Joshua 4:10,11 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The priests stood in the midst of Jordan till every thing was finished The constancy of the priests, on this occasion, bears very honourable testimony to their faith and patience; for it must have taken up a considerable time, a whole day, at least, for the passage of six hundred thousand fighting men, besides the numerous people that accompanied them, with their baggage and provisions, and for the performing the other things here mentioned. The people hasted and passed over Some understand this of the twelve men that carried the stones; but it seems rather to be meant of the body of the people; for though mention was made of their passing over, (Joshua 4:1,) it is here repeated for the sake of this circumstance to be added, that they passed in haste. This, it is probable, they did, either because Joshua, by the officers, ordered them to make haste, that they might complete their passage before the night came on, or because the sight of the waters suspended on their right, struck them with terror, through the weakness of their faith. For, in so great a multitude of men, women, and children, it is not credible that all hearts were animated with the same confidence. Perhaps, also, some made haste that they might not either tempt God, by desiring a continuance of the miracle longer than was necessary, or try the patience of the priests too much by any unnecessary delay. It is most likely, however, that fear had the principal influence in causing them to hasten their march. The priests, on the contrary, who bore the ark, continued dauntless at their post, till at last, there remaining no one on the eastern shore, nor in the bed of the river, there was no further reason for their continuing in the midst of it, and therefore they were commanded by Joshua, who himself received an order from God to that purpose, (Joshua 4:16-17,) to come up out of Jordan. Then, and not before, they crossed quite over; in the presence of the people That is, in the sight of all Israel, who, no doubt, beheld with admiration, from the western bank of the river, both them and the ark which they carried over, and which had been the means of their safe passage. The place where the Israelites crossed has since been called Bethabara, which signifies the house of passage. It is mentioned John 1:28.