God effortlessly suspended the Jordan River so that His people could enter the land He had promised.
Joshua 3:16 describes a miraculous intervention of God that allowed His people to cross the Jordan River: “and the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.” (v.16) This event took place while Joshua—who assumed leadership of Israel around 1406 BC after Moses’ death—led the nation into the Promised Land. The verse portrays the Jordan River splitting in a manner that echoes God’s prior miracle of parting the Red Sea, revealing yet again His power on behalf of His chosen people (Exodus 14). The city noted in this verse, Adam, was located near Zarethan—both places situated north of where Israel camped, evidencing that the water was held far upstream from their crossing point near Jericho.
When the verse says, “the waters ... stood and rose up in one heap” (v.16), it underscores the power of God over nature and the precise manner in which He prepared a path for Israel’s journey toward Jericho. Jericho itself was a strategic city just west of the Jordan River, in the lower region of the Great Rift Valley, an area historically known for its fertile land and trade routes. The Israelites’ act of faith in stepping into the rushing waters is reminiscent of trusting God’s promise to bring them to the land of Canaan. This foreshadows later biblical themes of the Lord providing deliverance for His people, culminating in Jesus’ power to calm storms and walk on water (Mark 4:39; Matthew 14:25).
The miracle in Joshua 3:16 reveals that God’s timing and control are perfect, as He halted the flow of the river at just the right moment so that the Israelites could reach the other side in safety. By referencing Adam and Zarethan, the biblical writer shows the magnitude of this divine act, for the backing up of the waters occurred many miles away, emphasizing God’s sovereignty over large swaths of geography. This miraculous crossing not only helped solidify Joshua’s role as God’s appointed leader—following his service under Moses in the preceding decades—but it also prefigured how God’s ultimate salvation plan would be fulfilled in the New Testament.
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Joshua 3:16 meaning
Joshua 3:16 describes a miraculous intervention of God that allowed His people to cross the Jordan River: “and the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.” (v.16) This event took place while Joshua—who assumed leadership of Israel around 1406 BC after Moses’ death—led the nation into the Promised Land. The verse portrays the Jordan River splitting in a manner that echoes God’s prior miracle of parting the Red Sea, revealing yet again His power on behalf of His chosen people (Exodus 14). The city noted in this verse, Adam, was located near Zarethan—both places situated north of where Israel camped, evidencing that the water was held far upstream from their crossing point near Jericho.
When the verse says, “the waters ... stood and rose up in one heap” (v.16), it underscores the power of God over nature and the precise manner in which He prepared a path for Israel’s journey toward Jericho. Jericho itself was a strategic city just west of the Jordan River, in the lower region of the Great Rift Valley, an area historically known for its fertile land and trade routes. The Israelites’ act of faith in stepping into the rushing waters is reminiscent of trusting God’s promise to bring them to the land of Canaan. This foreshadows later biblical themes of the Lord providing deliverance for His people, culminating in Jesus’ power to calm storms and walk on water (Mark 4:39; Matthew 14:25).
The miracle in Joshua 3:16 reveals that God’s timing and control are perfect, as He halted the flow of the river at just the right moment so that the Israelites could reach the other side in safety. By referencing Adam and Zarethan, the biblical writer shows the magnitude of this divine act, for the backing up of the waters occurred many miles away, emphasizing God’s sovereignty over large swaths of geography. This miraculous crossing not only helped solidify Joshua’s role as God’s appointed leader—following his service under Moses in the preceding decades—but it also prefigured how God’s ultimate salvation plan would be fulfilled in the New Testament.