Nisan 7 – Within three days you are to pass over the Jordan…

April 5, 2025

01 – Nisan, Gadites, Jordan, Joshua, Joshua, Manasseh, Moses, Reubenites

Nisan 7, 5785; from sunset April 4, 2025, to sunset April 5, 2025

(The seventh day of the first month)

This is the name Yehoshua (Joshua); Joshua means “The LORD Saves.” The top image was written ~2,000 years ago and was found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. The bottom image was written ~1,000 years ago and is from the Aleppo Codex (the Crown of Aleppo). The top image was written on a scroll, possibly in Qumran, near the Dead Sea. The bottom is in a bound manuscript, written in Tiberias, near the Sea of Galilee, which later made its way to Aleppo (Syria). The Aleppo Codex is now housed in the Shrine of the Book alongside the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Today in the Bible is the traditional date ending the thirty day mourning period for Moses. It’s on this day that Joshua instructed the tribal leaders to stock up on provisions and prepare to cross the Jordan River. This was the first time Joshua addressed the nation, and they embraced him as their new leader.

Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, “Pass through the camp, and command the people, `Prepare your provisions; for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land which the LORD your God gives you to possess.’”

And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, `The LORD your God is providing you a place of rest, and will give you this land.’ Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle shall remain in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brethren and shall help them, until the LORD gives rest to your brethren as well as to you, and they also take possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving them; then you shall return to the land of your possession, and shall possess it, the land which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses! Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.” – Joshua 1:1-18 (RSV)

To read all of our posts about Joshua, please click on the image above.