Joshua 4:16

Jos 4:16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.

Ver. 16. Command the priests.] They would not stir out of their station till God called them off. It is good to do all by a warrant. To be out of God’s precincts is to be out of his protection.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Because the Ark testified God’s presence, and the Tables of the Law contained therein, signified God’s will toward his people.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

16. Command the priests, etc Here it is shown more clearly how meekly and calmly the priests yielded implicit obedience to the divine command, for they did not move a foot until Joshua ordered the signal to retire. But as it was an instance of rare virtue to be thus modest and obedient, so the fatherly kindness of God is conspicuous in this, that he condescended to direct and govern almost every step in their progress by his own voice, lest any perplexity might occur to retard them.

Next follows a more conspicuous confirmation of the miracle; for as soon as they climbed the opposite bank, the Jordan began again to flow as usual. Had it not returned to its former state, and indeed, suddenly, many would have imagined the cause of the change to be hidden but fortuitous. But when God displays his power and favor at minute intervals of time all doubt is removed. The moment the feet of the priests were made wet the Jordan retired; now on their departure he recovers his free course, and that at the very instant when they reached the bank. For the term dry here means that part which was not covered by the overflow. Thus the river, though dumb, was the best of heralds, proclaiming with a loud voice that heaven and earth are subject to the God of Israel.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(16) Command the priests . . . that they come up out of Jordan.—Observe that the removal of the priests and the ark of the covenant from their station in Jordan is made the subject of a distinct section, and treated as a distinct event. It need not have been so for the purpose of the mere historical narrative. We might have taken it for granted. But the significance of the event is so marked as to receive a separate notice. We are not suffered to forget by what means Jordan was driven back, and held in check; and the check was not meant to be perpetual. We are reminded that the suspension of the power of death for men has its limits. When the day of grace is over, the waters will “return unto their place and flow over all the banks as before.” (Comp. Isa_28:16-18; Isa_28:20.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony,.... In all places before, in this history, the ark is called the ark of the covenant, here the ark of the testimony, which signifies the same thing, the law; which was both the covenant between God and the people, and a testimony of his will unto them; the Septuagint version has both words:

that they come up out of Jordan; where they stayed until all the people passed over, for the encouragement of them, and until they received this order.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For being now in the middle, and lowest, and deepest place of the river, (of which See POOLE "Jos 3:17",) they are most properly said to ascend or go up to the land; which word is thrice used ill this and the two next following verses.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Ark of the testimony — This was so called because it contained the two tables of testimony. Deu_31:18; see note on Jos_3:3. Gesenius renders, ark of the law.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The testimony. The word tWde though derived from the same root as de witness, would seem rather to have the sense of precept, from the idea of repetition contained in the root. Compare the well known Hebrew particle dwO again. It must refer to the two tables of the law which (Heb_10:4) were placed in the ark. (see Deu_10:5, and comp. Exo_25:16, Exo_25:21, 40 Num_17:10, where this is said to be the testimony) Other things were placed in the ark, such as the manna, Aaron"s rod, and these, no doubt, were for a witness to the facts of the Mosaic record. The LXX, however, consistently render this word by arturia marturion . The Vulgate here has arcam foederis.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Out of Jordan - For being now in the middle, and deepest place of the river, they are most properly said to go up to the land.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Command the Kohanim. Here is where Scripture explains what was mentioned before how the Ark of Adonoy and the Kohanim crossed in the people’s presence.

Have them come up out of the Jordan. It is not written, ‘have them cross’ but rather ‘have them come up.’ From this we learn that from the bank upon which they were standing did they come up. And it is impossible to claim that they were standing beside the western bank of the Jordan, for it is said previously, ‘that the feet of the Kohanim were immersed in the edge of the water.’ And there it is said, ‘And the Kohanim remained standing— and all the Bnei Yisroel crossed over.’ remained standing at the point of entrance, they were on the Eastern bank of the Jordan.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.