Ver. 10. According to all that Moses commanded Joshua— Some interpreters are of opinion from these words, that Moses, before his death, gave some intimation and orders to Joshua respecting the passage of the Jordan, and the erection of the monuments destined to perpetuate the memory of that event. But the whole meaning of the expression seems to be, that Joshua behaved on this occasion with all that prudence, confidence in God, fidelity and courage, wherewith Moses had wished to inspire him. See Deuteronomy 3:28.
And the people hasted and passed over— This may be understood of a certain number of Israelites, who stayed behind to attend the motions of the ark; or of those twelve men who had reared the twelve stones in the bottom of the river. But where is the difficulty of supposing with some, that the Israelites hastened, either to complete their passage before night came on, or because the sight of the waters, suspended on their right, struck them with terror? In so numerous a multitude, it is not credible that all hearts were animated with the same confidence. We should apprehend, therefore, that these words insinuate, that fear really did hasten the Israelites' march; while the priests, on the contrary, who bare the ark, continued unshaken in their post, till, there remaining no one upon the eastern shore, nor in the bed of the river, they moved on also to cross it in sight of all Israel, who, from the western bank, beheld them with admiration.