Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
(vid., Ewald , §266, a. ). This command referred simply to the march from the last
resting-place by the Jordan into the river itself, and not to the passage through the
river, during which the priests remained standing with the ark in the bed of the river
until the people had all passed through (vv. 8 and 17).
(Note: Knobel maintains that this statement, according to which the Israelites were more than 2000 cubits
from the place of crossing, is not in harmony with v. 1, where they are said to have been by the Jordan
already; but he can only show this supposed discrepancy in the text by so pressing the expression, they
"came to Jordan," as to make it mean that the whole nation was encamped so close to the edge of the
river, that at the very first step the people took their feet would touch the water.)
The people were to keep about 2000 cubits away from the ark. This was not done,
however, to prevent their going wrong in the unknown way, and so missing the ford,
for that was impossible under the circumstances; but the ark was carried in front of
the people, not so much to show the road as to make a road by dividing the waters of
the Jordan, and the people were to keep at a distance from it, that they might not lose
sight of the ark, but keep their eyes fixed upon it, and know the road by looking at the
ark of the covenant by which the road had been made, i.e., might know and observe
how the Lord, through the medium of the ark, was leading them to Canaan by a way
which they had never traversed before, i.e., by a miraculous way.
Verse 5-6. Joshua then issued instructions ( a ) to the people to sanctify themselves,
because on the morrow the Lord would do wonders among them; and ( b ) to the
priests, to carry the ark of the covenant in front of the people. The issuing of these
commands with the prediction of the miracle presupposes that the Lord had already
made
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