the River Jordan: Passage of Israel Over: Successfully Effected
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Topical Encyclopedia
The River Jordan holds significant historical and theological importance within the biblical narrative, particularly in the context of the Israelites' journey into the Promised Land. The successful crossing of the Jordan River by the Israelites is a pivotal event recorded in the Old Testament, symbolizing the fulfillment of God's promises and the transition from the wilderness wanderings to the inheritance of Canaan.

Biblical Account

The account of the Israelites crossing the Jordan River is detailed in the Book of Joshua, specifically in chapters 3 and 4. As the Israelites, led by Joshua, approached the Promised Land, they faced the formidable barrier of the Jordan River, which was at flood stage during the harvest season. Despite the natural obstacle, God provided a miraculous means for His people to cross.

Joshua 3:15-17 describes the event: "Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a heap a great distance away at a town called Adam, in the vicinity of Zarethan. The water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over on dry ground until the entire nation had completed the crossing."

Significance

The crossing of the Jordan River is laden with theological symbolism and significance. It represents God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by bringing their descendants into the land He had promised them. The event also underscores the importance of obedience and faith, as the Israelites followed God's instructions through Joshua, demonstrating their trust in His provision and power.

The presence of the Ark of the Covenant, carried by the priests, signifies God's presence and leadership among His people. The Ark, representing God's throne on earth, led the way into the Promised Land, emphasizing that it was by His power and authority that the Israelites were able to enter Canaan.

Memorialization

To commemorate this miraculous event, God instructed Joshua to have twelve stones taken from the middle of the Jordan River, where the priests had stood, and set them up as a memorial at Gilgal. Joshua 4:20-24 records this: "And there at Gilgal Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, 'In the future, when your descendants ask their fathers, "What do these stones mean?" you are to tell them, "Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground." For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may always fear the LORD your God.'"

This memorial served as a lasting testament to God's mighty acts and a teaching tool for future generations, ensuring that the account of God's deliverance and faithfulness would be remembered and revered.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Joshua 3:17
And the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joshua 4:1,10,11
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Sovereignty of God in Salvation
... to which of these meanings it bears in any particular passage, must be ... of Jerusalem,
and were all baptised of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their ...
/.../pink/the sovereignty of god/chapter four the sovereignty of.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... Having crossed the river, "faint and yet pursuing," he ... to command the route of the
Jordan;* it would ... the territory they had conquered.* One passage, in which ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... the names associated with it in another passage of the ... sea- board somewhere near
the mouth of this river. ... of Hamath and masters of half Israel, were powerful ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... 15:47; 2 Kings 24:7, called "river" of Egypt ... completely independent, and the territory
beyond Jordan still remained ... Cf. the passage in 2 Kings 13:5, "And the ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of Immortality.
... the law from Sinai, the passage of Jordan, the ascension ... is not expressly said in
the passage above quoted ... thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." A like ...
/.../an essay on the scriptural.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... On the left bank of the river, and almost opposite ... about the Dead Sea and the valley
of the Jordan. ... prevailing tradition in the kingdom of Israel, the latter ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

The Reaction against Egypt
... which led to the Nile and to the river-side cities on ... from Byblos to the sources
of the Jordan and Damascus ... hall of the original building by a passage, on one ...
/.../chapter iithe reaction against egypt.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... wall and the two escarpments allowed the river to be ... This may be deduced from the
passage in Herodotus ... to the task of rewriting the history of Israel, which, as ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... the corpse, to bury it, or to cast it into a river, as it ... The passage in Herodotus ...
and further on, that "the whole people rose, and passed over from Cambyses ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... leading from Angora to Yuzgat crosses the river not far ... Lower Chaldaea to the districts
of the Jordan and the ... of opposition being offered to the passage of the ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

Resources
Where was Jesus baptized? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of Perea in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of Shittim in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Jordan: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Jordan

Jordan Valley

Jordan: Crossed by a Ferry Boat

Jordan: Empties Into the Dead Sea

Jordan: Fords of

Jordan: John the Baptist Immerses In

Jordan: John the Baptist Immerses Jesus In

Jordan: Naaman Washes In, for the Healing of his Leprosy

Jordan: Plain of

Jordan: Plain of Israelites Camped In

Jordan: Plain of Solomon's Foundry In

Jordan: Swelling of, at Harvest Time

Jordan: Swelling of, in the Early Spring

Jordan: The Waters of, Miraculously Separated for the Passage of Elijah

Jordan: The Waters of, Miraculously Separated for the Passage of Elisha

Jordan: The Waters of, Miraculously Separated for the Passage of the Israelites

the River Jordan: Despised by Foreigners

the River Jordan: Eastern Boundary of Canaan

the River Jordan: Empties Itself Into the Dead Sea

the River Jordan: Ferry Boats often Used On

the River Jordan: Fordable in some Places

the River Jordan: Moses not Allowed to Cross

the River Jordan: Often Overflowed

the River Jordan: Overflowing of, Called the Swelling of Jordan

the River Jordan: Passage of Israel Over in an Appointed Order

the River Jordan: Passage of Israel Over: A Pledge That God Would Drive the Canaanites out of

the River Jordan: Passage of Israel Over: Alluded To

the River Jordan: Passage of Israel Over: Commemorated by a Pillar of Stones in Gilgal

the River Jordan: Passage of Israel Over: Commemorated by a Pillar of Stones Raised in It

the River Jordan: Passage of Israel Over: Preceded by Priests With the Ark

the River Jordan: Passage of Israel Over: Promised

the River Jordan: Passage of Israel Over: Successfully Effected

the River Jordan: Remarkable Events Connected With: Baptism of Multitudes by John the Baptist

the River Jordan: Remarkable Events Connected With: Baptism of Our Lord

the River Jordan: Remarkable Events Connected With: Division of Its Waters to Let Israel Pass Over

the River Jordan: Remarkable Events Connected With: Healing of Naaman the Leper

the River Jordan: Remarkable Events Connected With: Its Division by Elijah

the River Jordan: Remarkable Events Connected With: Its Division by Elisha

the River Jordan: Remarkable Events Connected With: Return of Its Waters to Their Place

the River Jordan: Remarkable Events Connected With: Slaughter of Moabites

the River Jordan: Remarkable Events Connected With: Slaughter of the Ephraimites

the River Jordan: The Jews had Great Pride In

the River Jordan: The Plains of Afforded Clay for Moulding Brass

the River Jordan: The Plains of Chosen by Lot for a Residence

the River Jordan: The Plains of Exceeding Fertile

the River Jordan: The Plains of Infested With Lions

the River Jordan: The Plains of Thickly Wooded

Related Terms

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The (669438 Occurrences)

Oak-the (1 Occurrence)

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Jok'the-el (1 Occurrence)

The-oph'ilus (2 Occurrences)

The-not-beloved (1 Occurrence)

Ko'hathites (19 Occurrences)

Kohathite (18 Occurrences)

Kir'iath-je'arim (18 Occurrences)

Zin (9 Occurrences)

Zarephath (4 Occurrences)

Kirjathjearim (17 Occurrences)

Vintage (14 Occurrences)

Kore (4 Occurrences)

Knives (12 Occurrences)

Zidonians (11 Occurrences)

Kareah (14 Occurrences)

Vegetation (18 Occurrences)

Kanah (3 Occurrences)

Vine-dressers (18 Occurrences)

Vicinity (18 Occurrences)

Zeboim (7 Occurrences)

Kadeshbarnea (9 Occurrences)

Kare'ah (14 Occurrences)

Volition

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Vashti (10 Occurrences)

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Knitted (9 Occurrences)

Kids (12 Occurrences)

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Vial (12 Occurrences)

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Home-born (14 Occurrences)

Kingship (17 Occurrences)

Kadesh-barnea (9 Occurrences)

Zealot (4 Occurrences)

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Victorious (17 Occurrences)

Zacchaeus (3 Occurrences)

Zenas (1 Occurrence)

Kneel (10 Occurrences)

Zachariah (6 Occurrences)

Kebar (8 Occurrences)

Kerethites (9 Occurrences)

Zeeb (3 Occurrences)

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Zarethan (4 Occurrences)

Kinnereth (7 Occurrences)

Knowledge

Knelt (20 Occurrences)

Visible (12 Occurrences)

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Ziph (9 Occurrences)

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Zorah (10 Occurrences)

Kenite (9 Occurrences)

Kick (8 Occurrences)

Kedar (11 Occurrences)

Zichri (12 Occurrences)

Ko'rahites (6 Occurrences)

Zeru'iah (24 Occurrences)

Kei'lah (16 Occurrences)

24000 (10 Occurrences)

Vapor (6 Occurrences)

Vanished (13 Occurrences)

Verdict (7 Occurrences)

Violated (23 Occurrences)

Knop (4 Occurrences)

Visiting (10 Occurrences)

Zaphon (4 Occurrences)

Zephani'ah (10 Occurrences)

Zaccur (10 Occurrences)

Koz (5 Occurrences)

Kadmiel (8 Occurrences)

the River Jordan: Passage of Israel Over: Promised
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