Joshua Chapter 3
Crossing the Jordan
A. Instructions for Crossing the Jordan River
1. (Joshua 3:1–2) Camping by the Jordan: Israel is Brought Face to Face with Their Helplessness
“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. And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host.” (Joshua 3:1–2, KJV)
Israel has now arrived at the very edge of the Promised Land. They have left Shittim, also called Acacia Grove, and are now standing before the swelling waters of the Jordan River. Joshua rises early, as he consistently does throughout the book, demonstrating diligence, readiness, and dependence on God. The nation sets up camp at the riverbank and remains there for three days. God had already commanded them to prepare provisions for this moment three days earlier in Joshua 1:11, but now that the time has come, they are forced to face the reality of the situation. Between them and their inheritance lies a river overflowing its banks due to the spring harvest floods (Joshua 3:15). Humanly speaking, crossing would be impossible.
The people of Israel would have spent those three days staring at the river, hearing its roar, watching the rapid current, and wondering how the promises of God could ever become reality. God often brings His people to a place where their strength is useless, so that they must rely entirely upon His power. This is similar to when He brought Israel to the Red Sea in Exodus 14:13, where Moses said, “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD”. God is again leading His people into a situation where deliverance can come from Him alone.
a. “Came to Jordan… and lodged there before they passed over”
The command to wait and watch was intentional. For three days they sat before the overflowing river. This waiting period was a test of faith. It was easy to talk about victory and promise when they were still in camp at Shittim, but now they are looking at an obstacle they cannot overcome. They must have asked within themselves, “How shall we cross this river? How can families, children, elders, flocks, and all our possessions make it to the other side?”
This was not like the spies in Joshua 2, who could cross quietly and secretly. Now it was an entire nation, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions. Human strategy, engineering, or military force could not solve this. God had to act.
b. “After three days… the officers went through the host”
After the three days of waiting, the officers begin moving through the camp, giving final instructions. At a moment like this, all previous talk about possessing the land and conquering Canaan could feel distant and unrealistic. Faith must now become action. God often allows obstacles to stand between His promises and His people so that they learn obedience and dependence rather than presumption. The Jordan stood as a barrier, not to destroy Israel, but to teach them to trust the Lord who promised, “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Joshua 1:5).
This is how God works in the life of His people. He brings them to the end of their own strength so that His strength alone might be seen. As Paul later wrote, “for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Israel’s weakness is not a hindrance to God; it is the very platform upon which His power will be displayed.
2. (Joshua 3:3–5) The Ark of God Will Lead the Way
“And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:3–5, KJV)
Israel is now given their first instructions on how they will cross the Jordan River. The command centers not on military force, construction, or human strategy, but upon the ark of the covenant, the symbol of the presence of God Himself among His people. The officers instruct the nation to watch for the ark carried by the priests, and when it moves, they are to follow. The Lord Himself will lead them into the Promised Land.
a. “When ye see the ark of the covenant… then ye shall remove… and go after it”
Joshua does not send soldiers, scouts, or engineers to figure out a crossing strategy. He commands the priests to take up the ark of the covenant of the LORD. This ark represented the very presence, power, and covenant promises of God. Inside it were the stone tablets of the Law, Aaron’s rod that budded, and a pot of manna. Between the golden cherubim above the mercy seat, God said He would meet with His people (Exodus 25:22). By placing the ark at the forefront, God was teaching Israel that this was not a human problem, but a divine work. The Jordan would not be crossed by human might, but by the presence and power of God alone.
Israel was not told to lead God but to follow Him. Their success would depend entirely on their obedience to His leading. Just as the pillar of cloud and fire led them through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21–22), now the ark would lead them into the land of promise. God was making it clear that the same presence that divided the Red Sea would now divide the Jordan River.
b. “Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits”
God commands them to keep a distance of about two thousand cubits, which is roughly one thousand yards. This command served two purposes.
First, it was to maintain reverence for the holiness of God. The ark was holy because it symbolized His throne and presence among men. No common person was to touch it or draw too near. When Uzzah later touched the ark to steady it, God struck him for his irreverence (2 Samuel 6:6–7). God’s holiness must always be approached with reverence and fear.
Second, the distance ensured that everyone in the vast nation could see the ark clearly. There were hundreds of thousands of people stretching far back from the river. By giving space, the ark remained visible to all, showing them the way they should go. The text explains this plainly, “that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.” God was leading them into unfamiliar territory. They had never crossed this way before and could not rely on past experience or natural logic. Their eyes had to be fixed on God alone.
This teaches a vital spiritual truth. God often leads His people into situations they have never faced before. In those moments, the only sure guide is His presence revealed in His Word. As Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” Victory comes when we follow His leading with steadfast obedience.
c. “Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you”
Before God performed His miracle, the people were commanded to sanctify themselves. To sanctify means to set apart, to cleanse oneself from sin, from distraction, and from anything common, in order to be wholly devoted unto God. This likely involved ceremonial washings, abstaining from marital relations (Exodus 19:10–15), confession of sin, and a renewed dedication to the LORD.
The command teaches that spiritual preparation must always precede divine intervention. God was about to work a miracle, but He required His people to be spiritually clean and fully yielded. It is never God who is unprepared to work; it is often man who is unprepared to receive His work. Joshua promises them, “for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” The word “wonders” points to miraculous acts of God, acts that no man can accomplish. Just as God parted the Red Sea, He is about to open the Jordan River.
God still works this way. When His people sanctify themselves, humble themselves, seek His face, and remove sin from their lives, then He is pleased to work mightily among them (2 Chronicles 7:14). Holiness always precedes power.
3. (Joshua 3:6) Joshua’s Step of Faith: The Priests Are Sent Toward a Flooded Jordan
“And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.” (Joshua 3:6, KJV)
Joshua now acts upon what God has commanded. With the Jordan River still swollen, overflowing its banks, and humanly impossible to cross, Joshua commands the priests to take up the ark of the covenant and begin moving forward toward the water. This moment is a profound demonstration of faith and obedience. There is no human explanation for how this would work. They had no boats, no bridges, no engineering solution, and no precedent except for the memory of the Red Sea. Yet Joshua obeys immediately and expects God to act.
a. “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass over before the people”
Joshua does not act in presumption. It is clear from the flow of the passage that he is obeying what God has already revealed to him. Scripture does not repeat the exact command here, but it is consistent with how God previously spoke to him. Joshua knew this instruction was from the Lord because he walked closely with God in His Word.
Joshua had already been told in Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.” Joshua obeyed that command. He kept the Word of God on his lips, in his mind, and in his actions. Because he remained in the Scriptures, he could clearly discern the will of God. Joshua’s leadership flowed from his devotion to the Word.
Joshua was likely remembering the account of Moses and the Red Sea in Exodus 14. By meditating upon Scripture, he could see that the same God who opened the Red Sea could open the Jordan River. True faith does not arise from imagination or emotion; it arises from trusting what God has actually said.
b. “And they took up the ark… and went before the people”
The priests obey without hesitation. They lift the ark, hoisted upon poles on their shoulders, and walk toward the flooded river. This act is not symbolic only. They are physically moving, in full view of the nation, toward a barrier that cannot be crossed without divine intervention. This is faith in action.
Even though God gave clear instructions, this still required courage. The river was not calm; it was overflowing during harvest season (Joshua 3:15). Stepping forward meant trusting that God would part the waters before their feet touched the current. Faith always carries risk from a human perspective, but it rests upon the certainty of God’s promises.
Living in the Promised Land is not achieved by law-keeping or religious ritual alone. It comes through faith in God’s Word and obedience to His leading. Paul later explains this spiritual truth, “for we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith draws us further than the law ever could. The law may tell us what is right, but faith leads us into victory, into obedience, and into the blessings God has promised.
4. (Joshua 3:7–8) God’s Encouragement to Joshua
“And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.” (Joshua 3:7–8, KJV)
At this critical moment, before the priests step into the flooded Jordan River, God speaks directly to Joshua. The Lord strengthens His servant with promise and reassurance. Joshua has obeyed God’s command up to this point, and now God confirms that He will publicly validate Joshua’s leadership in the sight of all Israel. Just as Moses was authenticated by miracles such as the parting of the Red Sea, now Joshua will be confirmed by the miracle of the parting of the Jordan.
a. “This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel”
God promises to “magnify” Joshua, meaning to exalt him or make him great in the eyes of the nation. Joshua is not exalting himself, and the people are not lifting him up. God Himself is doing it. This is the proper way biblical leadership is established. Joshua did not seek position, glory, or power, but he obeyed God’s Word, and God chose to honor him. This echoes the principle found in 1 Samuel 2:30 where God says, “for them that honour me I will honour.”
This encouragement comes at the perfect time. Joshua has already commanded the priests to move toward the river with the ark. Faith has taken action, and now God strengthens the servant who is walking in obedience. God does not encourage passivity. He encourages faith in motion. Many believers miss God’s encouragement because they only want reassurance before taking any step. Joshua obeyed first, then God spoke encouragement.
b. “That they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee”
The people had followed Moses for forty years. Moses had spoken with God face to face, brought down the Law, and led them through the Red Sea. Now that Moses is gone, the people must know that Joshua is God’s chosen leader. God assures Joshua that the same divine presence that accompanied Moses will also accompany him.
This is a fulfillment of what God had already said in Joshua 1:5, “as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Now, God will display it publicly through a miracle. By parting the Jordan River, God is testifying that Joshua is His appointed leader just as He testified of Moses at the Red Sea. Leadership in God’s work is validated not by human approval, but by God’s presence and power.
c. “When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan”
After Joshua had already shown obedience based upon God’s earlier commands and the Word of God, the Lord now gives him more detailed instruction. The priests were not simply to walk toward the river. They were to step into the river itself and stand still in the water before it parted. This required faith. The waters did not divide first. The priests had to put their feet into the overflowing river.
God often works this way. He gives general direction first, and only when we obey does He reveal the specifics. Obedience brings greater clarity. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” A lamp in ancient times did not light the entire road at once, but only the next step. This is how God led Joshua.
The words “stand still in Jordan” show calm confidence. They were not to rush, panic, or hesitate. They were to stand in faith and wait on God to act. Faith does not require understanding how God will move, only that He will.
5. (Joshua 3:9–13) Joshua Encourages and Instructs Israel
“And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above, and they shall stand upon an heap.” (Joshua 3:9–13, KJV)
Joshua now gathers the people and directs their attention away from the swollen river and toward the Word of God. Before any miracle takes place, God speaks. Joshua wants the nation to understand that what is about to happen is not mere spectacle, but a revelation of the living God’s presence, power, and faithfulness to His covenant promises. The miracle at Jordan is a sign that God Himself is among them and that He will certainly give them victory over the enemies of Canaan.
a. “Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you”
Joshua begins by calling the people to “hear the words of the LORD your God.” Faith always begins with the Word of God. They are not to focus on the roaring river but on what God has said. Joshua reminds them that what God is about to do will prove that the living God is among them. He is not like the dead idols of the Canaanites, carved of wood or stone. He is the God who speaks, acts, delivers, and lives forever.
Joshua connects the present miracle to a future guarantee. If God can stop a flooded river, He can also drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. Joshua does not see this miracle as an isolated event, but as part of a pattern of God’s faithfulness. This is how faith works. When God acts in your life, it is not just to solve the immediate problem, but to build confidence for the battles ahead. This echoes Romans 8:31, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
b. “Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan”
Joshua again directs their attention to the ark of the covenant. It is called here “the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth.” This title emphasizes God’s universal sovereignty. He is not just the God of Israel. He is the Lord and Owner of all the earth. He commands nature itself. The river is His. The land is His. The nations are His.
Joshua declares that the ark will go before them into the Jordan. This confirms that this is not a military battle or a human achievement. It is a spiritual act of God. The priests are not only carrying sacred furniture, they are carrying the visible symbol of God’s throne and presence among His covenant people. The message is unmistakable: God goes first. Israel is to follow.
c. “The waters of Jordan shall be cut off… and they shall stand upon an heap”
Joshua speaks with certainty. He does not say God might act or perhaps the waters will part. He speaks as though it is already done. This is faith anchored in the promise of God. He describes exactly what will happen: as soon as the feet of the priests touch the water, the flow of the river from upstream will be stopped, and the waters will stand up in a heap. This mirrors the language of Exodus 15:8 where the Red Sea is described, “the floods stood upright as an heap.”
Joshua’s outlook is one of complete trust. The obstacle before them is not seen as a problem, but as an opportunity to witness the power of God. The Jordan is not too big for God. The task is not too great. Joshua’s faith is strong because it is rooted in God’s Word and God’s character.
This is how believers are to face impossibilities. Not with fear, but with confidence that the Lord of all the earth commands the outcome. Obstacles become platforms where God displays His glory.
B. Crossing the Jordan River
1. (Joshua 3:14–15) The Faith of the Priests and of Joshua
“And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)” (Joshua 3:14–15, KJV)
The moment of faith has arrived. After days of waiting by the river and receiving God’s instructions, the nation moves. The priests lead the way, carrying the ark of the covenant, with all Israel following at a respectful distance of about two thousand cubits. The Jordan is not calm or shallow. It is at flood stage, overflowing its banks, swollen by spring rains. Yet the priests do not hesitate. They walk forward until their feet touch the water. This is faith in action.
a. “The feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water”
The narrative emphasizes the action of the priests. They did not stop at the water’s edge to wait and see if God would act first. They dipped their feet into the river before it stopped flowing. This means they obeyed while the river was still raging. The ark was carried ahead of the people, just as God commanded, leaving space for everyone to see. The priests walked directly toward the rushing water without knowing how God would intervene.
We are not told how long they stood in the water before the miracle occurred. It may have been immediate or it may have taken time. When you are standing in a flood, even a few seconds feels long. But they stood firm, believing that God would do exactly as He promised. Their feet in the water represented complete obedience and trust.
This is how true faith operates. It does not wait for God to remove the obstacle first. It steps forward based on what God has said. Hebrews 11:29 says, “By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land.” Here, by faith, they step into the Jordan before it parts.
b. “Dipped in the brim of the water” — God calls His people to step before He parts the river
Most people want God to dry up the river before they take one step. But God calls His people to move forward while the waters still flow. The command was clear: step into the river first, then watch what God will do. Faith is not seeing and then walking. Faith is walking and then seeing. Just like Peter stepped out of the boat before he walked on water, the priests step first into a river that has not yet moved.
This is the difference between belief and faith. Belief agrees that God can do it. Faith puts its feet in the water and acts on that belief. Israel could have stood on the bank for days saying they believed, but the waters did not move until their feet did.
c. “For Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest”
Scripture makes it clear that this was not an easy season for crossing. The Jordan was not a shallow stream or a gentle river. It was flooding. The spring harvest rains caused it to swell beyond its normal limits. This detail is included to show the greatness of the miracle. God did not wait for ideal circumstances. He acted at the moment of greatest difficulty, so that no one could say it was natural.
This teaches a critical principle. God often waits until the situation is humanly impossible before He works. He allowed the Red Sea to trap Israel between water and Pharaoh’s army. He allowed Daniel to be thrown into the lions’ den. He allowed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be cast into the fiery furnace. Now, He allows the Jordan to flood so that Israel will know the Lord of all the earth is with them.
2. (Joshua 3:16–17) The Jordan Is Stopped, and Israel Crosses on Dry Ground
“That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.” (Joshua 3:16–17, KJV)
The moment Israel has been waiting for arrives. As the priests bearing the ark step into the flood-swollen river, God acts. The waters of the Jordan suddenly stop flowing. The waters coming down from upstream stand in a heap far away near the city of Adam, while the water flowing downstream drains into the Dead Sea and is completely cut off. Before the eyes of the nation, a dry path opens across the river bed. The priests stand in the middle of the river, holding the ark of the covenant, while every man, woman, and child in Israel walks across safely on dry ground.
a. “The waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap”
The Bible explains this miracle with precise, clear language. The water stopped flowing and stood in a heap. Some scholars suggest God may have used a natural event such as an earthquake or landslide to block the river, but even if He did, the timing and exact moment it occurred was undeniably the work of God. It happened at the very instant the priests’ feet touched the river, exactly as God promised. This was not luck or coincidence. This was divine intervention from the living God.
The water piled up far away at a place called Adam near Zaretan. This means the riverbed between that location and the crossing point near Jericho suddenly emptied, creating a wide path. The river that continued flowing downstream emptied into the Sea of the Arabah, also called the Salt Sea or Dead Sea, and ceased.
b. “On dry ground in the midst of Jordan”
Even with the waters stopped, the ground could have been muddy, slippery, and dangerous. But the Bible emphasizes that Israel crossed over on dry ground. God did not merely lessen the difficulty. He removed it completely. He dried the riverbed so thoroughly that the people walked with ease. They did not sink into the mud or struggle through marshland. God prepared a firm path for His people.
This mirrors the miracle at the Red Sea forty years earlier. At the beginning of their journey out of Egypt, God parted the sea so they could leave bondage. Now at the beginning of their life in the Promised Land, He parts the Jordan so they can enter into victory. Salvation begins with a miracle and continues with a miracle. The same God who redeems His people also brings them into their inheritance.
c. “The priests… stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan” — The centrality of the ark
The priests do not hurry across. They stand still in the middle of the river until every single Israelite has crossed safely. This illustrates the stability of God’s presence. The ark of the covenant is at the center of this miracle. In Joshua 3 and 4, the ark is mentioned fourteen times. This emphasizes that the miracle is not about Joshua’s leadership or Israel’s courage, but about the presence of God among His people.
Their success depended entirely upon the God who went before them. Israel did not engineer this crossing. They did not build boats or bridges. God Himself made the way. The ark cleared the path. This was spiritual work, not the work of human engineers.
3. Application: Facing Impossible Rivers by Looking to Jesus
To face impossible challenges in our lives, we must look to Jesus, who is our true Joshua and the fulfillment of everything the ark represented.
a. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.
Just as the ark symbolized the presence of God among Israel, Jesus Christ is called “Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). He is the living presence of God who goes before His people.b. Jesus has cleared the way for victory.
At the cross, “having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15). He disarmed spiritual enemies and opened the way to eternal life.c. As we follow Jesus, the river of impossibility dries up.
When our eyes are fixed on Christ, and we follow behind Him in obedience, obstacles that seem impossible are overcome by His power. The Jordan does not part until the priests step forward. Faith must move for God to reveal His work.d. To the cynic who says they tried faith and it did not work:
The real question must be asked, have you truly followed Christ according to His Word, obeyed Him fully, trusted Him without reservation, and been disappointed? Or were you trusting in your flesh, your timing, or your conditions? Jesus never fails His people. Disappointment may come when our expectations are in ourselves, not in Him.
