JosuéChapitre 3

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Joshua rose early in the morning, and they set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, he and all the Israelites. There they camped before crossing over.

At the end of three days the officers went through the camp

and gave the people this command: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, carried by the Levitical priests, break camp and follow it.

But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and it; do not come near it. This way you will know the road to take, since you have never traveled it before."

Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you."

Then Joshua said to the priests, "Lift the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people." So they lifted the ark of the covenant and went on before them.

The LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.

Command the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, stand still in the Jordan.'"

Then Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God."

And Joshua said, "By this you will know that the living God is among you and that he will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.

Look, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to cross the Jordan ahead of you.

Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.

And when the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, come to rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off—the waters flowing down from upstream—and they will stand in a single heap.

So the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them.

Now the Jordan was overflowing all its banks, as it does all through the harvest season. But as soon as those carrying the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying it touched the water's edge,

the water flowing down from upstream stopped and stood in a single heap a great distance away, at Adam, the town near Zarethan, while the water flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan.

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Résumé2

Chapitre 3

Main Theme: Israel crosses the Jordan River miraculously under Joshua's leadership, with the ark of the covenant at the forefront.

Content: Joshua leads the people from Shittim to the Jordan, where they wait for three days. The people are instructed to consecrate themselves and follow the ark of the covenant at a distance of 2,000 cubits. God promises to exalt Joshua in the eyes of the people, just as He was with Moses. When the priests carrying the ark step into the overflowing Jordan, the waters stop and stand up like a heap, allowing the entire nation to cross on dry ground toward Jericho.

Key Words/Images:

Ark of the Covenant (aron habberit): God's visible presence going before the people and opening the way into the promised land.
Lord of all the earth (adon kol-ha'arets): A title used for the God of the ark, demonstrating His universal sovereignty over all nations and lands.
Consecration: The people must cleanse themselves before God performs miraculous acts among them.
The waters that stop: A creation miracle showing God's authority over nature, recalling the crossing of the Red Sea.
Dry ground (charavah): Symbolizing God's salvation and a safe path through impossible obstacles.

Contexte historique

Historical and Cultural Context for Joshua 3

Places

Shittim (השטים) was the Israelites' last encampment east of the Jordan, located in the plains of Moab. The name means "the acacia trees" and refers to the characteristic vegetation of the area. This place was also associated with Israel's sin involving Moabite women (Numbers 25), and departing from there marked a new beginning. The distance from Shittim to the Jordan River was approximately 8–10 kilometers.

The Jordan River (הירדן) was in flood at this time, "overflowing all its banks throughout the harvest season" (v. 15). Harvest took place in spring (April–May), when snowmelt from Mount Hermon caused the river to swell significantly. Normally, the Jordan is 27–30 meters wide and 1–3 meters deep, but during the flood it became considerably wider and much more difficult to cross.

Adam (אדם), the city mentioned in verse 16, is identified with Tell ed-Damiyeh, about 25 kilometers north of the crossing point. Zarethan (צרתן) was located nearby. Interestingly, earthquakes in 1267 CE and 1927 CE are documented to have caused landslides precisely at this location, temporarily stopping the flow of the Jordan River.

Events and Customs

Consecration (התקדשו) before a divine encounter was an established practice in Israel. This involved ritual cleansing, washing clothes, and sexual abstinence (cf. Exodus 19:10–15 before the revelation at Sinai). The purpose was to prepare the people to be in God's presence when He performed miracles.

The position of the ark of the covenant ahead of the people, at a distance of 2,000 cubits (about 890 meters), served several functions: it showed the way through unfamiliar terrain, demonstrated that God Himself was leading the people, and the distance highlighted the holiness of the ark. During the wilderness journey, the ark had also gone before the people (Numbers 10:33); here at the Jordan crossing, this aspect is especially emphasized.

Key Terms

"Lord of all the earth" (אדון כל הארץ) is an unusual title linked to the ark of the covenant that appears twice in this chapter (vv. 11, 13). The expression underscores the universal sovereignty of Israel's God – He is not merely a local deity but ruler over everything, including the land and people of Canaan. This was a direct challenge to Canaanite religion.

The seven nations (v. 10) – Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites – represented a standard list symbolizing the complete population of the land. The number seven signified completeness in Hebrew thought.

Chapter-Specific Findings

Geological studies at Adam/Tell ed-Damiyeh have confirmed that the area is prone to landslides from the high riverbanks along the Jordan. In addition to the historically documented cases in 1267 and 1927, there are geological traces of similar events in earlier times. Although this does not "prove" the biblical account, it shows that a natural mechanism exists exactly at the place mentioned in the text.

Personnages3

Joshua3 Jacob1 Moses1

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Mots-clés6

Joshua — The main character in the book of Joshua and leader of the people of Israel after Moses' death. He leads the Israelites into the promised land.
The Ark — The holy chest containing the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments, also known as the Ark of the Covenant. It symbolizes God's presence among the people of Israel.
Jordan — The river that the Israelites must cross to enter the promised land. Miraculously, the waters stop flowing when the priests carry the ark into the river.
Priests — The spiritual leaders of Israel who perform religious ceremonies and rituals. In Joshua 3, they play a central role in carrying the ark across the Jordan River.
The Promised Land — The area that God promised to give to the people of Israel, which Joshua and the Israelites conquer after crossing the Jordan River.
Miracle — A supernatural event that cannot be explained by natural laws. In Joshua 3, a miracle occurs when the Jordan River stops flowing so that the Israelites can cross it.