SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:4
Pero entre vosotros y ella haya distancia como de la medida de dos mil codos; y no os acercaréis a ella, a fin de que sepáis el camino por donde habéis de ir; por cuanto vosotros no habéis pasado antes de ahora por este camino.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 3:4
Verse 4. About two thousand cubits] This distance they were to keep, 1. For the greater respect, because the presence of the ark was the symbol and pledge of the Divine presence. 2. That the ark, which was to be their pilot over these waters, might be the more conspicuous which it could not have been had the people crowded upon it.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. Yet there shall be a space between you and it , etc.] The ark; the Keri or marginal reading is, “between you and them”; the priests that bear it: hence sprung a fiction among the Jews, that there were two arks, the ark of the Shechinah or divine Majesty, and the ark of Joseph, in which his bones were put, which went together f40 ; which Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abarbinel take notice of, but has no foundation in the text: about two thousand cubits by measure ; by a certain well known measure, that of a common cubit; for the “caph” we render “about” is a note of truth, reality, and certainty, and designs the exact precise measure here given: this difference was to be observed, partly in reverence to the ark, the symbol of the divine Presence; Christ is to be reverenced by his people, and so his word and ordinances; and there is a reverence and respect due to his ministers and priests that bear the ark; as also that they might the better see the ark and go after it, as Ben Gersom; or the way in which they should go, as is suggested in the following clause; and likewise have the better view of the greatness of the miracle, as Abarbinel; the dividing of the waters of Jordan as soon as the ark came to it, and while it was in it: the Jews conclude from hence that this was the measure of ground they may go on a sabbath day, and no further, called a sabbath day’s journey, ( Acts 1:12); come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go ; over Jordan into Canaan’s land; for being at some distance from them they could better discern that and the way he directed them to walk in: Christ the antitype of the ark is the way to the heavenly Canaan, and his ministers point out the right way of salvation by him, in the ministration of the word, by attending to which the way is seen and known in which men must go: for ye have not passed [this] way heretofore ; a path indeed untrodden by any; neither they nor any other ever went into Canaan the way they were now going, through the river Jordan as on dry land: the way to heaven by Christ is only revealed in the Gospel, and only trodden by believers in him, and especially the way to glory through Jordan’s river; or death is an untrodden path, which, though the way of all flesh, is a trackless path, and gone through, but once, and those who pass it have never before gone that way.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - The Israelites came to Jordan in faith, having been told that the should pass it. In the way of duty, let us proceed as far as we can and depend on the Lord. Joshua led them. Particular notice is taken of his early rising, as afterwards upon other occasions, which shows ho little he sought his own ease. Those who would bring great things to pass, must rise early. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty. All in public stations should always attend to the duty of their place. The people were to follow the ark. Thus must we walk after the rule of the word, and the direction of the Spirit, in everything; so shall peace be upon us as upon the Israel of God; but we must follow our minister only as they follow Christ. All their way through the wilderness was a untrodden path, but most so this through Jordan. While we are here, we must expect and prepare to pass ways that we have not passed before but in the path of duty we may proceed with boldness and cheerfulness Whether we are called to suffer poverty, pain, labour, persecution reproach, or death, we are following the Author and Finisher of ou faith; nor can we set our feet in any dangerous or difficult spot through our whole journey, but faith will there see the prints of the Redeemer's feet, who trod that very path to glory above, and bids u follow him, that where he is, we may be also. They were to sanctif themselves. Would we experience the effects of God's love and power, we must put away sin, and be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
Original Hebrew
אך 389 רחוק 7350 יהיה 1961 ביניכם 996 ובינו 996 כאלפים 505 אמה 520 במדה 4060 אל 408 תקרבו 7126 אליו 413 למען 4616 אשׁר 834 תדעו 3045 את 853 הדרך 1870 אשׁר 834 תלכו 1980 בה כי 3588 לא 3808 עברתם 5674 בדרך 1870 מתמול 8543 שׁלשׁום׃ 8032
