Joshua 3:17

“And the priests that bare the ark of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, etc.] Which for its breadth Mr. Maundrell, the above mentioned traveller, says f49 might be about twenty yards over, and its depth exceeded his height; but Dr. Shaw f50, a later traveller still, says, “the river Jordan is by far the most considerable river, excepting the Nile, either of the coast of Syria, or of Barbary. I computed it to be about thirty yards broad, but the depth I could not measure, except at the brink, where I found it to be three yards.” Now in the midst of this river the priests bearing the ark stood firm on dry ground, the waters above being stopped and those below cut off.…”

“the priests . . . and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground--the river about Jericho has a firm pebbly bottom, on which the host might pass, without inconvenience when the water was cleared off. Next: Joshua Chapter 4”

“The miraculous passage to the holy land through Jordan is not less pregnant with typical meaning than that through the Red Sea (compare 1 Corinthians 10:1-2). The solemn inauguration of Joshua to his office, and his miraculous attestation, by the same waters with which Jesus was baptized on entering on the public exercise of His ministry (compare Matthew 3:16-17); the choice of twelve men, one from each tribe to be the bearers of the twelve stones, and the builders of the monument erected therewith (compare 1 Corinthians 3:10; Revelation 21:14): these were divinely-ordered occurrences, not without a further bearing than their more immediate one upon Israel. Nor must in this point of view the…”

“Stood firm - That is, in one and the same place and posture; their feet neither moved by any waters moving in upon them, nor sinking into any mire, which one might think was at the bottom of the river. And this may be opposed to their standing on the bank of the water when they came to it, commanded, Jos 3:8, which was but for a while, 'till the waters were divided and gone away; and then they were to go farther, even into the midst of Jordan, where they are to stand constantly and fixedly, as this Hebrew word signifies, until all were passed over. The midst of Jordan - In the middle and deepest part of the river. Next: Joshua Chapter 4”

“3:17 The repetition of the phrase on dry ground emphasizes that God performed a miracle.”

“the priests: Jos 3:3-6 stood firm: Jos 4:3; Kg2 2:8 all the Israelites: Exo 14:22, Exo 14:29; Psa 66:6; Isa 25:8; Heb 11:29 Next: Joshua Chapter 4”

“But the priests stood with the ark of the covenant "in the midst of Jordan," i.e., in the bed of the river, not merely by the river, "upon dry ground, הכן," lit., firmando, i.e., with a firm foot, whilst all Israel went over upon dry ground, "till all the people were passed over." This could easily have been accomplished in half a day, if the people formed a procession of a mile or upwards in breadth. Next: Joshua Chapter 4”