3 And they commanded H6680 the people, H5971 saying, H559 When ye see H7200 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 your God, H430 and the priests H3548 the Levites H3881 bearing H5375 it, then ye shall remove H5265 from your place, H4725 and go H1980 after H310 it.
And Moses H4872 wrote H3789 this law, H8451 and delivered H5414 it unto the priests H3548 the sons H1121 of Levi, H3878 which bare H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 and unto all the elders H2205 of Israel. H3478
And they departed H5265 from the mount H2022 of the LORD H3068 three H7969 days' H3117 journey: H1870 and the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 went H5265 before H6440 them in the three H7969 days' H3117 journey, H1870 to search out H8446 a resting place H4496 for them.
And thou shalt command H6680 the priests H3548 that bear H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant, H1285 saying, H559 When ye are come H935 to the brink H7097 of the water H4325 of Jordan, H3383 ye shall stand still H5975 in Jordan. H3383
And the LORD H3068 went H1980 before H6440 them by day H3119 in a pillar H5982 of a cloud, H6051 to lead H5148 them the way; H1870 and by night H3915 in a pillar H5982 of fire, H784 to give them light; H215 to go H3212 by day H3119 and night: H3915 He took not away H4185 the pillar H5982 of the cloud H6051 by day, H3119 nor the pillar H5982 of fire H784 by night, H3915 from before H6440 the people. H5971
And when Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 have made an end H3615 of covering H3680 the sanctuary, H6944 and all the vessels H3627 of the sanctuary, H6944 as the camp H4264 is to set forward; H5265 after H310 that, the sons H1121 of Kohath H6955 shall come H935 to bear H5375 it: but they shall not touch H5060 any holy thing, H6944 lest they die. H4191 These things are the burden H4853 of the sons H1121 of Kohath H6955 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150
And Joshua H3091 spake H559 unto the priests, H3548 saying, H559 Take up H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant, H1285 and pass over H5674 before H6440 the people. H5971 And they took up H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant, H1285 and went H3212 before H6440 the people. H5971
And it came to pass, when the people H5971 removed H5265 from their tents, H168 to pass over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and the priests H3548 bearing H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 before H6440 the people; H5971 And as they that bare H5375 the ark H727 were come H935 unto Jordan, H3383 and the feet H7272 of the priests H3548 that bare H5375 the ark H727 were dipped H2881 in the brim H7097 of the water, H4325 (for Jordan H3383 overfloweth H4390 all his banks H1415 all the time H3117 of harvest,) H7105 That the waters H4325 which came down H3381 from above H4605 stood H5975 and rose up H6965 upon an H259 heap H5067 very H3966 far H7368 from the city H5892 Adam, H121 that is beside H6654 Zaretan: H6891 and those that came down H3381 toward the sea H3220 of the plain, H6160 even the salt H4417 sea, H3220 failed, H8552 and were cut off: H3772 and the people H5971 passed over H5674 right against Jericho. H3405 And the priests H3548 that bare H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 stood H5975 firm H3559 on dry ground H2724 in the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 and all the Israelites H3478 passed over H5674 on dry ground, H2724 until all the people H1471 were passed H5674 clean H8552 over H5674 Jordan. H3383
For the priests H3548 which bare H5375 the ark H727 stood H5975 in the midst H8432 of Jordan, H3383 until every thing H1697 was finished H8552 that the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Joshua H3091 to speak H1696 unto the people, H5971 according to all that Moses H4872 commanded H6680 Joshua: H3091 and the people H5971 hasted H4116 and passed over. H5674
And Joshua H3091 the son H1121 of Nun H5126 called H7121 the priests, H3548 and said H559 unto them, Take up H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant, H1285 and let seven H7651 priests H3548 bear H5375 seven H7651 trumpets H7782 of rams' horns H3104 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD. H3068
And David H1732 called H7121 for Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 the priests, H3548 and for the Levites, H3881 for Uriel, H222 Asaiah, H6222 and Joel, H3100 Shemaiah, H8098 and Eliel, H447 and Amminadab, H5992 And said H559 unto them, Ye are the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of the Levites: H3881 sanctify H6942 yourselves, both ye and your brethren, H251 that ye may bring up H5927 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 unto the place that I have prepared H3559 for it.
These G3778 are they G1526 which G3739 were G3435 not G3756 defiled G3435 with G3326 women; G1135 for G1063 they are G1526 virgins. G3933 These G3778 are they G1526 which G3588 follow G190 the Lamb G721 whithersoever G3699 G302 he goeth. G5217 These G3778 were redeemed G59 from G575 among men, G444 being the firstfruits G536 unto God G2316 and G2532 to the Lamb. G721
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Joshua 3
Commentary on Joshua 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
This chapter, and that which follows it, give us the history of Israel's passing through Jordan into Canaan, and a very memorable history it is. Long afterwards, they are told to remember what God did for them between Shittim (whence they decamped, v. 1). and Gilgal, where they next pitched, ch. 4:19, Mic. 6:5, that they might know the righteousness of the Lord. By Joshua's order they marched up to the river's side (v. 1), and then almighty power led them through it. They passed through the Red Sea unexpectedly, and in their flight by night, but they have notice some time before of their passing through Jordan, and their expectations raised.
Jos 3:1-6
Rahab, in mentioning to the spies the drying up of the Red Sea (ch. 2:10), the report of which terrified the Canaanites more than anything else, intimates that those on that side the water expected that Jordan, that great defence of their country, would in like manner give way to them. Whether the Israelites had any expectation of it does not appear. God often did things for them which they looked not for, Isa. 64:3. Now here we are told,
Jos 3:7-13
We may observe here how God honours Joshua, and by this wondrous work he is about to do designs to make Israel know that he is their governor, and then how Joshua honours God and endeavours by it to make Israel know that he is their God. Thus those that honour God he will honour, and those whom he has advanced should do what they can in their places to exalt him.
Jos 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.