Then, on the very next day, they moved across. Hence, the crossing fell on day four.ĭay three, the last day before the actual crossing, was devoted to final preparations: first, to arranging the vast multitude into a column that could file across the river in an orderly fashion second, to the rites of sanctification. Probably the announcement was circulated on day three. "After three days," which means "at the end of three days," his commanders announced to everyone that the day of the crossing would be tomorrow. We can reckon that this happened on the morning of day two. Then came the morning when he arose early and led the people from Shittim to the very edge of the river. We can count the day of this pronouncement as day one. According to chapter one, when Joshua ordered his commanders to prepare food so that the nation would be ready to cross the Jordan, he said that the crossing would occur within three days. The exact chronology of the first three chapters is uncertain, but it appears that the three days in Joshua 1:11 is the same as the three days in Joshua 3:2.
But some had perfect peace because they trusted in God. If the nation was typical of people everywhere, some doubted that it could be done. The problem of crossing the river must have started much talk and speculation. And accidents might happen that would cost lives. How could Joshua transport well over a million men, women, and children to the other side? Even if they could quickly build a few large boats, moving all those people with their flocks and herds would take a long time. In the center of the river, the water was swift and deep. It was the season of the year when the Jordan River overflows its banks. Two spies sent to Jericho had just brought back the encouraging news that all of Canaan was terrified of Israel, for they had heard of Israel’s great victories with God’s help.īut before Israel could set foot in Canaan, they had to overcome a great obstacle. The first enemy stronghold on the west side of the river was the city of Jericho. As soon as they crossed over, they would begin attacking the Canaanites and removing them from the land. The nation of Israel was now poised on the east side of Jordan.