The Bible does not give an exact number of Israelites who crossed the Jordan River. It does state that there were approximately 600,000 fighting men, and some scholars calculate that this would represent at least 2.5 million Israelites when women, children, priests, and elderly people are included.
Joshua 3 describes the entire nation crossing the Jordan on dry ground after God stopped the river’s overflowing waters. The account emphasizes the miracle and the people’s obedience, but it does not specify how long the crossing took or provide a precise total for everyone who crossed.
The Israelites’ Arrival at the Jordan
Just before the death of Moses, the Israelites arrived at the plains of Moab, making their camp at Shittim, northeast of the Dead Sea (Num. 25:1; Deut. 34). From there, Joshua sent two spies to the Canaanite city of Jericho in order to get a sense of what the residents of the promised land thought about the Israelites who were soon to invade.
These spies reported that the Canaanites were afraid of the Israelites because of the mighty acts that brought Israel out of slavery and defeated Egypt (Josh. 2). This set the stage for Israel to invade the land, as God commanded them to do (chap. 1).
To enter the promised land, the Israelites had to move west across the Jordan River. Joshua ordered the people to set out from Shittim, and they came to the Jordan, where they camped for three days (3:1-2).
How Many People Were in Israel?
The Bible says that there were 600,000 fighting men. Scholars calculate that this would mean at least 2.5 million Israelites, including women, children, priests and the elderly.
The Israelites also had cattle, which would have been driven across the river with the people. Therefore, the crossing involved not only fighting men, but an entire population and its livestock.
| Group or feature | Information |
|---|---|
| Fighting men | 600,000 |
| Estimated total population | At least 2.5 million Israelites |
| Additional animals | Cattle |
| Crossing conditions | Dry ground |
| River condition | Overflowing its banks |
Why the Jordan Was Difficult to Cross
It was springtime, when the Jordan would have been a rushing torrent of water due to the melting of the mountain snow. Joshua 3:15 reports that the river was overflowing at that time, and the riverbanks would have been covered with thick brambles.
The Israelites faced a river that was seemingly impossible to cross, and the three-day delay would have impressed on them the difficulty of their situation. God would have to intervene for them to enter the land.
The size of the group makes the event especially significant. A population of at least 2.5 million people, together with cattle, had to cross a river that was overflowing its banks. The crossing was therefore not an ordinary movement from one side of the river to the other.
How God Stopped the Jordan River
Joshua ordered the priests to pick up the ark and carry it before the people (vv. 1-6). Normally, non-priestly Levites carried the ark (Num. 4:15), but the fact that the priests carried the ark and that they went before the people highlights the importance of the event.
The ark was the physical representation of God’s presence in Israel (Ex. 25:22), and its movement here indicates that the Lord would lead the people into the land. The people had to stay far from the ark and to “consecrate” themselves to follow it, for God is a holy God and the land into which they were going would be holy to Him.
This careful preparation indicated that what was about to happen would demonstrate to the Israelites that God would be driving out the Canaanites and giving the land to His people. But lest they have any doubts, Joshua told Israel that God was going to do something to show His power and will to give Canaan to them (Josh. 3:7-13).
And God did intervene with a miracle similar to the crossing of the Red Sea. When the priests carrying the ark put their feet in the water overflowing the banks of the Jordan River, the water stopped and the people crossed over on dry land (vv. 14-17; see Ex. 14).
The account does not state how many people crossed at one time or how wide the crossing area was. It also does not say precisely how long the people remained on the dry riverbed. It simply records that the people crossed after the waters stopped and that the priests carrying the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan while the nation crossed.
How Long Might the Crossing Have Taken?
The Bible does not really answer this question, although the story implies a fairly quick passage. But we can do some calculations to determine how long it would have taken.
The Bible also says that the Israelites had cattle, which would also have been driven across. Travelling several persons abreast, we could start by assuming that on average one person crossed every second, day and night for twenty-four hours a day.
Two and a half million people would take up to 29 days to cross.
This estimate is not a stated biblical timetable. It is a calculation based on assumptions about the number of people crossing, the speed of movement, the width of the procession, and whether the movement continued day and night.
The Priests and the Ark
The priests carrying the ark went before the people. Their position made the ark the visible sign that God was leading Israel into the promised land.
When the priests carrying the ark put their feet in the water overflowing the banks of the Jordan River, the water stopped and the people crossed over on dry land (vv. 14-17; see Ex. 14).
The priests stood in the middle of the Jordan while the nation crossed. This detail underscores the continuing presence of the priests at the center of the miracle, although the biblical account does not provide an exact duration for their time there.
Other Biblical Accounts of Divided Waters
God parted a river or sea 4 times in the Bible.
| Event | Reference |
|---|---|
| God parted the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites | Ex 14:21-22 |
| God parted the Jordan River for Joshua and the Israelites | Josh 3:14-17 |
| God parted the Jordan River for Elijah | 2 Kin 2:8-9 |
| God parted the Jordan River for Elisha | 2 Kin 2:14 |
Some add (Gen 1:6-7) to this list.
Other verses related to this subject include (Neh 9:11)(Ps 66:6)(Ps 78:13)(Ps 106:9)(Ps 114:3,5)(Ps 136:13)(Isa 11:15)(Isa 51:10)(Isa 63:12-13)(1 Cor 10:1)(Heb 11:29).
The Jordan River Just Revealed Something That PROVES Revelation Is Happening
The Relationship to the Red Sea Crossing
And God did intervene with a miracle similar to the crossing of the Red Sea. When the priests carrying the ark put their feet in the water overflowing the banks of the Jordan River, the water stopped and the people crossed over on dry land (vv. 14-17; see Ex. 14).
If God could accomplish that, surely He could defeat the armies of Canaan.
The Jordan crossing therefore served not only as a means of entering the promised land, but also as a demonstration that God had the power to fulfill His promise. The people were facing a natural obstacle, but the event showed that the obstacle would not prevent them from entering the land.
The Location and the Events Connected with Elijah
A number of sources say that the place after crossing the Jordan where Elijah was taken up to Heaven in a chariot of fire after making Elisha his successor, was the approximately same place where Moses died after making Joshua his successor (Deut 34:1-6).
This connection places the crossing of the Jordan within a wider pattern of leadership transitions. Moses died after making Joshua his successor, and Elijah was taken up to Heaven after making Elisha his successor.
The biblical accounts of the Jordan being divided for Elijah and Elisha are recorded in (2 Kin 2:8-9) and (2 Kin 2:14).
The Significance of the Crossing
This set the stage for Israel to invade the land, as God commanded them to do (chap. 1). The crossing marked the transition from Israel’s wilderness journey to its entrance into Canaan.
This careful preparation indicated that what was about to happen would demonstrate to the Israelites that God would be driving out the Canaanites and giving the land to His people.
The large number of people involved makes the crossing an extraordinary event. At least 2.5 million Israelites, according to the cited calculation, together with cattle, crossed a river whose banks were already overflowing, apparently on dry ground.
What an amazing adventure for Joshua (at approximately eighty years old)! And what great faith to trust in the Lords promise and command.
This faith pleased the Lord and as a result of such great faith and trust, an entire nation of 2.5 million crossed a river whose banks were already overflowing…apparetly on dry ground? …with the priests standing the entire time?