יהושע, פרק ג׳, פסוק ו׳

Moments before crossing the Jordan River into the promised land, the travel formation of the Israelite camp undergoes a major transformation. On the tenth of Nisan, the actual day of the crossing and exactly one day after Joshua instructed the nation to prepare themselves spiritually for the upcoming miracles, new orders are given regarding the Ark of the Covenant [רש"י, רד"ק, מלבי"ם, רלב"ג].

For the duration of their years wandering in the desert, the Levites were tasked with carrying the Ark. Now, however, this responsibility is transferred to the priests [רש"י, מלבי"ם, אלשיך]. This shift is directly tied to the nature of the impending miracle. The splitting of the Jordan River is an act rooted in God's divine kindness and occurs in the merit of Abraham, who is the ultimate symbol of this trait. Because the priests also represent the attribute of kindness, they are chosen to carry the Ark at this specific moment, serving as the channel to bring His kindness down to the people [אלשיך, חומת אנך].

The physical position of the Ark is also altered. Previously, it traveled firmly within the center of the camp, positioned behind the first two tribal groups. Now, it is moved to the very front to lead the entire nation [ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי"ם, אלשיך]. Joshua initiates this shift for a profound educational reason. He observes that the people are following him with immense reverence, much like they followed the divine pillar of cloud in the desert. To guarantee that all honor is directed exclusively toward God, Joshua ensures the Ark leads the way. Furthermore, this placement teaches the Israelites that the extraordinary miracles they are about to experience do not rely solely on their leader's merit. Instead, the wonders occur in the merit of the people themselves, which is exactly why they were required to sanctify themselves beforehand [אלשיך].