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Israelite Population Crossing the Jordan River

The Israelite crossing of the Jordan River marks a pivotal moment in biblical history, signifying their entry into the Promised Land after decades of wandering [1]. This event is primarily recounted in the Book of Joshua, though it is foreshadowed in Deuteronomy [1, 3]. The Jordan River, known as the "descender" (Hebrew: Yarden), is the principal river of Palestine, flowing from the Anti-Lebanon mountains to the Dead Sea [2, 7]. Its course is characterized by a significant descent, and it was known to overflow its banks during harvest season [5, 16].

Before the crossing, the Israelites were encamped in the plains of Moab, on the eastern side of the Jordan Valley, across from Jericho [18]. Joshua reminded the warriors of the two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh) of their promise to cross the Jordan with the rest of Israel to assist in conquering the land [20]. The crossing itself was a miraculous event. As the priests, carrying the Ark of the Covenant, stepped into the Jordan, the waters upstream "stood and rose upon an heap," while the waters flowing downstream were cut off, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground [4, 9]. This miraculous division of the waters occurred at a point near "the city of Adam beside Zaretan," approximately 30 miles upstream from where the people were encamped [4, 10]. The priests remained standing in the middle of the riverbed until the entire multitude had passed over safely [9].

Jewish tradition emphasizes the miraculous nature and scale of this event. The Babylonian Talmud notes that many miracles were performed on that day, with the Jewish people crossing the Jordan and then proceeding to Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, which were over sixty miles from the river [12, 13, 15]. Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, suggests that the water stood at a height of over three hundred mil to allow sufficient time for everyone to cross, as they did so one after another [17]. Rashi, a prominent medieval Jewish commentator, clarifies that the Israelites "came up" from the riverbed, indicating they ascended from the bank they were standing on after crossing [19].

After crossing, the Israelites established their first camp on the west side of the Jordan at Gilgal, "in the east border of Jericho" [8]. Here, twelve stones taken from the riverbed were set up as a memorial, and the first Passover in Canaan was observed [8]. The news of this impossible crossing spread throughout southern Canaan, causing the local inhabitants to lose heart and become paralyzed with fear, recognizing the power of the Israelites' God [14]. The crossing of the Jordan is sometimes compared to the earlier crossing of the Red Sea, both serving as powerful demonstrations of divine intervention [16].

The Jordan River itself held significant geographical and strategic importance. It formed the eastern boundary of Canaan [5]. Its fords were crucial for passage, with specific locations like those opposite Jericho and the fords of Bethbarah being mentioned in biblical narratives [2, 5, 6]. The plains surrounding the Jordan were known for being thickly wooded and exceedingly fertile, chosen by Lot for his residence due to their lushness [5]. Later Christian tradition also associates the area near the Jordan crossing with events in the life of Jesus, with one apocryphal account placing Jesus near the traditional crossing site during his childhood [11].

Sources

  1. Deuteronomy “Deuteronomy 9:1 (NASB) — "Hear, O Israel! You are crossing over the Jordan today to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, great cities fortified to heaven,”
  2. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Jordan — (the descender), the one river of Palestine, has a course of little more than 200 miles, from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the head of the Dead Sea. (136 miles in a straight line.--Schaff.) It is the river of the "great plain" of Palestine--the "descender," if not "the river of God" in the book of Psalms, at least that of his chosen people throughout their history. There were fords over against Jericho, to which point the men of Jericho pursued the spies. (Joshua 2:7) comp. Judg 3:28 Higher up where the fords or passages of Bethbarah, where Gideon lay in wait”
  3. Deuteronomy “Deuteronomy 27:12 (BSB) — “When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Zaretan — When the Hebrews crossed the Jordan, as soon as the feet of the priests were dipped in the water, the flow of the stream was arrested. The point of arrest was the "city of Adam beside Zaretan," probably near Succoth, at the mouth of the Jabbok, some 30 miles up the river from where the people were encamped. There the water "stood and rose upon an heap." Thus the whole space of 30 miles of the river-bed was dry, that the tribes might pass over (Josh. 3:16, 17; comp. Ps. 104:3).”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Jordan, the River — Eastern boundary of Canaan -- Nu 34:12. Often overflowed -- Jos 3:15; 1Ch 12:15. Overflowing of, called the swelling of Jordan -- Jer 12:5; 49:19. Empties itself into the Dead Sea -- Nu 34:12. The plains of Thickly wooded. -- 2Ki 6:2. Exceeding fertile. -- Ge 13:10. Infested with lions. -- Jer 49:19; 50:44. Afforded clay for moulding brass, & c. -- 1Ki 7:46; 2Ch 4:17. Chosen by Lot for a residence. -- Ge 13:11. Fordable in some places -- Jos 2:7; Jdj 12:5,6. Ferry boats often used on -- 2Sa 19:18. Remarkable events connected with Division of its w”
  6. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Passage — Denotes in Josh. 22:11, as is generally understood, the place where the children of Israel passed over Jordan. The words "the passage of" are, however, more correctly rendered "by the side of," or "at the other side of," thus designating the position of the great altar erected by the eastern tribes on their return home. This word also designates the fords of the Jordan to the south of the Sea of Galilee (Judg. 12:5, 6), and a pass or rocky defile (1 Sam. 13:23; 14:4). "Passages" in Jer. 22:20 is in the Revised Version more correctly "Abarim" (q.v.), a prope”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Jordan — Heb. Yarden, "the descender;" Arab. Nahr-esh-Sheriah, "the watering-place" the chief river of Palestine. It flows from north to south down a deep valley in the centre of the country. The name descender is significant of the fact that there is along its whole course a descent to its banks; or it may simply denote the rapidity with which it "descends" to the Dead Sea. It originates in the snows of Hermon, which feed its perennial fountains. Two sources are generally spoken of. (1.) From the western base of a hill on which once stood the city of Dan, the northe”
  8. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Gilgal — (a wheel; rolling). + The site of the first camp of the Israelites on the west of the Jordan, the place at which they passed the first night after crossing the river, and where the twelve stones were set up which had been taken from the bed of the stream, (Joshua 4:19,20) comp. Josh 4:3 Where also they kept the first passover in the land of Canaan ch. (Joshua 5:10) It was "in the east border of Jericho," apparently on a hillock or rising ground, (Joshua 5:3) comp. Josh 5:9 In the Arboth-Jericho (Authorized Version "the plains"), that is, the hot depressed dis”
  9. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 1, section 4: same state as God had foretold he would put it in; but the priests stood still in the midst of the river till the multitude should be passed over, and should get to the shore in safety; and when all were gone over, the priests came out also, and permitted the current to run freely as it used to do before. Accordingly the river, as soon as the Hebrews were come out of it, arose again presently, and came to its own proper magnitude as before. 4. So the Hebrews went on farther fifty furlongs, and pitched their camp at the distance o”
  10. STEPBible TBESG “[H6891] H6891 = (H6891) — <BR> § Zarthan or Zaretan = "their distress"<br> a place in the Jordan valley where the river parted for Israel to pass over for the conquest of Canaan<br>”
  11. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 8: Twelve Patriarchs, Excerpts, Epistles, Apocrypha, Decretals — CHAP. 35.--There is a road going out of Jericho and leading to the river Jordan, to the place: 381 where the children of Israel crossed: and there the ark of the covenant is said to have rested. And Jesus was eight years old, and He went out of Jericho, and went towards the Jordan. And there was beside the road, near the bank of the Jordan, a cave where a lioness was nursing her cubs; and no one was safe to walk that way. Jesus then, coming from Jericho, and knowing that in that cave the lioness bad brought forth her youn”
  12. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 99b.71:2: § The Gemara continues to discuss the entrance of the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael: Come and see how many miracles were performed on that day: The Jewish people crossed the Jordan, and they arrived at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, which are more than sixty mil from the river, and on that day no entity was able to stand before them. And anyone who stood before them was immediately struck with diarrhea, as it is stated: “I will send My terror before you, and will confound all the people that you encounter” (Exodus 23:27).”
  13. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 99a.71:2: § The Gemara continues to discuss the entrance of the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael: Come and see how many miracles were performed on that day: The Jewish people crossed the Jordan, and they arrived at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, which are more than sixty mil from the river, and on that day no entity was able to stand before them. And anyone who stood before them was immediately struck with diarrhea, as it is stated: “I will send My terror before you, and will confound all the people that you encounter” (Exodus 23:27).”
  14. Joshua (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Joshua 5:1: 5:1 After news of Israel’s crossing of the Jordan River spread, all of southern Canaan was in a state of alert awaiting Israel’s expected invasion. • With Israel’s impossible crossing of the Jordan, the Canaanites lost heart and were paralyzed with fear. They knew they faced the people of a God more powerful than any they worshiped.”
  15. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 36a.2: § The Gemara continues to discuss the entrance of the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael: Come and see how many miracles were performed on that day: The Jewish people crossed the Jordan, and they arrived at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, which are more than sixty mil from the river, and on that day no entity was able to stand before them. And anyone who stood before them was immediately struck with diarrhea, as it is stated: “I will send My terror before you, and will confound all the people that you encounter” (Exodus 23:27).”
  16. Joshua (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Joshua 4:18: 4:18 After Israel crossed the river, the Jordan overflowed its banks as before. These events could not occur without God’s intervention.”
  17. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 34b.1: the Jewish people crossed in the same formation as they camped. It was necessary for the water to stand only twelve mil high to allow for the entire encampment to pass through the Jordan. According to the statement of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, who said the water stood at a height of over three hundred mil , the water had to reach these heights to allow for enough time for everyone to cross the Jordan, as they crossed one after the other.”
  18. Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 22:1: 22:1 Following their victories over the Amorite kingdoms (21:21-35 and study note), Israel took up residence in the plains of Moab on the eastern side of the Jordan Valley, northeast of the Dead Sea and across the river from the oasis of Jericho. The Hebrews camped there until they crossed the Jordan to enter Canaan (Josh 3:1).”
  19. Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Joshua 4:16: 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.’ 5 Chapter 3:15. And there it is said, ‘And the Kohanim remained standing— and all the Bnei Yisroel crossed over.’ 6 Ibid 16. Obviously since the Bnei Yisroel crossed the ”
  20. Joshua (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Joshua 1:14: 1:14 The warriors of the 2½ tribes had promised to cross the Jordan with the rest of Israel to help them conquer their land (Num 32:16-19). Joshua reminded them of their obligation.”
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