Joshua 3:1 kjv

And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

Joshua 3:1 nkjv

Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.

Joshua 3:1 niv

Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.

Joshua 3:1 esv

Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

Joshua 3:1 nlt

Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.

Joshua 3 verses

Joshua 3 1 Meaning

Joshua chapter 3, verse 1 describes the crucial preparatory movement of the Israelites. It records that Joshua, demonstrating prompt leadership and obedience, rose early in the morning and led all the children of Israel from Shittim. Their journey brought them to the bank of the Jordan River, where they lodged for three days, indicating a period of waiting, preparation, and divine timing before their miraculous crossing into the promised land.

Joshua 3 1 Context

Joshua 3:1 immediately follows the account of the two spies' mission to Jericho (Joshua 2). This verse marks the physical initiation of the long-anticipated entry into the promised land. The Israelites have concluded their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, having completed the cycle of judgment on the generation of unbelief. They are encamped at Shittim, on the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River – the final staging ground before crossing. Historically, this generation had grown up under the direct guidance of God and the leadership of Moses and now Joshua. Culturally, this movement represents a transition from a nomadic desert existence to an settled agricultural life in the promised land, requiring a collective, disciplined march under a divinely appointed leader. It also served as a polemic against the surrounding polytheistic nations, demonstrating Yahweh's unparalleled power to command natural elements and lead His people by His direct word, not through omens or human strategies alone. Their deliberate "lodging for three days" indicates reliance on God's timing and instructions rather than hasty, self-initiated action.

Joshua 3 1 Word analysis

• And Joshua (וַיַּשְׁכֵּם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, vayyashkêm Yehoshua):
  • Yehoshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ): "Yahweh is salvation" or "Yahweh saves." This name holds profound significance, echoing the salvation motif woven through Israel's history. It is the Hebrew cognate of Jesus, highlighting Joshua's role as a type of Christ who leads his people into their promised rest and inheritance.
  • Vayyashkêm (וַיַּשְׁכֵּם): Literally, "and he rose early." This term implies promptness, diligence, and purposeful action. It reflects a leader who is attentive to duty and eager to execute divine commands without delay. It is a common expression in the Old Testament signifying earnestness (e.g., Abraham, Gen 22:3; Jacob, Gen 28:18; God sending prophets, Jer 7:13).
• in the morning (בַּבֹּקֶר, babbōqer): The morning often signifies new beginnings, fresh starts, and times when God's intervention or divine events are revealed (e.g., manna provided in the morning, Exod 16:21). It speaks of alertness and readiness for God's purposes.
• from Shittim (מֵהַשִּׁטִּים, meha-Shiṭṭim):
  • Shittim (הַשִּׁטִּים): "Acacia trees." A significant location associated with Israel's past sin of immorality and idolatry with the Moabites (Num 25:1-9) just before Moses' death. This departure from Shittim symbolically represents leaving behind the place of past failures and preparing for a new, sanctified beginning. It emphasizes progression and leaving sin behind.
• and removed (וַיִּסְעוּ, vayyisʿû): "and they journeyed" or "and they pulled up stakes." This verb describes a collective, decisive act of moving camp, signifying the unified movement of the entire nation under Joshua's command. It denotes an organized and disciplined transition.
• all the children of Israel (כָּל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, kol-b’ney Yisra’el): Emphasizes the entire community, representing God's covenant people. The unity and collective participation of all the tribes were essential for entering the land. This indicates full consensus and obedience.
• and came (וַיָּבֹאוּ, vayyāvo’u): "and they came" or "and they arrived." This indicates reaching a specific destination as the next stage of their journey.
• to the Jordan (עַד-הַיַּרְדֵּן, ad ha-Yarden):
  • Yarden (הַיַּרְדֵּן): "The descender." This river serves as a natural, formidable barrier to the promised land. Its swift current and typically flooded state during harvest season (Josh 3:15) made it an impossible obstacle to cross without divine intervention. It represents the boundary that separates the wilderness experience from the promised inheritance.
• and lodged there (וַיָּלִינוּ שָׁם, vayyālīnu sham): "and they stayed overnight there." This implies a deliberate halt and encampment. It wasn't an immediate crossing, indicating God's timing and preparatory phase. It highlights the posture of patient expectation and readiness for divine instruction.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "And Joshua rose early in the morning and removed from Shittim": This phrase portrays prompt, purposeful leadership that initiated the corporate action of the Israelites. It signifies a decisive break from the past failures at Shittim and an active, forward movement under divine guidance. This action, driven by a faithful leader, set the tone for the national journey.
  • "and all the children of Israel, and came to the Jordan": This highlights the collective unity and obedience of the people. It emphasizes that this was not merely Joshua's move but a national one, a demonstration of solidarity under God's appointed leader. Their arrival at the Jordan puts them at the threshold of the miraculous, face to face with their next challenge and the immediate fulfillment of God's promises.
  • "and lodged there three days": While the "three days" is explicitly stated in Joshua 3:2, it is implicit in "lodged there." This period of waiting is critical. It creates suspense, allowing time for divine commands to be given, for the people to consecrate themselves, and for God's appointed moment for the miraculous crossing to arrive. It underscores that the fulfillment of promises is subject to God's perfect timing and requires a period of preparation and expectation.

Joshua 3 1 Bonus section

The precision in detailing Joshua's "early rising" is not merely chronological; it speaks to the spiritual readiness and attentiveness required for divine assignments. This practice is often associated with fervent prayer and seeking God's will in the Bible. The location "Shittim" holds profound symbolic weight: moving from the literal and spiritual "shadow" of past apostasy and punishment into a renewed phase of God's faithfulness and fresh promises. This sets the tone for a people whom God intends to sanctify. The very act of encamping at the Jordan signifies drawing the battle lines with a natural barrier that could only be overcome supernaturally, serving as a powerful demonstration of Yahweh's sovereign control over creation for the sake of His covenant people and His name.

Joshua 3 1 Commentary

Joshua 3:1 provides the immediate prequel to the miraculous crossing of the Jordan, highlighting Joshua’s immediate obedience and the disciplined readiness of the Israelites. Joshua's "early rising" demonstrates diligent, Spirit-led leadership, echoing patterns seen in other faithful biblical figures who act with urgency for God's purposes. The movement from "Shittim," a place tarnished by Israel’s past sin, signifies a departure from old ways and a clean break, necessary for entering God's promises. The arrival at the "Jordan River," a formidable natural barrier, establishes the challenge ahead and underscores that the upcoming feat is beyond human capability, solely dependent on divine intervention. The "lodging there" for three days is crucial; it emphasizes a period of deliberate waiting, a necessary pause for anticipation and the solemn preparations commanded by God (mentioned in the subsequent verse). This pause highlights reliance on God's specific instructions and timing rather than rash action. This entire movement reflects a nation transitioning under new leadership, disciplined, ready, and expectant of God's faithfulness to fulfill His covenant promises, all while depending entirely on His power for their progress.