יהושע, פרק ג׳, פסוק ט״ו

The crossing of the Jordan River marks a dramatic turning point where natural laws give way to open, miraculous intervention. As the priests carrying the Ark approach from the eastern side [מצודת דוד], the mere touch of their feet against the water triggers a spectacular chain of events.

God rushed to perform the miracle, sparing the priests from even needing to step into the actual riverbed. The river had already overflowed its high edges, spreading outward in all directions [רש"י, רד"ק, מצודת ציון]. Because the water had spilled beyond its natural boundary, the priests' feet were submerged the moment they reached the water's outermost edge [אלשיך].

This crossing takes place during the harvest season in the month of Nissan [רש"י], a detail that significantly magnifies the scale of the miracle. Commentators offer different perspectives on why this specific timing is so remarkable. One approach explains that river levels typically drop during the harvest season, making an overflowing Jordan a highly unusual event that highlights the sheer power of the miracle [מצודת דוד, רד"ק]. Conversely, others note that the period immediately following winter is precisely when the Jordan is at its natural peak [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. As the weather warms, melting mountain snow surges into the rivers, causing them to swell. In this view, the miracle is amplified because God halts the water despite the river's fierce and heavy seasonal flow [רד"ק, מלבי"ם].

Regardless of the river's natural state, the divine response is immediate. The instant the priests' feet touch the edge of the water, the downward flow from upstream completely stops, piling up as a single solid wall far away near the city of Adam. At the same time, the water flowing downstream toward the Dead Sea is entirely cut off and dries up. This sudden stoppage leaves a wide, completely dry expanse, allowing the nation to stand securely and cross safely opposite the city of Jericho [רלב"ג, מצודת דוד].