Moments before entering the Promised Land, the nation takes its first steps under Joshua's independent leadership. The physical journey from their final desert camp to the riverbank serves as both a practical and spiritual preparation for the miraculous crossing to come. This short march took place immediately after the thirty-day mourning period for Moses concluded [אברבנאל]. The Israelites left their camp at Shittim and advanced directly to the edge of the Jordan River [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The trip took less than a day, and upon reaching the water, they stopped to spend the night, using the time to prepare for the days leading up to the crossing [ביאור שטיינזלץ].
The unfolding events highlight a subtle dynamic between the new leader and the nation. Initially, the people waited for Joshua to take the initiative, following his lead with the belief that God would bless them through his merit. Joshua, however, refused to make himself the center of attention. By having the camp stop and rest at the riverbank, he delivered a vital educational message: the people needed to direct their eyes toward the Ark of the Covenant rather than their human leader. With the pillar of cloud that had guided them through the desert now gone, the nation had to adapt to a new reality where the Ark would show them the correct path to conquering the land [אלשיך].
The decision to begin this journey early in the morning carries profound spiritual weight. Morning is the designated time for the daily dawn sacrifice, which atones for the sins of the night. Joshua chose this specific hour to urge the people to purify and sanctify themselves in anticipation of the divine miracles and spiritual abundance that awaited them [חומת אנך]. Additionally, rising early served to awaken the merit of Abraham, who famously rose early in the morning to fulfill God's command to bind Isaac. According to tradition, it was specifically in Abraham's merit that the waters of the Jordan were destined to split [חומת אנך].
Finally, the deliberate pause at the river ensured that the actual crossing would happen in broad daylight. This careful planning was meant to display the impending miracle clearly to all the Israelites and the surrounding nations, ultimately striking fear into the hearts of the land's current inhabitants [אברבנאל].