Joshua 3

In our study of Joshua chapter three, we will look at Israel's crossing of the Jordan River. Through Israel's journey, we can see how we, as Christians, can also walk in the power of the Lord.

Chapter Overview

Joshua chapter 3 moves Israel from preparation to action. The spies have returned, Rahab's household is marked for deliverance, and now the nation itself must step out in obedience. Before a single sword is drawn against Jericho, God performs a miracle at the Jordan River to confirm to Israel — and to Joshua as their leader — that He is with them just as He was with Moses.

The chapter centers on consecration, positioning, and faith in motion. The people are told to sanctify themselves, to follow the ark of the covenant at a distance, and to watch as ADONAI stops the flooded Jordan so that all Israel can cross on dry ground. It is a picture of what it means to walk in the power of God rather than in our own strength.

Historical Background

The crossing took place during harvest season, when melting snow from Mount Hermon and spring rains typically pushed the Jordan River well beyond its banks, making a natural crossing difficult if not impossible. This detail underscores that the event was not a matter of convenient timing but a genuine act of divine intervention.

The waters were said to have piled up "at Adam, the city next to Tzartan," a site generally associated with the region near modern Damiyeh, roughly twenty miles upstream from where Israel crossed opposite Jericho. Cutting off the flow that far upstream meant the riverbed near Jericho was dry long before the people themselves arrived at its edge.

This was also the second such crossing in Israel's memory. A generation earlier, their parents had watched God part the Red Sea under Moses. Now, a new generation — the children who had grown up in the wilderness — witnessed a similar wonder under Joshua, confirming that the same God who delivered their fathers was leading them still.

Joshua 3:1

Y'hoshua got up early in the morning, and they left Sheetim and came to the Yarden, he with all the people of Isra'el; they camped there before crossing.

In chapter 2, we saw how God had mentally prepared the way for His people and now we will see how He physically leads them. The journey begins with the step of getting into position and so they camped at the Jordan River. In order to be walking in power, we must be where God is working on our behalf. In Ephesians 2, Paul reminded us that God has prepared things for all of us to do. Like Israel, we need to get to the appointed place and wait on the Lord.

Joshua 3:2-4

After three days, the officials circulated through the camp and gave the people these orders: "When you see the ark for the covenant of ADONAI your God and the cohanim, who are L'vi'im, carrying it, you are to leave your position and follow it. But keep a distance between yourelves and it of about a thousand yards - don't come any closer, so that you will understand which way to go, because you haven't gone this way before."

We see that the leaders waited for three days and then informed the people of what they should do. We are reminded that the number three is associated with the earthly display of God's will and the leaders had waited for that to be revealed. Like Israel, once we are in the appointed position, God will show us His desire for our walk. The ark of the covenant was the most sacred of the tabernacle furnishings as it was a picture of the throne of our Lord. The ark was going to be carried by the appointed people ahead of the rest of the Israelites which is a reminder that the Lord goes before us in our walk. We also notice that only those that were appointed for the task were to be near the ark and this reminds us of the fact that the works that God has prepared for each of us is unique. Just as the rest of the Israelites were not to touch the ark, we cannot do the work that God has prepared for someone else. To walk in power, we must be walking in the proper direction and the only way to do so is to let Him lead the way.

Joshua 3:5

Y'hoshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, because tomorrow ADONAI is going to work wonders among you."

The people were in the proper position and now Y'hoshua urges them to make a decision. Consecration is a long word that simply means to dedicate something to a specific use or purpose. All of the things of God that were used in the tabernacle were set aside to where they were not used for anything else. The people were getting ready to enter the land that God was giving them and so Y'hoshua urged them to decide that they were going to follow Him and Him alone. They were entering a land with many false gods and they had to have their minds firmly fixed on the fact that He is the one true God and they are His people. The same decision is presented to us today. Our world is full of false gods and idolatry but we can make a decision to follow Yeshua Messiah. We must have faith in the fact that Yeshua is the Son of God and He has made the way for us to be reunited with our heavenly Father. We cannot be double minded as James spoke of and use Yeshua as a sort of backup plan in case all else fails.

Joshua 3:6

Then Y'hoshua said to the cohanim, "Take the ark for the covenant, and go on ahead of the people." They took the ark for the covenant and went ahead of the people.

Next, Y'hoshua had the priests carry the ark of the covenant and lead the way. We remember that the ark contained the promise and presence of God and was a picture of Yeshua Messiah. When we make the decision to follow Messiah, We stand on His promises and who we are IN HIM. He is faithful and will go before us and lead us into the plan that the Father has for each of us. There are modern day Nicolaitans who want to use this passage of scripture to prop up a religious system. This system of paid priests and church leadership places men and women between Christians and God. Yeshua said that He hated these practices ( see Revelation 2). The focus of this passage is the fact that God was leading His people into His blessing. He will do the same for us through the power of the Holy Spirit. If you are ready to make the decision (consecrate yourself) then we invite you to share that decision with us and the rest of the world.

Joshua 3:7

ADONAI said to Y'hoshua, "Starting today, I will make you great in full view of all Isra'el; so that they will know that just as I was with Moshe, so I will be with you.

Now, God tells Y'hoshua that He will lift him up in the eyes of the people and, as we would say, make a name for him. It seems kind of odd that God would do this but, as we see, the purpose is so that Israel will be strengthened. If you are a Christian, then, God has elevated you for a purpose! Our goal should be to find out why God is elevating us (our ministry) and to roll with it.

Joshua 3:8

Now you are to order the cohanim carrying the ark for the covenant as follows: 'When you come to the edge of the Yarden River, you are to stop in the Yarden itself.'"

As we see here, Y'hoshua is a messenger and is to deliver the instructions to the priests. This is a picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. The Holy Spirit will guide us in the ways of God and will encourage us along the way. That is a big part of why God elevates us as Christians. As Paul said, we are to build each other up in the faith. That is an easy way to tell the difference between self promotion and God's elevation of a believer. If the focus is not on building up the body of believers (church), then, it is self promotion and not God elevating someone.

Joshua 3:9-11

Y'hoshua said to the people of Isra'el, "Come here, and listen to the words of ADONAI your God." Then Y'hoshua said, "Here is how you will know that the living God is here with you and that, without fail, he will drive out from before you the Kena'ani, the Hitti, the Hivi, the P'rizi, the Girgashi, the Emori and the Y'vusi: the ark for the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going on ahead of you across the Yarden.

Next, Y'hoshua explains to the people what is going to happen and the fact that God is going ahead of them to provide the victory taking possession of the land. This reminds us that God does not want to have secrets that He keeps from us. He does not ask us to walk blindly but to walk with Him as He leads the way through the Holy Spirit.

Joshua 3:12 & 13

Now choose yourselves twelve men out of the tribes of Isra'el, one man for each tribe. As soon as the cohanim carrying the ark of ADONAI, the Lord of all the earth, put the soles of their feet in the water of the Yarden, the water of the Yarden will be cut off upstream and stand piled up like an embankment."

Although he does not explain why, Y'hoshua tells the people to choose one person from each tribe. He also goes on to explain that the Lord will make the way through the Jordan by stopping the river. Surely, these people would have heard the story of how God had done this same type of thing for their ancestors with Moses. They must have been excited to think that God was going to do something just as amazing with them. Are you excited at the expectation of God's signs and wonders displayed among you?

Hebraic Insight

In Hebrew thought, faith is never separated from obedience. The priests were not told the river would part and then asked to step in. They were told to step in, and the river parted only after "the soles of their feet" touched the water. The miracle followed the step of faith; it did not precede it. This pattern echoes what we already saw in Rahab's story — genuine faith is demonstrated by action, not merely by belief. Israel's generation had to walk toward the flood before they saw it stand still.

Joshua 3:14

So the people left their tents to cross the Yarden, with the cohanim carrying the ark for the covenant ahead of the people.

We see that the people decided to follow God's plan for them as they broke camp and followed after the ark of the covenant. We see that they did it the way God had said in that they did not run on ahead and try to cross the river. That is a good lesson for us, as Christians, because sometimes we tend to run off ahead of the Lord instead of taking each step as He directs.

Joshua 3:15 & 16

When those carrying the ark had come to the Yarden, and the cohanim carrying the ark had waded into the water (for throughout harvest season the Yarden overflows its banks), the water upstream stood piled up like an embankment for a great distance at Adam, the city next to Tzartan; so that the water flowing downstream toward the Sea of the 'Aravah, the Dead Sea, was completely cut off; and the people crossed over right by Yericho.

Because of Spring rains and the melting of the winter snow, the Jordan River was at flood levels. Although the exact location of the town of Adam is not known, it is interesting to note the name which means "man". The Jordan River flows from the Sea of Galilee (peace) to the Dead Sea which is known as such because of its abundance of salt which prohibits much life from living in it. This river symbolizes man's efforts to find a way to restore their relationship with God (peace). We see that only through God's intervention was the water backed up at Adam and it is a reminder that our only way of salvation ( the promised land) is through Yeshua Messiah. They crossed opposite of Jericho which was a major oasis in the surrounding desert.

Joshua 3:17

The cohanim carrying the ark for the covenant of ADONAI stood fast on dry ground in the middle of the Yarden, while all Isra'el crossed on dry ground, until the entire nation had finished crossing the Yarden.

The ark of the covenant, which was the presence of God, stopped in the middle of the river while all of the people passed by. It is interesting to note that prior to this they were not allowed close to the ark. But, after their step of faith into the river, they were able to pass by the ark.

Did You Know?

In 1927, a strong earthquake along the Jordan Rift triggered a landslide near Damiyeh — the region long identified with the biblical town of Adam — that collapsed the riverbank and blocked the Jordan's flow for roughly twenty-one hours. It's a striking natural echo of the very spot Scripture names as the place where the waters "stood piled up like an embankment" for Israel to cross.

🎓 Continue Your Hebraic Journey

Joshua chapter 3 is one lesson in the Walk with Yeshua Joshua course. Continue your study by watching the companion teaching that explores the Hebrew language, covenant themes, and Messianic connections found in Israel's crossing of the Jordan.

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Messianic Themes

• The ark leads the way. Just as the ark of the covenant went ahead of Israel into the Jordan, Yeshua goes before His people, making a way where none existed.
• Consecration before the miracle. Israel was called to sanctify themselves before ADONAI worked wonders among them, a picture of the sanctified life believers are called to walk in Messiah.
• Crossing as new birth. Passing through the Jordan on dry ground pictures the believer's passage from the old life to the new — echoed later in Yeshua's own baptism at this same river and in the New Testament imagery of baptism into His death and resurrection.
• Twelve men chosen. One representative from each tribe was set apart for a specific task, foreshadowing the twelve foundational witnesses of the New Covenant.
• Standing firm for others. The priests stood fast in the middle of the riverbed until the whole nation had crossed safely — a picture of Messiah bearing the weight so that His people can pass through untouched.

Related Scriptures

• Exodus 14 — The parting of the Red Sea under Moses, the crossing this generation's parents remembered.
• Psalm 114 — A poetic celebration of the Jordan "turning back" before ADONAI.
• Matthew 3 — Yeshua's own baptism takes place in the Jordan River.
• Romans 6 — Baptism pictured as dying and rising with Messiah, echoing Israel's passage from the old side of the Jordan to the new.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the people have to keep a distance from the ark?

The distance emphasized the ark's holiness and God's leadership. It reminded Israel that they were following ADONAI, not merely a religious object, and that reverence — not familiarity — should mark their approach to His presence.

Why does it matter that the Jordan was at flood stage?

Crossing a river at its highest, most dangerous point ruled out any natural explanation. The timing made clear that only God's direct intervention could account for what Israel experienced.

Why were twelve men chosen before the crossing?

Joshua does not explain the reason at this point in the narrative, but it sets up the memorial recorded in the next chapter, where these representatives carry stones from the dry riverbed to mark the crossing for future generations.

Reflection Questions

1. What does it mean, practically, to "consecrate yourself" before you expect God to work?
2. The priests stepped into the water before it stopped. Where is God asking you to step out before you see the outcome?
3. How does the ark going ahead of the people picture the way Yeshua leads believers today?
4. What connections do you see between Israel's crossing of the Jordan and the New Testament picture of baptism?
5. Which Hebrew concept from this chapter most deepened your understanding of the text?