New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Joshua 3
1
Early one morning Joshua and all of the people of Israel started out from Shittim. They went down to the Jordan River. They camped there before they went across it.
Reference
2
After three days the officers went all through the camp.
3
They gave orders to the people. They said, "Watch for the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. The priests, who are Levites, will be carrying it. When you see it, you must move out from where you are and follow it.
Reference
4
Then you will know which way to go. You have never gone this way before. But don't go near the ark. Stay about 1,000 yards away from it."
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 89:7
5
Joshua spoke to the people. He said, "Set yourselves apart to the Lord. Tomorrow he'll do amazing things among you."
Reference
Parallel theme
Joel 2:16
John 17:19
Psalm 86:10
Job 1:5
References Lord
Leviticus 20:7
Joshua 7:13
1 Samuel 16:5
Leviticus 10:3
Joshua 3:13
6
Joshua said to the priests, "Go and get the ark of the covenant. Walk on ahead of the people." So they went and got it. Then they walked on ahead of them.
7
The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to honor you in the eyes of all of the people of Israel. Then they will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 18:35
Job 7:17
John 17:1
Philippians 1:20
References Lord
Joshua 4:14
1 Chronicles 29:25
Joshua 1:17
2 Chronicles 1:1
References Moses
Joshua 1:5
8
Speak to the priests who carry the ark of the covenant. Tell them, 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan River, go into the water and stand there.' "
Reference
9
Joshua spoke to the people of Israel. He said, "Come here. Listen to what the Lord your God is saying.
Reference
10
You will soon know that the living God is among you. You can be sure that he'll drive out the people who are now living in the land. He'll do it to make room for you. He'll drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 33:2
Exodus 3:8
Joshua 22:31
Psalm 9:16
References God
Deuteronomy 7:1
Hebrews 10:31
1 Samuel 17:26
Jeremiah 10:10
Deuteronomy 31:17
2 Kings 19:4
11
"The ark will go into the Jordan River ahead of you. It's the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth.
Reference
13
"The priests will carry the ark of the Lord. He's the Lord of the whole earth. As soon as the priests step into the Jordan, it will stop flowing. The water that's coming down the river will pile up in one place. That's how you will know that the living God is among you."
Reference
14
So the people took their tents down. They prepared to go across the Jordan River. The priests who were carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.
15
The water of the Jordan was going over its banks. It always does that at the time the crops are being gathered. The priests came to the river. Their feet touched the water's edge.
Reference
16
Right away the water that was coming down the river stopped flowing. It piled up far away at a town called Adam near Zarethan. The water that was flowing down to the Dead Sea was completely cut off. So the people went across the Jordan River opposite Jericho.
Reference
📍 Locations
17
The priests carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. They stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the river. They stayed there until the whole nation of Israel had gone across on dry ground.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 66:6
Joshua 4:3
2 Kings 2:8
References Israel
Exodus 14:29
Exodus 14:22
References Lord
Isaiah 25:8
Summary of Joshua 3
Joshua chapter 3 describes one of the most important occasions in Israel's trek toward the promised land. The Israelites set up camp near the Jordan River for three days before marching toward Canaan. Joshua told the people to follow the priests carrying the ark of the covenant since they had not crossed it before. The passage shows how Israel needs to obey the sign from God that Joshua has received to indicate that God has accompanied them and will give them the land He has promised.
Joshua and the children of Israel set out from Shittim early the next morning and arrived at the Jordan River. The people of Israel were to set up camp for three days while the officers marched through the camp and gave directions. When they saw the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, they were to follow them but maintain a distance of about two thousand cubits between themselves and the ark. This distance would enable the whole congregation to see the ark.
The ark of the covenant was crucial in this chapter because it was the sign that God had accompanied his people to this point. Israel was not crossing the river on their own; rather, it was the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant who had gone ahead of the nation to show that God was guiding them into the promised land. Joshua told the children of Israel to sanctify themselves since the Lord was going to do something incredible among them. The people of Israel had to prepare themselves since the crossing was going to be a display of God's power that would enable them to see the power of God that had brought them there.
Joshua then called the priests and told them to pick up the ark and lead the people of Israel. Joshua told the Israelites that they would know that the living God was among them when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went into the Jordan and the water ceased. This is because the God who had brought them out of Egypt was with them, and they needed to realize it.
The Jordan River presented a significant challenge, and Joshua 3 particularly notes that the river had overflowed its banks at the time of harvest. Therefore, the crossing of the Jordan by the children of Israel would have been a challenge even for those without children, animals, and luggage.
The Israelites did not wait for the river to be at their disposal to enable them to cross. Rather, the priests were told to step into the river while it was still flowing. When the feet of those carrying the ark touched the edge of the Jordan, the waters above stopped flowing and formed a pile. Meanwhile, the waters below flowed down to the Dead Sea, leaving a dry gap for the Israelites to cross. The Bible indicates that the waters were cut off, and the people crossed over the Jordan on to dry land.
The priests carrying the ark of the Lord remained in the middle of the Jordan with the entire nation crossing in front of them until everyone had crossed. This is a critical observation in this account of crossing the Jordan because the miracle was not a short opening for a few people to cross but rather a complete halt of the water for the entire nation to cross with dry land.
Joshua 3 connects this occasion to the crossing of the Red Sea by showing how the children of Israel had seen God's power when they crossed the Red Sea and were now about to see it again under Joshua's leadership. The purpose of calling their attention to this conjunction was to emphasize the fulfillment of the promise that God had made to bring them into the promised land.
The Lord told Joshua that he would start to make him great in the eyes of the people of Israel so that they might know that God was with Joshua just as He had been with Moses. Therefore, the leadership of Joshua was a continuation of leadership through Moses as the people of Israel acknowledged that God was with him.
The priests remained in the middle of the Jordan River with the Ark of the Covenant as all the people of Israel crossed. The Ark led the way for the people of Israel who followed, and the miracle of the waters being divided was there to assure them that God had sent them and was with them. The Israelites were about to embark on a new journey into the promised land.
Joshua 3 comes to a natural conclusion with all the people of Israel having crossed over the Jordan on dry land. The priests did not leave the river until everyone had crossed.
For Israel, the crossing of the Jordan represents the completion of a significant stage in the journey of becoming a nation. They were now on the verge of entering the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their offspring. The people of Israel were to end their wilderness experience and march into the heart of Canaan to claim victory for God.
The chapter emphasizes the relationship between the people of Israel and their God. If they were to heed their God, then nothing would be impossible for them. The Jordan River may have been swollen with water, but the priests marched ahead and did what God told them to do. God then honored their obedience to Him by stopping the waters. Therefore, Joshua 3 centers on God's presence, Joshua's leadership, the obedience of the children of Israel, and the promises of God being fulfilled. The Ark of the Covenant leads the way as the priests step into the Jordan River with the people of Israel following and crossing over on to dry land.
Joshua and the children of Israel set out from Shittim early the next morning and arrived at the Jordan River. The people of Israel were to set up camp for three days while the officers marched through the camp and gave directions. When they saw the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, they were to follow them but maintain a distance of about two thousand cubits between themselves and the ark. This distance would enable the whole congregation to see the ark.
The ark of the covenant was crucial in this chapter because it was the sign that God had accompanied his people to this point. Israel was not crossing the river on their own; rather, it was the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant who had gone ahead of the nation to show that God was guiding them into the promised land. Joshua told the children of Israel to sanctify themselves since the Lord was going to do something incredible among them. The people of Israel had to prepare themselves since the crossing was going to be a display of God's power that would enable them to see the power of God that had brought them there.
Joshua then called the priests and told them to pick up the ark and lead the people of Israel. Joshua told the Israelites that they would know that the living God was among them when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went into the Jordan and the water ceased. This is because the God who had brought them out of Egypt was with them, and they needed to realize it.
The Jordan River presented a significant challenge, and Joshua 3 particularly notes that the river had overflowed its banks at the time of harvest. Therefore, the crossing of the Jordan by the children of Israel would have been a challenge even for those without children, animals, and luggage.
The Israelites did not wait for the river to be at their disposal to enable them to cross. Rather, the priests were told to step into the river while it was still flowing. When the feet of those carrying the ark touched the edge of the Jordan, the waters above stopped flowing and formed a pile. Meanwhile, the waters below flowed down to the Dead Sea, leaving a dry gap for the Israelites to cross. The Bible indicates that the waters were cut off, and the people crossed over the Jordan on to dry land.
The priests carrying the ark of the Lord remained in the middle of the Jordan with the entire nation crossing in front of them until everyone had crossed. This is a critical observation in this account of crossing the Jordan because the miracle was not a short opening for a few people to cross but rather a complete halt of the water for the entire nation to cross with dry land.
Joshua 3 connects this occasion to the crossing of the Red Sea by showing how the children of Israel had seen God's power when they crossed the Red Sea and were now about to see it again under Joshua's leadership. The purpose of calling their attention to this conjunction was to emphasize the fulfillment of the promise that God had made to bring them into the promised land.
The Lord told Joshua that he would start to make him great in the eyes of the people of Israel so that they might know that God was with Joshua just as He had been with Moses. Therefore, the leadership of Joshua was a continuation of leadership through Moses as the people of Israel acknowledged that God was with him.
The priests remained in the middle of the Jordan River with the Ark of the Covenant as all the people of Israel crossed. The Ark led the way for the people of Israel who followed, and the miracle of the waters being divided was there to assure them that God had sent them and was with them. The Israelites were about to embark on a new journey into the promised land.
Joshua 3 comes to a natural conclusion with all the people of Israel having crossed over the Jordan on dry land. The priests did not leave the river until everyone had crossed.
For Israel, the crossing of the Jordan represents the completion of a significant stage in the journey of becoming a nation. They were now on the verge of entering the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their offspring. The people of Israel were to end their wilderness experience and march into the heart of Canaan to claim victory for God.
The chapter emphasizes the relationship between the people of Israel and their God. If they were to heed their God, then nothing would be impossible for them. The Jordan River may have been swollen with water, but the priests marched ahead and did what God told them to do. God then honored their obedience to Him by stopping the waters. Therefore, Joshua 3 centers on God's presence, Joshua's leadership, the obedience of the children of Israel, and the promises of God being fulfilled. The Ark of the Covenant leads the way as the priests step into the Jordan River with the people of Israel following and crossing over on to dry land.