Matthew Poole and continuators on Joshua 3:17

17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan , and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

i. e. In one and the same place and posture; their [illegible: 1+ letters]eet neither moved by any Waters flowing in upon them, nor finking into any mire, which one might think was at the bottom of the River. And this may be opposed unto their other standing in the brink of the water when they came to it, commanded, v. 8. which was but for a while, till the Waters were divided and gone away; and then they were to go further, even into the midst of Iordan, as is here said, where they are to stand constantly and fixedly, as this Hebrew word signifies, until all were passed over. If it be said, that what is prescribed, v. 8. is here said to be executed; and therefore the midst of Iordan here, is the same place with the brink of the water of Iordan, v. 8. It may be answered, That the manifest variation of the Phrase shews, that it is not absolutely the same thing or place which is spoken of there and here; but what is there enjoyned, is here executed with advantage; for when it is said, that they stood firm—in the midst of Iordan, it must needs be supposed, that they first came to the brink of the water, and that they stood there for a season till the Waters were cut off and dried up, as appears from the nature of the thing; and that they went further, even into the midst of Iordan.

Either, 1. within Iordan, as it is expressed above, v. 8. for that Phrase doth not always signifie the exact middle of a place, but any part within it, as appears from Gen. 45. 6. Exod. 8. 22. and 24. 18. Iosh. 7. 13. and 10. 13. Prov. 30. 19. Or rather, 2. in the middle and deepest part of the River. For, 1. words should be taken properly, where they may without any inconveniency, which is the case here. 2. The Ark went before them to direct, and encourage and secure them in the dangers of their Passages, for which ends the middle was the fittest place. 3. In this sense this same Phrase is used Iosh. 4. v. 3, 8. For certainly those Stones which were to be Witnesses and Monuments of their Passage over Iordan, should not be taken from the brink or brim of the River, or from the shore which Iordan overflowed only at that season, but from the most inward and deepest parts of the River; and v. 16, 17, 18. where the Priests are said to ascend or come up out of Iordan, and out of the midst of Iordan—unto the dry land; whereas had this been meant only of the first entrance into the River, they must have been said first to go down into Iordan, and then to go up to the land.