יהושע, פרק ג׳, פסוק י״ג

Crossing the Jordan River marks a moment of miraculous transition, where the natural flow of water halts before the holiness of God. The moment the priests carrying the Ark step into the river, nature undergoes a dramatic physical shift. This miracle is entirely driven by the power and sanctity of the Ark of God [מלבי״ם]. As soon as the priests' feet touch the river, the waters are instantly severed and divided [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

At this point, a clear distinction emerges between the two sections of the river. The water that has already passed the crossing point simply continues its natural course downstream until it disappears [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. However, the water flowing from upstream, which would normally continue its downward path like any ordinary river [רש״י], experiences a complete reversal of natural law. The fresh currents arriving at the point of separation abruptly stop in their tracks [מצודת דוד].

Instead of flowing onward, these upper waters gather and pile up into a single, towering heap [רש״י, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The water stacks upward, forming shapes like domes resting on top of one another [רש״י], stopped as though an invisible wall has been placed directly in their path [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

There are two remarkable characteristics of this event. First, despite piling up to a great height, the water does not spill over the riverbanks or flood the surrounding landscape; it remains perfectly contained within the natural boundaries of the river [רד״ק]. Second, this event differs fundamentally from the splitting of the Red Sea. While the Red Sea formed two separate walls of water on both sides, the crossing of the Jordan only required altering the water upstream. Consequently, the water formed only a single towering heap, leaving the downstream riverbed dry as the remaining water flowed away naturally [מלבי״ם].