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Joshua Chapter
Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 3
Joshua
removed from Shittim to Jordan
where he stayed three days
Joshua 3:1; the
people are directed to move when they saw the ark bore by the priests
and what
distance they should keep from it
Joshua 3:3; are bid
to sanctify themselves against the morrow
when wonders would be wrought
Joshua 3:5; and the
priests are ordered to take up the ark
Joshua 3:6; Joshua
is encouraged by the Lord
and instructed to command the priests when they come
to Jordan to stand still in it
Joshua 3:7; and he
declares to all the people
as a token that God would drive the Canaanites from
before them
that as soon as the feet of the priests bearing the ark should
rest in the waters of Jordan
they should be parted
and make way for them to
pass through
Joshua 3:9; which
accordingly came to pass
so that all the Israelites passed over on dry ground
Joshua 3:14.
Joshua 3:1 Then
Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove[a] and came
to the Jordan
he and all the children of Israel
and lodged there before they
crossed over.
YLT
1And Joshua riseth early in
the morning
and they journey from Shittim
and come in unto the Jordan
he and
all the sons of Israel
and they lodge there before they pass over.
And Joshua rose early in the morning
.... The
morning after the spies had returned and made their report; which
as Kimchi
rightly observes
was the ninth of Nisan; for on the morrow
which was the
tenth
the people passed over Jordan
see Joshua 3:5. Moses
according to the Jewish writers
died on the seventh of Adar or February; the
thirty days of his mourning ended the seventh of Nisan or March; two days
before they were ended the spies were sent
who returned on the eighth day of
the month; and the morning following Joshua rose early
which shows his
readiness and alacrity to proceed in the expedition he was directed and
encouraged to:
and they removed from Shittim
and came to Jordan; from Shittim
in the plains of Moab
to the river Jordan:
he and all the children of Israel; he as their general
and
they an army of six hundred thousand fighting men under him
besides women and
children
and others that came along with them:
and lodged there before they passed over; lay there
encamped a night before they passed over the river Jordan.
Joshua 3:2 2 So it was
after three
days
that the officers went through the camp;
YLT
2And it cometh to pass
at
the end of three days
that the authorities pass over into the midst of the
camp
And it came to pass after three days
.... At the
end of the three days they were bid to prepare food for their expedition
and
to go over Jordan
Joshua 1:11
that the officers went through the host; the camp of
Israel; very probably the same as in Joshua 1:10; this
was
no doubt
by the order of Joshua
and who was directed to it by the Lord.
Joshua 3:3 3 and they commanded the
people
saying
“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God
and
the priests
the Levites
bearing it
then you shall set out from your place
and go after it.
YLT
3and command the people
saying
`When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God
and the
priests
the Levites
bearing it
then ye journey from your place
and have
gone after it;
And they commanded the people
.... In the name of
Joshua
by whom they were sent:
saying
when ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God
and the priests the Levites bearing it: the Targum reads
the
priests and Levites; so the Septuagint: it was the business of the Levites
particularly
the Kohathites
to bear the ark in journeying
but here the priests
who also
were Levites
were to carry it: it is remarked in the TalmudF16T.
Bab. Sotah
fol. 33. 2.
that there are three places in which the priests are
said to bear the ark; here
and when they surrounded Jericho
Joshua 6:6; and
when it was returned to its place in the times of David
2 Samuel 15:29; and
Kimchi and Abarbinel observe a fourth
when it was brought into Solomon's
temple
1 Kings 8:6
then ye shall remove from your place
and go after it; their usual
signal for marching was the cloud
when that was taken up
Numbers 9:17
&c. but now the ark
the clouds of glory having removed at the death of
Moses
and were seen no more
as Abarbinel and other Jewish writers observe;
and therefore it was proper the Israelites should be made acquainted with this
signal; for
as Jarchi says
this journey was different from all the journeys
(though that of the three days journey from Sinai must be excepted
Numbers 10:33)
for
all the time Moses was in being
the pillar of cloud marched first and showed
them the way
and the ark moved after two of the standards (Judah and Reuben)
and now the ark went first: the cloud was a figure of the dark and cloudy
dispensation of the law
particularly the ceremonial law
the shadow of good
things to come
and which continued only during the former state
and
discontinued to be of any use when the Mosaic dispensation ceased
and when
Joshua or Jesus was come: the ark was a type of Christ
the forerunner for us
entered
and whom we are to follow whithersoever he goes or directs to
in the
exercise of grace and performance of duty; and the ark being carried now by
different persons
may denote that Christ was held forth in a weaker manner
under the legal dispensation
and by his apostles and ministers under the
Gospel dispensation in a clearer and stronger manner
and who are to be
followed no further or longer than as they bear the ark or direct to Christ.
Joshua 3:4 4 Yet there shall be a space
between you and it
about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it
that you may know the way by which you must go
for you have not passed this
way before.”
YLT
4only
a distance is between
you and it
about two thousand cubits by measure; ye do not come near unto it
so that ye know the way in which ye go
for ye have not passed over in the way
heretofore.'
Yet there shall be a space between you and it
.... The ark;
the Keri or marginal reading is
"between you and them"; the priests
that bear it: hence sprung a fiction among the Jews
that there were two arks
the ark of the Shechinah or divine Majesty
and the ark of Joseph
in which his
bones were put
which went togetherF17T. Bab. Sotah
fol. 13. 1. ;
which Jarchi
Kimchi
and Abarbinel take notice of
but has no foundation in
the text:
about two thousand cubits by measure; by a certain
well known measure
that of a common cubit; for the "caph" we render
"about" is a note of truth
reality
and certainty
and designs the
exact precise measure here given: this difference was to be observed
partly in
reverence to the ark
the symbol of the divine Presence; Christ is to be
reverenced by his people
and so his word and ordinances; and there is a
reverence and respect due to his ministers and priests that bear the ark; as also
that they might the better see the ark and go after it
as Ben Gersom; or the
way in which they should go
as is suggested in the following clause; and
likewise have the better view of the greatness of the miracle
as Abarbinel;
the dividing of the waters of Jordan as soon as the ark came to it
and while
it was in it: the Jews conclude from hence that this was the measure of ground
they may go on a sabbath day
and no further
called a sabbath day's journey
Acts 1:12
come not near unto it
that ye may know the way by which ye must
go; over Jordan into Canaan's land; for being at some distance from
them they could better discern that and the way he directed them to walk in:
Christ the antitype of the ark is the way to the heavenly Canaan
and his
ministers point out the right way of salvation by him
in the ministration of
the word
by attending to which the way is seen and known in which men must go:
for ye have not passed this way heretofore; a path indeed
untrodden by any; neither they nor any other ever went into Canaan the way they
were now going
through the river Jordan as on dry land: the way to heaven by
Christ is only revealed in the Gospel
and only trodden by believers in him
and especially the way to glory through Jordan's river; or death is an
untrodden path
which
though the way of all flesh
is a trackless path
and
gone through
but once
and those who pass it have never before gone that way.
Joshua 3:5 5 And Joshua said to the
people
“Sanctify yourselves
for tomorrow the Lord will do
wonders among you.”
YLT
5And Joshua saith unto the
people
`Sanctify yourselves
for to-morrow doth Jehovah do in your midst
wonders.'
And Joshua said unto the people
.... On the third day;
and the thirtieth day of the mourning for Moses
Jarchi says
was the first of
the three days
and that being the seventh day of the month
this must be the
ninth
as it is most clear the morrow was the tenth:
sanctify yourselves; in a ceremonial sense
by washing their bodies and their clothes
and abstaining from their wives; and
in a moral sense
by acts of religion and devotion
by prayer and meditation
and the exercise of repentance and
good works: it may denote that
sanctification is necessary to our passage over Jordan
or through death to the
heavenly Canaan
for without holiness no man shall see the Lord:
for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you: in their
sight and presence
and for them
by dividing the waters of Jordan
that they
might pass through it as on dry land; this
as Kimchi says
was the tenth of
Nisan
as is plain from Joshua 4:19.
Joshua 3:6 6 Then Joshua spoke to the
priests
saying
“Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the
people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
YLT
6And Joshua speaketh unto
the priests
saying
`Take up the ark of the covenant
and pass over before the
people;' and they take up the ark of the covenant
and go before the people.
And Joshua spoke unto the priests
.... On the morrow
that
is
on the tenth day of the month
the day on which they went over Jordan:
saying
take up the ark of the covenant; in which the
law was put
which was the covenant between God and the people
from whence the
ark had this name; and in which it was typical of Christ
in whom both the law
the covenant of works
was fulfilled
and with whom the covenant of grace was
made; who is the Mediator; surety
and messenger of it
and in whom all the
blessings and promises of it are
and with whom it is
and will be kept for
evermore: the ark
the priests were ordered to take up and bear on their
shoulders; for no other way might they carry it; these typified the ministers
of Christ who bear his name
his Gospel in the world
see Acts 9:15
and pass over before the people; over the river Jordan
to direct them in the way through it
and encourage them to follow them:
and they took up the ark of the covenant
and went before the
people; from the place where they had lodged the night before to the
brink of the river.
Joshua 3:7 7 And the Lord said to
Joshua
“This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel
that
they may know that
as I was with Moses
so I will be with you.
YLT
7And Jehovah saith unto
Joshua
`This day I begin to make thee great in the eyes of all Israel
so that
they know that as I was with Moses I am with thee;
And the Lord said unto Joshua
.... Out of the
tabernacle:
this day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel; by working
the miracle afterwards related; dividing the waters
which was done on this
day
and was but the beginning of wonders; for other great and marvellous
things were done for him and by him
by which it appeared he was high in the
favour of God
greatly esteemed and honoured by him
and so would be great and
honourable in the account of the people:
that they may know that as I was with Moses
so I will be
with thee; by dividing the waters of Jordan for him
as he had divided the
waters of the Red sea for Moses; which
as it was a token of his powerful
presence with him
this would be a like token of it with Joshua. The Targum
is
"as my Word was for the help of Moses
so shall my Word be for thy
help.'
Joshua 3:8 8 You shall command the
priests who bear the ark of the covenant
saying
‘When you have come to the
edge of the water of the Jordan
you shall stand in the Jordan.’”
YLT
8and thou
thou dost command
the priests bearing the ark of the covenant
saying
When ye come unto the
extremity of the waters of the Jordan -- in the Jordan ye stand.'
And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the Lord
.... Who were
subject to Joshua
the chief governor of the nation
and general of the army
as well as the common people; and whose commands they were to obey
and
especially when they appeared to be from the Lord:
saying
when ye come to the brink of the water of Jordan; not of the
bank of it
but of the water
which had now overflowed its bank; that is
the
brink or extremity of it
which was nearest to them
and to which they first
came; though it is a notion of some Jewish commentatorsF20Kimchi
Abarbinel.
and which some Christian interpretersF21Masius
Drusius. have given into
and both of considerable note
that this was the
further extremity
or the brink on the other side of the river; but
according
to this notion
they must pass the river to the other side before the waters
were divided
which is not credible; and must return again into the midst of
the river
which is not probable; and besides
it is expressly said
that as soon
as their feet dipped in the brim
or extremity of the water
the waters parted
which must be the first brim or extremity they came at
Joshua 3:15
ye shall stand still in Jordan; after the waters were
parted; upon their coming to
and touching
the brink of them
they proceeded
and went into the middle of the river
where they were ordered to stop and
stand still.
Joshua 3:9 9 So Joshua said to the
children of Israel
“Come here
and hear the words of the Lord your God.”
YLT
9And Joshua saith unto the
sons of Israel
`Come nigh hither
and hear the words of Jehovah your God;
And Joshua said unto the children of Israel
come hither
.... Very
probably to the door of the tabernacle:
and hear the words of the Lord your God; which he was
about to deliver to them as from him
and in his name.
Joshua 3:10 10 And Joshua said
“By this
you 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:
YLT
10and Joshua saith
`By this
ye know that the living God [is] in your midst
and He doth certainly
dispossess from before you the Canaanite
and the Hittite
and the Hivite
and
the Perizzite
and the Girgashite
and the Amorite
and the Jebusite:
And Joshua said
.... To the people as follows:
hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you; who has life
in and of himself
and is the author of life to all his creatures; and is so
called in opposition to the lifeless idols of the Gentiles: and it may be
as
Abarbinel observes
to suggest to them
that though Moses was dead
the Lord
lived
and lives for evermore; and by the following miracle of dividing the
waters of Jordan
it would be a plain case that the Lord was yet among them
to
protect and defend them
deliver and save them:
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; all the seven nations
are mentioned
even the Girgashites
who are sometimes omitted
to assure them
of the expulsion of them all
to make way for their entire possession of the
land of Canaan
as had been promised them.
Joshua 3:11 11 Behold
the ark of the
covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the
Jordan.
YLT
11lo
the ark of the covenant
of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into Jordan;
Behold
the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth
.... Some both
Jewish and Christian interpreters
because there is a distinguishing accent on
the word "covenant"
read the words "the ark of the covenant
even the Lord of all the earth"; so in some copies of our English Bible
as if the ark was called the Lord of all the earth
because of his presence and
dwelling there; but
as Kimchi observes
either the word "ark" is
wanting
or the word "covenant"
and may be supplied either
thus
"the ark of the covenant
the ark (I say) of the Lord of all the
earth;'or thus
"the ark of the covenant
which is the covenant of the Lord
of all the earth:'the true meaning is what Abarbinel gives
"the ark of the
covenant of the Lord
who is the Lord of the whole earth;'the Maker and
possessor of the whole earth
the whole terraqueous globe; and can do what he
pleases in the earth
or in the water; and can control the powers of nature
and do what is beyond them
things miraculous and astonishing:
passeth before you into Jordan; not only unto it
but
into it
into the river itself; and
by the power of him whose presence was
with it
the waters of Jordan were to be divided
to give them a passage
through it as on dry land
and so it came to pass.
Joshua 3:12 12 Now therefore
take for
yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel
one man from every tribe.
YLT
12and now
take for you
twelve men out of the tribes of Israel
one man -- one man for a tribe;
Now therefore take ye twelve men
.... For what end and
purpose is not mentioned. Abarbinel is of opinion
that they were chosen and
appointed
that every man might pitch upon and take a place for his tribe to
encamp in
when they came on the other side Jordan: whether this was Joshua's
view or no is not certain; however
the use he made of these
thus provided by
divine direction
is related Joshua 4:2
and these were to be taken out of the tribes of Israel
out of
every tribe a man; Levi not reckoned
having no part in the land; and so we find
that tribe left out in other accounts
when there was a choice of twelve men
out of each of the tribes
Numbers 13:4.
Joshua 3:13 13 And it shall come to pass
as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord
the Lord of
all the earth
shall rest in the waters of the Jordan
that the waters
of the Jordan shall be cut off
the waters that come down from upstream
and
they shall stand as a heap.”
YLT
13and it hath been
at the
resting of the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of Jehovah
Lord of all the earth
in the waters of the Jordan
the waters of the Jordan
are cut off -- the waters which are coming down from above -- and they stand --
one heap.'
And it shall come to pass
as soon as the soles of the feet of the
priests that bear the ark of the Lord
.... Which they were bid
to take up and carry
Joshua 3:6
the Lord of all the earth; this shows that not the
ark
but the Lord
is called "the Lord of all the earth"; see Gill on
Joshua 3:11
shall rest in the waters of Jordan; the meaning is
as soon
as their feet should touch them
or they should set their feet in them
when
they came to the brink of them:
that the waters of
Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; from above
the place where the priests came
and the children of Israel after passed over:
and they shall stand upon an heap; or one heap; stop and
rise up high
as if piled up one upon another
and stand unmoved. This had been
made known to Joshua by divine revelation
and is what he hints at
Joshua 3:5; and now
plainly speaks out
and foretells before it came to pass; and which must serve
to magnify Joshua
as in Joshua 3:7; and
give him great credit and honour among the people.
Joshua 3:14 14 So it was
when the people
set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan
with the priests bearing the
ark of the covenant before the people
YLT
14And it cometh to pass
in
the journeying of the people from their tents to pass over the Jordan
and of
the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people
And it came to pass
when the people removed from their tents to
pass over Jordan
.... Which they had pitched very near it
upon their removal from
Shittim
and in which they had lodged the night past:
and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; at the
distance of two thousand cubits.
Joshua 3:15 15 and as those who bore the
ark came to the Jordan
and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in
the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole
time of harvest)
YLT
15and at those bearing the
ark coming in unto the Jordan
and the feet of the priests bearing the ark have
been dipped in the extremity of the waters (and the Jordan is full over all its
banks all the days of harvest) –
And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan
.... Not to
the bank
which was overflowed
but to the extremity of the water overflowing:
and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the
brim of the water; which was doubtless the first they came to
and not the brim or
extremity of it on the other side:
for Jordan overfloweth all its banks all the time of harvest; that is
of
barley harvest
as appears from the time of year; for it was in the first
month
the month Nisan
or Abib
which answers to part of March
and April
it
used to overflow
1 Chronicles 12:15;
and it was now the tenth day of that month
Joshua 4:19; on the
sixteenth of which
at the time of the passover
the sheaf of the firstfruits
of barley harvest was offered up
Leviticus 23:10;
the inundation continued all the time of harvest; and so AristeasF23Hist.
de 72. Interpret. p. 41. testifies
that"the river being filled
it
overflows as the Nile in the time of harvest
and waters much of the
country:'it overflows its banks both on the one side and on the other
the
eastern and western shores. This overflow is supposed to be occasioned either
by the latter rains
which fell about this time; or rather by the snow on Mount
Lebanon melting at this time of the year
when the sun has great strength in
those parts
and which poured down in great quantities into this river
that
took its rise from thence. JosephusF24Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 22.
speaks of Mount Lebanon and of the fountains of Jordan together; and says they
have their rise from the mountain; and of the snow of Lebanon see Jeremiah 18:14.
This river continued to overflow at this season in the times of David
1 Chronicles 12:15;
and in the times of Aristeas
who lived in the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus
king of Egypt
as before observed; and some late travellersF25Egmont
and Heyman's Travels
vol. 1. p. 335
336. observe
"it generally happens
in the month Nisan; that is
from the middle of March to the middle of April
the time of the first harvest;'but Mr. MaundrellF26Journey from
Aleppo to Jerusalem
p. 81
82.
who was upon the spot in 1697
and at the
proper time of its overflowing
perceived nothing of it. He says
"there is
a small descent
which you may fitly call the
first and outermost bank of
Jordan
as far as which it may be supposed the river does
or at least did
anciently
overflow; but at present (whether it was because the river has by its
rapidity of current worn its channel deeper than it was formerly
or whether
because its waters are diverted some other way) it seems to have forgot its
ancient greatness; for we could discern no sign or probability of such
overflowings when we were there
which was the thirtieth of March
being the
proper time for these inundations; nay
so far was the river from overflowing
that it ran at least two yards below the brink of the channel.'However
at this
time of the passage of the children of Israel through it
it was overflowing;
which made the miracle the greater.
Joshua 3:16 16 that the waters which came
down from upstream stood still
and rose in a heap very far away at
Adam
the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into
the Sea of the Arabah
the Salt Sea
failed
and were cut off; and the
people crossed over opposite Jericho.
YLT
16that the waters stand;
those coming down from above have risen -- one heap
very far above Adam the
city
which [is] at the side of Zaretan; and those going down by the sea of the
plain
the Salt Sea
have been completely cut off; and the people have passed
through over-against Jericho;
That the waters which came down from above
.... Above
where the priests' feet rested
and which came down from Mount Lebanon
and the
fountains of Jordan northward:
stood and rose up upon an heap; they stopped
their current
and as the water came down they rose up on high
and made one
vast heap of waters:
very far from the city of Adam
that is
beside Zaretan; the Cetib
or
textual reading
is
"in Adam the city"; we follow the marginal
reading
"from Adam": both readings
as is usually
if not always the
case
are to be received; and the meaning is
that this heap of waters
though
the river was at a considerable distance from Adam; yet through the overflow of
it
it reached to
and was "in Adam": this city was in Perea
on the
other side Jordan
that side on which the Israelites were before their passage;
and Zaretan
which is supposed to be the same with Zartanah
and Zarthan
1 Kings 4:12
was
on this side
in the tribe of Manasseh; and the sense is
not that Adam was on
the side of Zaretan
or near it
for it was on the other side of the river; and
according to the TalmudistsF1T. Hieros. Sotah
fol. 21. 4. was
twelve miles from it; but the construction is with the word "heap"
"which heap was on the side of Zaretan"; it was there where
the waters were heaped up; it seems as if they reached on the one side to Adam
and on the other side to Zaretan:
and those that came down towards the sea of the plain
even
the salt sea
failed
and were cut off; those waters
which were
below where the priests' feet rested
ran down into the lake Asphaltites
where
Sodom and Gomorrah formerly stood
the sea of the plain
or vale of Siddim
Genesis 14:3;
sometimes called the dead sea
and here the salt sea
its water being exceeding
salt; so
Mr. Maundrell
the above mentioned travellerF2Maundrell
ut supra
(Journel from Aleppo to Jerusalem) p. 84. Ed. 7. testifies on his own
knowledge;"the water of the lake (the lake Asphaltites
or dead sea
says
he) was very limpid
and salt to the highest degree; and not only salt
but
also extreme bitter and nauseous;'
so
that these waters running down thither
and those above stopped
made a dry
channel for sixteen or eighteen miles: and the people passed over right against
Jericho; which was the city Joshua had in view to attack first
and had sent
spies thither to get intelligence of it
and the disposition of the people in
it: See Gill on Joshua 2:1.
Joshua 3:17 17 Then the priests who bore
the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground
in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground
until
all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.
YLT
17and the priests bearing the
ark of the covenant of Jehovah stand on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan
-- established
and all Israel are passing over on dry ground till that all the
nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan.
And the priests that bare the ark of the Lord stood firm on dry
ground in the midst of Jordan
.... Which for its breadth Mr. Maundrell
the above mentioned traveller
saysF3Maundrell
Journey from Aleppo
to Jerusalem
p. 83. might be about twenty yards over
and its depth exceeded
his height; but Dr. ShawF4Travels
p. 346.
a later traveller
still
says
"the river Jordan is by far the most considerable river
excepting the Nile
either of the coast of Syria
or of Barbary. I computed it
to be about thirty yards broad
but the depth I could not measure
except at
the brink
where I found it to be three yards.'Now in the midst of this river
the priests bearing the ark stood firm on dry ground
the waters above being
stopped and those below cut off. This perhaps might give rise to the fables
among the Heathens of the river Scamander being swelled for the destruction of
Achilles
and dried up by Vulcan
of which HomerF5Iliad. 21. makes
mention; and of the river Inachus
dried up by Neptune
as the Grecians fable;
however
if Heathens can credit these accounts
surely we Christians ought to
believe this
attested by divine revelation. And this may denote the presence
of Christ with his people in afflictions
who will not suffer those waters to
overflow them
and in death itself
when the swellings of Jordan shall not come
near them to distress them; and when the covenant of grace will appear firm and
sure
and be their great support; and when also the feet of the ministers of
Christ stand firm
and their faith fails not; which is of great use
and very
encouraging to the spiritual Israel of God:
and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground; the waters
being divided to a space large enough for such a body of people to pass over
and which continued
until all the people were clean passed over Jordan; perfectly and
completely
not one being left behind
or lost in the passage through it; in
the midst of which the priests stood until all were passed over. So the
spiritual Israel of God must all go over Jordan's river
or must all go through
the valley of the shadow of death; and they will all go over safe to Canaan's
land
to the heavenly glory; their souls go immediately to heaven at death
and
their bodies will be raised at the last day
and be reunited to them
and
partake of happiness with them; nor will anyone of them be lost; they all clean
pass over
and arrive safe; for they are the chosen of God
the care and charge
of Christ
the purchase of his blood
partake of his grace
and have the
earnest of his Spirit.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)