John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the Lord , etc.] Who were subject to Joshua, the chief governor of the nation, and general of the army, as well as the common people; and whose commands they were to obey, and especially when they appeared to be from the Lord: saying, when ye come to the brink of the water of Jordan ; not of the bank of it, but of the water, which had now overflowed its bank; that is, the brink or extremity of it, which was nearest to them, and to which they first came; though it is a notion of some Jewish commentators f41 , and which some Christian interpreters have given into, and both of considerable note, that this was the further extremity, or the brink on the other side of the river; but, according to this notion, they must pass the river to the other side before the waters were divided, which is not credible; and must return again into the midst of the river, which is not probable; and besides, it is expressly said, that as soon as their feet dipped in the brim, or extremity of the water, the waters parted, which must be the first brim or extremity they came at, ( Joshua 3:15); ye shall stand still in Jordan ; after the waters were parted; upon their coming to, and touching, the brink of them, they proceeded, and went into the middle of the river, where they were ordered to stop and stand still.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-13 - The waters of Jordan shall be cut off. This must be done in such a wa as never was done, but in the dividing of the Red sea. That miracle i here repeated; God has the same power to finish the salvation of his people, as to begin it; the WORD of the Lord was as truly with Joshu as with Moses. God's appearances for his people ought to encourag faith and hope. God's work is perfect, he will keep his people Jordan's flood cannot keep out Israel, Canaan's force cannot turn the out again.
Original Hebrew ואתה859 תצוה6680 את853 הכהנים3548 נשׂאי5375 ארון727 הברית1285 לאמר559 כבאכם935 עד5704 קצה7097 מי4325 הירדן3383 בירדן3383 תעמדו׃5975
