Commentary on Joshua, Commentary · Chapter 3
Chap. 3.
THen Ioshua rose verie early, and they remoued from Shittim, and came to Iordan, he, and all the children of Israel, and lodged there, before they went ouer.
2 And after three dayes the officers went throughout the hoste,
3 And commanded the people, saying, When ye see the Arke of the couenant of the Lord your God, & the Priests of the Leuites bearing it, ye shall departe from your place, and go after it.
4 Yet there shalbe a space betweene you & it, about two thousand cubites by measure: ye shall not come neere vntounto it, that ye may knowe the way, by the which ye shall go: for ye hauehave not gone this way in times past.
5 (Now Ioshua had said vntounto the people, Sanctifie your selues: for to morowe the Lord will doe wonders among you.)
6 Also Ioshua spake vntounto the Priests, saying, Take vp the Arke of the couenant, and go ouer before the people: so they tooke vp the Arke of the couenant, and went before the people.
7 Then the Lord said vntounto Ioshua, This day will I beginne to magnifie thee in the sight of all Israel, which shall knowe, that as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee.
8 Thou shalt therefore commande the Priests that beare the Arke of the couenant, saying, When ye are come to the brinke of the waters of Iordan, ye shall stand still in Iordan.
9 Then Ioshua said vntounto the children of Israel, Come hither, and heare the wordes of the Lord your God.
10 And Ioshua said, Hereby ye shall knowe, that the liuing God is among you, and that he will certeinly cast out before you the Chanaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hiuites, & the Perizzites, and the Gergashites, and the Amorites, and the Iebusites.
11 Beholde, the Arke of the couenant of the Lord of all the worlde passeth before you into Iordan.
12 Now therefore take from among you twelue men out of the tribes of Israel, out of euerie tribe a man.
13 And as soone as the soles of the feet of the Priests (that beare the Arke of the Lord God, the Lord of all the worlde) shall stay in the waters of Iordan, the waters of Iordan shalbe cut off: for the waters that come from aboue, shall stand still vponupon an heape.
1 Iosue arose, &c.) It must be remembred that I shewed before, that Iosue did not remoue the campe, the next day after the returne of the spies, but after he had hearde their report, he gaue commaundement by his lieftenantes, that they should make all things readie for their remoue, for that three dayes after, they should passe ouer Iordane. Therefore, that he arose early in the morning, must not be referred vntounto their returne, but vntounto the publishing of the edicte. For when three dayes were finished, the captaines were sent againe through the campe, to declare vntounto the people, how they shoulde passe ouer the riuer. Although these thinges be colde in seuerall places, yet it is an easie matter, to set foorth the order of the historie. But before it was declared what passage the people shoulde hauehave, the multitude lying by the riuers side, had occasion to moue sedition.. For Iordane indeède might be passed ouer at certaine foords or shallow places, but that at that time, the waters so swelled and ouerflowed the bankes, that all passage was denied, euen to men that were without all impediments & carriage. So that there was no hope that their wiues, and young children, with their cattell, and the rest of their stuffe, might be transported vntounto the further shoare. But that in a case so doubtfull, and full of desperation, they wayte quietly for the ende, when they coulde not conceiue what should be the manner of it: by this obedience of faith it appeareth, how vnlike they were to their fathers, which for euerie small occasion, were stirred vp vntounto rebellion against God and Moses. Which chaunce happened not without the singular woorke of Gods spirit in them.
2 After the ende of three dayes, &c.) Namely, since the remoue was proclamed. For they stayed not at the shoare longer than one night. But because the time of three dayes was appointed for their passage, and they were deceiued of that hope: nowe Iosue exhorteth them, to forget all lettes and difficulties, and to consider nothing but the power of God. For although the fame of the miracle be not yet described and set foorth: yet when the Arke of the couenant is brought forth as a standard to guide their iourney, it was easie to gather, that God prepared to doe some great and vnaccustomed woorke. But while they are helde in suspense, their faith is once againe proued with an earnest triall: for it was a token of great vertue, simply to obey his commaundement, and so to followe the Arke, when they were not yet plainly enformed what the successe should be. But this is the chiefe propertie of faith, not to enquire curiously what God will doe, nor to dispute subtily, how that may be brought to passe which he pronounceth: but to cast all our cares, wherewith we are troubled, vponupon his prouidence: and because his power is infinite, that we may rest vponupon it, to lift vp our senses aboue the worlde, and to embrace by faith that which we cannot conceiue by reason.
4 Yet a space, &c.) Seeing the inferiour Leuites, whose charge Num. 4. 15.was to carrie the Arke, were streightly forbidden to touche it, or to see it vncouered, no maruell though the common people were kept a long distance from it. The dignitie of the Arke is therefore set foorth and commended, while the people are commaunded to keepe themselues farre from it, and so to testifie in what reuerence they hauehave it. And we know what happened to Uzia, when he saw it readie to be cast off by the winching kine, & of vnaduised zeale layed his 2. Sam. 6hand vnderunder it, to holde it. For although God doe familiarly call vsus vntounto him, yet trust breedeth no securitie and rashe boldenesse, but rather is alway ioyned with feare. After this sort the Arke of the couenant, was a sweete and pleasant pledge of the grace of God: but so, that the maiestie thereof was also terrible, to bring downe the pride of the fleshe. Now this humblenesse and modestie was also profitable for the exercise of their faith, least they shoulde restraine the grace of God within to narrow boundes, but that notwithstanding they were separated farre from the Arke, yet they might be assured that the power of God was neere them. In the ende of the verse it is shewed, how necessarie it was for them to be guided by God, in an vnknowen way: that feare and carefulnesse might keepe them vnderunder the protection of the Arke.
5 Iosue sayed, &c.) It was meete that the singular and extraordinarie power of God should be set forth, for to helpe them, least slacknesse through doubtfulnesse might cause any stay: but that the Israelites might depende altogether vponupon the purpose of God. Iosue doeth not yet expresse what kind of miracle God woulde worke: except we will reade in one context that which followeth a litle after. And this is the right triall of faith, so to rest vponupon the prouidence of God, that we doe not inquire ouer carefully of the manner of his doing, or what he meaneth to doe. Because the Uerbe KADASH doth sometimes signifie to prepare, sometimes to sanctifie, and both the senses doe well agree with the place, I thought good to leaue it indifferent to the readers, whether they will take. For both faith doth prepare vsus to receiue the power of God, and also when GOD did shewe himselfe more neerely vntounto them, they vsed to consecrate themselues after a solemne manner. As we see at the proclaming of the lawe, that Moses, by Gods commaundement, did sanctifie Exod. 19. 14.the people. But whereas some doe expounde it, that the people for this cause onelyonly were commaunded to purge them selues from corruptions, that nothing might hinder their passage ouer Iordane, it seemeth to be to streight an exposition.
6 Spake vntounto the Priestes, &c.) It is like the Priestes were admonished for what purpose God would hauehave the Arke to goe before, that they might be the more readie to execute the commaundement: because all the people is soone after certified of the cutting a sunder of the waters. For when the people before were commaunded by their captaines, to followe the Arke of couenant, the Priestes were not ignorant what office they shoulde execute. For it was expressely pronounced, that they shoulde be as it were guides or standardes. But when they were all in readinesse, Iosue doeth openly rehearse the answeare of God which he had receiued. For it was not meete, that the grace of God shoulde hauehave bene more clearly declared to the people than to them. But it followeth immediately, that the people were made priuie of the miracle. Wherefore I conclude, that after God had helde the Priestes in suspense a certaine time, with the whole multitude, when he had tried their obedience, he did openly declare vntounto them what he woulde doe. First of all therefore it is declared, that Iosue commaunded the Priestes to carrie the Arke before the people: and afterward, least any man shoulde thinke that he attempted the matter rashly, or vponupon his owne head, he declareth the promise, whereby he was instructed so to commaund them. And although it be not there expressely set downe, that the course of Iordane shoulde be stayed: yet we may gather by the speache which Iosue vsed in the people, that God spake more at large, and did in order expressely declare, what he was purposed to doe. For Iosue reporteth nothing, but that which he vnderstoode and hearde out of the mouth of God himselfe. Yea, before he vttereth the matter, he commaundeth them to heare the wordes of God, and so by that preface he declareth, that God was the author of all that he would say.
10 Hereby you shall knowe, &c.) He extendeth the force of the miracle further than to their entrance into the land, and not without good cause: For that they should only hauehave a way opened into their enimies lande, out of which they could hauehave no escape, had bene nothing else but to deliuer them vp vntounto death and destruction. For being taken in the streighte of an vnknowne land, they might easily hauehave bene cutte in peeces, or else hauehave perished through famine and want of all thinges. Wherefore Iosue telleth them before hand, that when God shuld driue back the riuer, it shuld be all one, as if he stretched foorth his hande to chase away all the inhabitants of the land: & that token of his power, which he shewed in the passage of Iordane, should be a certeine prophesie of the victorie that they should obtein… against all those nations. Hereby shall you know (saith he) that God will be at hande to helpe you. For what purpose: Not only that you should hauehave footing in the land of Chanaā, but that you may enioy the same as your owne. For truly when mentiō is made of chasing away the nations, a quiet and vndisturbed possession is noted. Therefore, as by diuiding of the riuer, God clearly shewed, that his power was with the Israelites: so the people likewise ought to conceiue hope of continuall aide, as if they had alredie seene their enimies vanquished and discomfited. For God vseth not to forsake the worke of his hands which he hath taken vponupon him, maymed and vnperfect. God diuided Psal. 136.the waters of Iordan, to make a drie passage to bring his people into the promised inheritance. Therefore, what had bene greater frowardnesse, than that they should hauehave stayed in that one transitorie acte, and not to hauehave had sure trust in him alwayes afterward, vntill they had obteined full and quiet possession of the lande. Wherefore, by this example let vsus learne, wisely to ioyne together, such benefits of God, as perteine to the summe of our saluation: that happie beginnings, may nourish in vsus an hope of like ending. And whereas Iosue doeth say, that the people should knowe by that miracle that God was present: he doth couertly reproue their distrust: because the only promise of God ought to hauehave ben sufficient to their ful assurance vpō which alone if our faith be not grounded, we can not choose but wauer and stagger often times. But notwithstanding that our faith ought properly to rest in the onelyonly trueth of God: yet that letteth not, but triall by experience as a second prop of our weakenesse, and a profitable aide for confirmation, may help to stay the same. For that which God hath promised by his worde, he sealeth and confirmeth by the deed it selfe: and looke how many documents of his grace and power he setteth foorth vntounto vsus in actes, he would hauehave them to be so many trialles of his word, & aids to take away all doubfulnes.
11 Behold the Arke, &c.) First he saith the Arke shall goe before them: then he declareth for what end: namely, that Iordane might geue place, as astonished, at the presence & sight of God, as it is said in the Psalme. As for that storie which is interlaced of the twelue Psal. 114.men, &c. is broken off, because he doeth but only touch breefly those matters, which afterward he setteth out plainly and more at large. Now let vsus obserue no more but this, that when the Ark went before, God shewed his power in gouerning the people. And by this meanes was cōmended, that religious worship which was according to the lawe, when the Israelites did see, that it was no vaine thing, which God committed to them, to be the token of his presence. For the riuer Iordane was none otherwise constreined vntounto obedience, than if it had seene the maiestie of God. And yet withall let vsus remember, that God was not moued, in any other respect, to set forth his grace in the Arke, but because he had placed therein the tables of his couenant. And because the matter was hard to be credited, Iosue called backe the minds of the people, to consider the power of God, which ouercōmeth all difficulties. For it is no small title. (The Lord of all the earth) which is here geuen to God: but it aduaunceth his authoritie ouer all the elementes of the worlde, that the Israelites should not doubt, seeing that seas and flouds are vnderunder his dominion, but that the waters, though of their owne nature they be running, yet by his commandement should be made to stand vnmoueable.
14 Then when the people were departed from their tentes, to goe ouer Iordan, the Priests bearing the Arke of the couenant, went before the people.
15 And as they that bare the Arke came vntounto Iordan, and the feete of the Priests that bare the Arke were dipped in the brinke of the water, (for Iordan vseth to fill all his banks all the time of haruest.)
16 Then the waters that came downe from aboue, stayed, and rose vp on an heape, and departed farre from the citie of Adan, that was beside Zaretan: but the waters that came downe towarde the Sea of the wildernesse, euen the salt Sea, failed, and were cut off: so the people went right ouer against Iericho.
17 But the Priests that bare the Arke of the couenant of the Lord, stood dry within Iordan redie prepared, and all the Israelites went ouer drye, vntill all the people were gone cleane ouer through Iordan.
15 After they came, &c.) The vertue of the Priests was worthie of no smal cōmendation, which went forward boldly into the chanell, euen into the water it selfe, where manifest daunger of drowning seemed to be. For after they had once entred the water with their feete, what might they looke for, but soone after to fall into the deepe goulfe, in which they shoulde be ouerwhelmed▪ Therefore, whereas they were not made afraide, when they came to the riuer it selfe, but that they kept on their way vntounto the place that was appointed them: it was a signe of singular good courage, which they had conceiued of faith. This was moreouer a peculiar temptation, that the riuer Iordane had then ouerflowed his bankes, as he vseth yearely to doe, in the beginning of Summer. For the plaine being couered with water, the tracte of the bankes coulde not be knowen, nor any shallowe be found: and the waters being spread all abroade, increased feare and carefulnesse. And with these lettes would God hauehave his people, and especially the priestes to striue, that the victorie of their faith and constancie might be the more excellent: and besides that, by these difficulties he extolleth the glorie of the miracle, when those waters gaue place at his commaundement, and stoode as it were cloddered together on an heape, which had before ouerflowed their bankes. First therefore he setteth foorth the order of the miracle, to take away all doubt, least prophane and vnreligious men shoulde seeke out other causes to ouerwhelme the grace of God. It may come to passe in deed naturally, that for a short time the streame of waters may be stayed: and some drie plotte may appeare, or else the course of a riuer may be chaunged and turne it selfe an other way: But that waters should stande still gathered together on an heape, it coulde neuer come to passe naturally or by chaunce. After this sort it is saide, that the waters which before flowed out of an higher ground, so that by their onelyonly fall they sought a continuall course, did now stand still, & not runne. And there is no dout, but this wonderfull sight was terrible to beholde: that the Israelites might the rather acknowledge, that they were saued in the middest of death. For what other thing seemed that great heape of waters, but euen as a graue to ouerwhelme the whole multitude, if the waters had once runne downe according to their nature? If they had walked vppon the waters, faith shoulde hauehave bene in steede of a bridge vntounto them. But now, while the mountaines of waters hang ouer their heades, it is all one, as if they had founde a plaine and easie way vnderunder waters. The place is described betweene two cities, that the memorie thereof might neuer be forgotten, like as also God woulde hauehave stones to be set vp there, for a perpetuall monument, that so wonderfull a benefite might be celebrated and praised of all ages vntounto the worldes end.