Bibelkommentare

Ver. 1. And Joshua rose early in the morning, &c.— Early the next morning, after he had ordered the army to make all necessary provision for speedily entering the enemy's country, (chap. Joshua 1:10-11.) he raised the camp; and the Israelites, who were at Shittim from the fifth day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year after their departure out of Egypt, advanced to the banks of the Jordan.

And lodged there before they passed over— The French version renders this, and lodged there that night; and the Vulgate, they came to Jordan, where they tarried three days. The truth is, that the Hebrew word jalinu, signifies not only to pass the night, but also to tarry some time; to stop. Every one agrees, that God chose that the miraculous passage of the Jordan should be performed in the day-time, either that the prodigy might be more incontestable, or that it might spread more terror among the Canaanites.

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Ver. 2. And—after three days—the officers went through the host— Not that they passed through it after the people had continued three days on the banks of the Jordan, but at the end of the three days mentioned chap. Jos 1:10-11 in which we follow Usher's calculation. Immediately on Joshua's taking upon him the conduct of Israel, he sent spies to make a discovery of Jericho and its environs: after which, he proclaimed in the camp, that they were to prepare themselves for marching at the first notice; and three days after this proclamation, he issued a second, which is that now in question.

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Ver. 3. When ye see the ark—and the priests the Levites bearing it— See Numbers 4:15. The Levites of the family of Kohath were appointed to the office of carrying the ark of the covenant; but, in extraordinary cases, this care was committed to the priests, who are here called the Levites, for a reason given in a former place. See Deuteronomy 17:9.

Then ye shall remove, &c.— Whereas in common marches the ark was carried in the middle of the camps, as we read Numbers 2:17. God on this occasion would have it carried in the front, or at the head of the whole army, as it had been at the first march which was made on leaving mount Sinai. Numbers 10:33.

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Ver. 4. There shall be a space, &c.— The ark here supplying, in some measure, the place of the miraculous cloud which had guided the Israelites in their several encampments, and which, for that purpose, had always marched before them; it was necessary that it should be carried at the head of the people. But, on the other hand, whereas in the common marches there was little space between the ark and the body of the army, God, on this occasion, required the Israelites to leave betwixt it and the head of their camp a distance of about 2000 cubits, i.e. 3500 feet, more or less; for, in a great army, the marshalling can hardly be perfect. But wherefore this disposition? Why this distance between the ark and the camp of the Israelites? The reason is evident from the words immediately following: it was in order that the Israelites might know the way, &c. in order that it might serve as a signal to the whole army, instead of the miraculous pillar, which then probably ceased to conduct the Israelites in their marches. We may also add two other reasons: First, That God was desirous it should appear in a sensible manner to all Israel, that the sacred symbol of his presence had no need of a guard; that it could run no risk from enemies, at what distance soever from the army; and, consequently, that the Israelites themselves had nothing to apprehend under so high a protection. Secondly, That, by this arrangement, God chose to remove from the Israelites every pretence for looking closely into this sacred ark, which, most probably, was uncovered in the passage over Jordan; whereas in common marches it was covered with several veils. Calmet observes, that the words, come not near unto it, are not in the Hebrew; and he confines the sense of the words addressed by Joshua to the Israelites to this: "Be cautious of approaching the ark; follow it afar off, without deviating from the way which it will shew you: for it goes before to open you a new and extraordinary road," &c.

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Ver. 5. And Joshua said unto the people— He also spake to the people the night before their passage over the Jordan; and as the matter was important, it is very evident that he went himself from tribe to tribe to give the orders in question.

Sanctify yourselves— Though the sacred historian does not say in what this sanctification was to consist, there is scarcely room to doubt that it was in the same things as God had already required on similar occasions; Genesis 35:2.Exodus 19:10-11; Exodus 19:10-11.Numbers 9:18; Numbers 9:18. But to these purifications we are to add the purification of the mind and heart, of which the former were but symbols and assistants. The essential point was, to prepare themselves, by recollection and prayer, to behold the marvellous effects of the divine power with becoming respect, fear, gratitude, confidence, and devotion; without which, in vain had the Israelites washed their clothes, and shunned all kinds of corporeal impurities: so that there is no doubt that the purification of the soul was what Joshua principally required of them.

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Ver. 7. And the Lord said unto Joshua— It was not merely of himself, that Joshua gave to the priests the orders mentioned in the foregoing verse. Immediately on the priests' approaching the sanctuary, a voice issued from it, and spake to Joshua as in this and the subsequent verse. This day, viz. the

10th of the first month, called Nisan, was the day on which the law enjoined the paschal lamb to be set apart from the flock, to be offered four days after.

Will I begin, &c.— "This day, after having raised thee to the rank which Moses occupied, I proceed to signalize the first-fruits of thy ministry by prodigies, which shall convince all Israel that thou art the lawful interpreter of my commands, the respectable executor of my counsels; and that they are to place no less confidence in thee, than they did in Moses." It is remarkable, that from the time of Moses to that of Saul, God always signified to the people by some miracle the choice he had made of the person who was to govern them.

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Ver. 8. When ye are come to the brink, &c.— The Hebrew is, so soon as ye are come to the extremity of the water: by which we are certainly to understand the eastern limit of the river, whose waters were now out beyond the banks; just as if Joshua had said to the priests, "Without waiting till you are entered into the common bed of Jordan, as soon as your feet are wetted with its waters, stop, and there rest, till you see what the divine power will effect." Some able interpreters understand here, by the extremity of the water, the western bank of the river; supposing, that the priests had order to cross the river immediately, without stopping till they came to the other side of the land: while others conjecture, that the priests remained upon the eastern bank of the Jordan till all the people were gone over. We prefer, however, the opinion of those, who say, that the priests, having first wetted their feet in the waters of the Jordan, stopped there some time, till, one part of the waters having run off, they advanced into the middle of the channel, and did not go from thence till the whole people had passed over. This explanation seems to be the most simple, and the best adapted to the words of this verse, compared with those of ver. 15.

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Ver. 12. Now, therefore, take ye twelve men, &c.— Whenever the Scripture speaks of the twelve tribes, that of Levi is comprised in them, except in those places which respect the division of the territories of the land of Canaan; in which last case the tribe of Levi is excluded, but that of Joseph makes two, viz. Manasseh and Ephraim. This taking a man out of each tribe was to do what we shall observe afterwards, ch. Joshua 4:2, &c.

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