How did Israel manage to cross the Jordan River on dry ground?
Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground because God supernaturally stopped the river’s flow. As the priests carrying the ark dipped their feet into the water, the waters coming from above were cut off, stood in a heap, and remained held back even at flood stage until all the people passed over.
Les explains that this was a supernatural, miraculous event: God simply stopped the waters of the Jordan River from flowing, so they piled up and Israel crossed over on dry ground. The Scriptural account says the priests bearing the ark dipped their feet in the brim of the water, and the waters coming down from above were cut off and stood in a heap. This happened when the Jordan overflowed all its banks during harvest, identified as barley harvest in early spring, March or April. The priests stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, showing how completely God held back the waters even at flood stage, and the people walked over on dry ground until all had passed over, as they did out of Egypt. Chapter 4 then sets up the memorial of twelve stones.