Joshua 3:1-6 – Awareness of the LORD’s Work

Chapters 3 and 4 describe Israel’s preparations for crossing the Jordan (which lay between them and the Promised Land) and the completion of the task. The chapters describe the words and events that accompanied the crossing as well as how the memory of the crossing was to be preserved.

Here in v1-6 the writer emphasises awareness of the LORD’s work. First we notice the central role of the ark of the covenant in this whole episode. “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it” (v3). The ark is mentioned seventeen times in these two chapters! The writer refuses to allow us to lose sight of it. Thus the ark – the sign of the presence of the LORD among His people – meets us at every turn, reminding us that it is the LORD Himself who leads His people into Canaan. He is the One who cuts off flooding waters and holds them back as it were with His hand. The whole event is the LORD’s achievement and the Israelites, even though they are active in a sense, are still spectators first and foremost.

How was Israel to spectate the LORD’s work? From a distance, v4 seems to say: “Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before”. The order of the text most naturally suggests that the reason for the distance from the ark is so that the people can tell where to go and can witness the cutting off of the Jordan – something they could not do if everyone was closely following the priests and the ark. But this way all could see the LORD’s great deed and all could know the path to take.