan's reaction to God's presence, mirroring the miraculous parting of the waters described in Joshua 3.
Hebrews 11:29This verse summarizes the faith of the Israelites in crossing the Red Sea, highlighting the faith required to cross the Jordan, an act of obedience to God's seemingly impossible command.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4Paul uses the crossing of the Red Sea and the subsequent cloud guidance as foundational spiritual experiences for believers, paralleling the significance of the Jordan crossing for Joshua's generation.
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 promptness in rising and moving shows a leader eager to obey God, but the key is that they "lodged there before they passed over." This pause wasn't idleness; it was a crucial period of preparation and trust, allowing God's power to be displayed in their crossing of an un-traversed path.
The Israelites have arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, their final obstacle before entering the Promised Land. After forty years in the wilderness, Joshua is now leading them, and the immediate task is to cross this formidable, flooded river. This moment marks a critical transition, requiring faith and obedience as they prepare for a miraculous passage.
The Israelites have arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, their final obstacle before entering the Promised Land. After forty years in the wilderness, Joshua is now leading them, and the immediate task is to cross this formidable, flooded river. This moment marks a critical transition, requiring faith and obedience as they prepare for a miraculous passage.
"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 and co…" — Joshua's promptness in rising and moving shows a leader eager to obey God, but the key is that they "lodged there before they passed over." This pause wasn't idleness; it was a crucial period of prep…
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Last reviewed October 2026
