Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

This day will I begin to magnify thee - By making him the instrument in this miraculous passage, he did him honor and gave him high credit in the sight of the people: hence his authority was established, and obedience to him as their leader fully secured. What must have confirmed this authority was, his circumstantially foretelling how the waters should be cut off as soon as the feet of the priests had touched them, Joshua 3:13. This demonstrated that the secret of the Lord was with him.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

This day will I begin to magnify thee - One cause why the miracle now to be narrated was performed is here suggested. As Moses was declared to he sent immediately from God with an extraordinary commission by the miracles which he worked, more especially that of dividing the Red Sea in two parts, so was Joshua both sent and accredited in a like manner. (Compare Joshua 1:5, and Joshua 4:14.) Other reasons are given in Joshua 3:10; Joshua 5:1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the Lord said unto Joshua,.... Out of the tabernacle:

this day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel; by working the miracle afterwards related; dividing the waters, which was done on this day, and was but the beginning of wonders; for other great and marvellous things were done for him and by him, by which it appeared he was high in the favour of God, greatly esteemed and honoured by him, and so would be great and honourable in the account of the people:

that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; by dividing the waters of Jordan for him, as he had divided the waters of the Red sea for Moses; which, as it was a token of his powerful presence with him, this would be a like token of it with Joshua. The Targum is,"as my Word was for the help of Moses, so shall my Word be for thy help.'

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

God had before honoured Joshua when returning from searching out the promised land. But not in so eminent a manner as now. I hope the Reader in keeping his eye all along upon Joshua as a type of the ever blessed Jesus, will not forget that it was from the same river of Jordan, and on the entrance of his ministry, that Jesus began to be so distinguished in honour, when a voice from heaven declared him to be the only beloved son of his Father. See Matthew 3:16-17.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

Magnify thee — That is, to gain thee authority among them, as the person whom I have set in Moses's stead, and by whom I will conduct them to the possession of the promised land.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Joshua 3:7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, [so] I will be with thee.

Ver. 7. This day will I begin to magnify thee,] viz., In the esteem of the people. It is God that giveth honour; he fashioneth men’s opinions: he caused that "whatsoever David did pleased the people."

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 7. And the Lord said unto Joshua— It was not merely of himself, that Joshua gave to the priests the orders mentioned in the foregoing verse. Immediately on the priests' approaching the sanctuary, a voice issued from it, and spake to Joshua as in this and the subsequent verse. This day, viz. the

10th of the first month, called Nisan, was the day on which the law enjoined the paschal lamb to be set apart from the flock, to be offered four days after.

Will I begin, &c.— "This day, after having raised thee to the rank which Moses occupied, I proceed to signalize the first-fruits of thy ministry by prodigies, which shall convince all Israel that thou art the lawful interpreter of my commands, the respectable executor of my counsels; and that they are to place no less confidence in thee, than they did in Moses." It is remarkable, that from the time of Moses to that of Saul, God always signified to the people by some miracle the choice he had made of the person who was to govern them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

i.e. To gain thee authority and reputation among them, as the person whom I have set in Moses’s stead, and by whom I will conduct them to the possession of the promised land.

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

‘And YHWH said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” ’

God now revealed to Joshua His purpose, that the people might realise that the God Who had revealed His power on Egypt was equally with Joshua. He knew how important it was at this critical stage that the people had an unrivalled leader in whom they could trust.

“That they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” As the waters divided and they walked across on dry land, and remembered how their fathers had done it so long ago, they would be aware that here was another Moses who enjoyed the full backing of YHWH, and through whom YHWH would reveal His power.

Throughout the narrative we will be told that YHWH spoke to Joshua, but no hint is given as to how this took place, whether by commands within his mind impressed on him, or by a spoken voice. That it was YHWH Who spoke comes out in what results from obedience to His commands.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

7.This day will I begin to magnify thee — This was only the beginning of a glorious succession of miracles attesting the divine commission of Joshua. Jehovah pledges to make Joshua great in the estimation of the people, and thus secure to him their promised loyalty and obedience. Compare Joshua 1:17.

As I was with Moses — As I crowned Moses with divine honour when, at the outstretching of his rod, I divided the waters of the Red Sea, so will I honour thee by rolling back the Jordan, when, at thy command, the symbol of my presence shall be borne to the river’s brink. Special honour had been put upon Joshua when he was permitted to accompany Moses up the Mount, but it was eclipsed by the greater honour of his master, who alone was permitted to enter the cloud of the glory of the Lord. Exodus 24:13-16. Moses on a former occasion (Deuteronomy 31:7) had magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel, but now a Greater than Moses is about to magnify him in the sight of all mankind.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

Joshua 3:7. This day will I begin to magnify thee — That is, to honour thee in a peculiar manner, and gain thee authority; in the sight of all Israel — As the person I have set in Moses’s stead, and by whom I will conduct them into the promised land. It has been observed by some, as a remarkable circumstance, that, from the time of Moses to that of Saul, God always signified to the people, by some miracle, whom he had appointed to govern them.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Also. Grotius remarks that God made known his choice of the governors of his people by miracles, till the days of Saul. In effect, we hardly find any, before that time, whose public authority was not sanctioned by some prodigy. (Calmet)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

the LORD (Hebrew. Jehovah. said unto Joshua (or him), at nine sundry times: Joshua 3:7; Joshua 5:2; Joshua 6:2; Joshua 7:10, Joshua 8:1, Joshua 8:18; Joshua 10:8; Joshua 11:6; Joshua 13:1.

as = according as.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

The Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee. Joshua had already received distinguished honours (Exodus 24:13; Deuteronomy 31:7). But a higher token of the divine favour was now to be publicly bestowed on him, and evidence given, in the same unmistakeable manner, that his mission and authority were from God, as were those of Moses (Exodus 14:31).

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(7) The Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee . . .—Compare Joshua 4:14, “on that day the Lord magnified Joshua.” These words mark the beginning and end of the section. The details that follow in Joshua 4:15, &c., seem to be added by way of appendix. The passage of Jordan, being the principal event, is exhibited by itself; and other particulars of attendant circumstances are given separately. A somewhat similar plan appears to be adopted in Joshua 10, but the arrangement of both narratives is at first sight somewhat complex, and not quite clear.

It is here stated that the passage of Jordan was to be to Joshua what the giving of the law at Sinai was to Moses, “that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever” (Exodus 19:9). But the power which establishes Joshua is the work of the written instead of the spoken word.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

magnify thee

4:14; 1 Chronicles 29:25; 2 Chronicles 1:1; Job 7:17; Psalms 18:35; John 17:1; Philippians 1:20; Philippians 2:9-11

that, as I was

1:5,17