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(^70) In Joshua 3:11 and 13 it is significantly designated, "the Ark of Jehovah, the Lord of
all the earth," as Calvin remarks, to show the subjection of all to God, and to increase
the trust of Israel.
(^71) This, and not, as in our Authorized Version, "very far from the city of Adam," is the
correct rendering. The sites of these two cities have not been identified. From the nature
of the banks, the inundation caused by this miracle would not lead to serious
consequences.
(^72) The attentive reader will notice that, throughout the Scripture narrative, the main
stress is laid on the presence of the Ark, the priests being only introduced as the bearers
of it.
(^73) The rendering of Joshua 4:1-3 in our Authorized Version does not give that
impression, but alike Rabbinical and the best Christian authorities regard these verses as
a parenthesis, and translate, in ver. 1, "and the Lord had spoken to Joshua."
(^74) Tristram, Land of Israel, p. 219.
(^75) Of course, the survivors of those who, having come out from Egypt, were at the time
of the sentence in Kadesh under twenty years old (Numbers 14:29) - in short, all in
Gilgal who were thirty-eight years and upwards - had been circumcised. Reckoning the
total of males at Gilgal at about one million, the proportion of the circumcised to the
uncircumcised would have been about 280,000 to 720,000. The former would suffice to
prepare the Paschal lambs, and, if needful, to defend the camp at Gilgal, although the
terror consequent upon the dividing of Jordan would probably have protected Israel
from all hostile attacks. See Keil, Bibl. Comm., vol. 2 pp. 38, 39.
(^76) This is the correct rendering of Joshua 5:14; that in our Authorized Version does not
fully express the pictorial import of the original.
(^77) For an explanation of the meaning of this symbol, see The Exodus, etc.
(^78) Joshua 6:9 implies that the host of Israel was divided into two parts: "the armed men"
preceding, and "the rereward following the Ark." As the Hebrew "for armed men" is the
same term as that in Joshua 4:13 ("prepared for war"), it has been suggested by
Rabbinical interpreters that "the armed men" consisted of Reuben, Gad, and the half
tribe of Manasseh.
(^)