Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Joshua doesn't just tell them to get ready; he connects their "sanctification"—their setting apart for God—directly to God's imminent, awe-inspiring action. This means their preparation wasn't just about outward cleansing, but about a spiritual readiness to witness and receive the divine power that was about to shatter their expectations.
Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
As the Israelites stand on the brink of the Jordan River, ready to enter the promised land after 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua prepares them for an unprecedented event. He instructs the people to set themselves apart, not just ceremonially but with a sincere heart, because the next day, God is about to perform astonishing deeds to open their path. This act is a pivotal moment, meant to assure them of God's presence and power as they move forward into new territory, just as He was with Moses.
Joshua calls the people to 'consecrate yourselves' before a massive miracle. What does that really mean? It's a call to more than just outward washing.
The command to 'consecrate yourselves' wasn't just about ceremonial cleansing – washing bodies and clothes. While those outward actions were important, the deeper meaning involved a moral and spiritual preparation.
A Prepared Heart
It meant setting their minds and hearts right. This involved repentance, focusing on God, and a readiness to receive what God was about to do with awe and gratitude. It was about preparing their inner selves to truly witness and internalize the divine power that was about to be revealed.
The Israelites were facing an impassable, swollen Jordan River. How could they possibly cross? Joshua points to God's power, not their own ability.
The miracle at the Jordan wasn't just a spectacle; it was a demonstration of God's power to accomplish the impossible. Joshua reminds the people that God is about to 'do wonders among you.'
Beyond Human Limits
This wasn't a small problem; the Jordan was flooded and treacherous. Yet, God's promise of 'wonders' meant He would act in ways far beyond human capacity. This call for consecration was tied directly to trusting God's power to overcome the obstacle.
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For forty years, the Israelites had followed Moses. Now, facing a new land and a new challenge, Joshua steps forward. This moment is about more than just crossing a river.
This event marked a pivotal transition for Israel. They were leaving the wilderness and entering the promised land. Joshua's leadership, empowered by God, was being established.
God's Magnifying Hand
God specifically told Joshua, 'This day I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel' (Joshua 3:7). The miracle of the Jordan served not only to bring the people into the land but also to validate Joshua as the divinely appointed leader, showing them that God's presence and power were with him just as they had been with Moses.
Understand the original words
qadash · Hebrew Verb
To be set apart, sanctified, or made holy for God's purposes. It involves a purification process to prepare individuals to encounter the holy presence of God.
pela' · Hebrew Noun
Extraordinary acts or miraculous interventions performed by God that manifest His power, sovereignty, and grace. These events are intended to inspire awe and demonstrate God's direct involvement in human history.
The command to 'consecrate yourselves' before crossing the Jordan highlights the importance of spiritual preparation for encountering God's power and entering His promises, mirroring the need for holiness as we approach God's presence today.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Israelites reach the Jordan River
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites arrive at the banks of the Jordan River, the last major obstacle before entering the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC
Ark of the Covenant is carried into the Jordan
Priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant step into the Jordan River, and its waters miraculously stop flowing, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground.
c. 1406 BC
Israelites cross the Jordan
The entire Israelite nation crosses the Jordan River, symbolizing their entry into the land God promised them and the beginning of their conquest.
c. 1406 BC
Twelve stones are set up
Twelve stones are taken from the Jordan Riverbed and set up as a memorial, reminding future generations of God's mighty act in parting the river.
This passage echoes Joshua's command for the Israelites to 'sanctify yourselves' before a monumental divine encounter, highlighting the consistent biblical call for preparation and holiness when God is about to act in power.
Psalm 114:3This psalm directly alludes to the parting of the Jordan, describing the waters seeing God and fleeing, which vividly illustrates the 'wonders' God was about to perform for Joshua and Israel.
1 Samuel 6:20The caution against 'sanctifying' oneself too much before the Ark of God mirrors the reverence and awe required when approaching God's presence, similar to how the Israelites needed to prepare for God's wonders at the Jordan.
John 3:5Jesus' teaching about being born of water and the Spirit connects the physical crossing of the Jordan to a spiritual passage, suggesting that consecrated preparation for physical miracles can parallel our need for spiritual sanctification for God's kingdom.
Hebrews 4:14-16This passage speaks of having a great high priest, Jesus, through whom we can approach God's throne with confidence. This parallels the Israelites approaching God's power through the Ark, emphasizing the importance of a mediator and the availability of grace through Him.
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…
jfbJoshua 3:5: "And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you."
- Joshua said unto the people—rather "had said," for as he speaks of "to-morrow," the address must have been made previous to the day of crossing, and the sanctification was in all probability the same as Moses had commanded before the giving of the law, consisting of an outward cleansing (Ex 19:10-15) preparatory to that serious and devout state of mind with which so great a m…
Joshua doesn't just tell them to get ready; he connects their "sanctification"—their setting apart for God—directly to God's imminent, awe-inspiring action. This means their preparation wasn't just about outward cleansing, but about a spiritual readiness to witness and receive the divine power that was about to shatter their expectations.
As the Israelites stand on the brink of the Jordan River, ready to enter the promised land after 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua prepares them for an unprecedented event. He instructs the people to set themselves apart, not just ceremonially but with a sincere heart, because the next day, God is about to perform astonishing deeds to open their path. This act is a pivotal moment, meant to assure them of God's presence and power as they move forward into new territory, just as He was with Moses.
As the Israelites stand on the brink of the Jordan River, ready to enter the promised land after 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua prepares them for an unprecedented event. He instructs the people to set themselves apart, not just ceremonially but with a sincere heart, because the next day, God is about to perform astonishing deeds to open their path. This act is a pivotal moment, meant to assure them of God's presence and power as they move forward into new territory, just as He was with Moses.
"Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”" — Joshua doesn't just tell them to get ready; he connects their "sanctification"—their setting apart for God—directly to God's imminent, awe-inspiring action. This means their preparation wasn't just a…
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Last reviewed October 2026