דברי הימים א, פרק י״ב, פסוק ט״ז

Exceptional physical bravery and military might are captured in the story of a dangerous river crossing that culminated in a crushing victory. The warriors of the tribe of Gad, who served as military commanders during the reign of King Saul, embarked on a campaign that demanded rare courage under incredibly harsh conditions [מלבי״ם]. This daring crossing took place during the first month, the month of Nissan, immediately following the rainy season and the melting of the winter snows [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. At this time of year, the Jordan River was at its peak, swelling and overflowing its banks [רד״ק, מצודת ציון]. Navigating the deep waters and strong, dangerous currents posed a severe risk of drowning. Successfully making it across the raging river without being swept away was a profound act of heroism [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The events immediately following the crossing are understood in three distinct ways. The primary approach among commentators views the subsequent action as a military routing of the people living in the surrounding valleys. Even though the warriors were exhausted from the grueling river crossing, they did not rest. Instead, they immediately chased away the local inhabitants in every direction [מצודת דוד]. The sudden appearance of such a large and imposing army struck terror into the locals, causing them to flee [רד״ק]. These fleeing populations may have been the Hagrites with whom they were at war [מלבי״ם], or hostile forces attempting to block the warriors from joining David [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Offering a different perspective, some explain that the warriors' actions were directed not at people, but at the depths of the water itself. According to this view, the men exerted immense physical force, using their shields to split the deep waters to the east and the west, allowing them to cross on dry land [רש״י].

A third, unique explanation frames the event as an impressive engineering operation. In this scenario, the warriors carried wooden beams with them. Whenever they encountered waters that were too deep, they laid these beams down from east to west to create a crossing. The sheer width of the flooded river made it impossible to build a single bridge from end to end, making this strategic use of beams essential for their advance [רלב״ג].