Ver. 1. And Joshua rose early in the morning, &c.— Early the next morning, after he had ordered the army to make all necessary provision for speedily entering the enemy's country, (chap. Joshua 1:10-11.) he raised the camp; and the Israelites, who were at Shittim from the fifth day of the eleventh month of the fortieth year after their departure out of Egypt, advanced to the banks of the Jordan.
And lodged there before they passed over— The French version renders this, and lodged there that night; and the Vulgate, they came to Jordan, where they tarried three days. The truth is, that the Hebrew word jalinu, signifies not only to pass the night, but also to tarry some time; to stop. Every one agrees, that God chose that the miraculous passage of the Jordan should be performed in the day-time, either that the prodigy might be more incontestable, or that it might spread more terror among the Canaanites.