אַ֣ךְ ׀ רָח֣וֹק יִהְיֶ֗ה בֵּֽינֵיכֶם֙ ובינו [וּבֵינָ֔יו] כְּאַלְפַּ֥יִם אַמָּ֖ה בַּמִּדָּ֑ה אַֽל־תִּקְרְב֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו לְמַ֤עַן אֲשֶׁר־תֵּֽדְעוּ֙ אֶת־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽלְכוּ־בָ֔הּ כִּ֣י לֹ֧א עֲבַרְתֶּ֛ם בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ מִתְּמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃ (ס)
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure; come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore.’
Rashi on Joshua
But there must be a distance. This was mandated out of respect for Hashem.
Rashi on Joshua
And it. [Even though the word וּבֵינָו is read as וּבֵינָיו ] [which usually indicates the plural] nevertheless here, it refers to the Ark. Similarly, ‘Yisroel will rejoice in its Maker.’4Tehillim 149:2. In this verse too, the word בִעשָׂיו would seem to indicate a plural, yet it is singular, i.e., its Maker. Another explanation: there were actually two Arks,5Accordingly the word וּבֵינָיו correctly indicated a plural, i.e., the two Arks. there Ark of the Divine Presence, and the Ark containing the bones of Yosef, which travelled together.
Rashi on Joshua
Two thousand Amos. To permit them to go and to pray before the Ark on Shabbos.6Two thousand Amos was the limit permitted for a Jew to walk outside his domain on Shabbos. This is the explanation of Midrash Tanchumah, for Yehoshua knew that eventually they would beseige Yericho on Shabbos.