Joshua 3:8

Joshua 3:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
• New International Version (NIV)Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, 'When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’ ”

Context of Joshua 3:8

6He said to the priests, ‘Pick up the Covenant Box, and carry it in front of the people.’ So they picked it up, and they went on in front of the people. 7Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I will begin to make all the Israelite people respect you. They will know that I am with you, in the same way that I was with Moses. The priests that are carrying the Covenant Box must go to the shore of the Jordan River. Tell them to go into the water and to stand there.’ 9Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10The God who lives for ever is with you. He will certainly chase the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites out from this land. Then you will have their land. The Lord will show you that he will certainly do this.

Joshua 3:8 word by word

וְאַתָּ֗ה תְּצַוֶּה֙ אֶת־הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים נֹשְׂאֵ֥י אֲרֽוֹן־הַבְּרִ֖ית לֵאמֹ֑ר כְּבֹאֲכֶ֗ם עַד־קְצֵה֙ מֵ֣י הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן בַּיַּרְדֵּ֖ן תַּעֲמֹֽדוּ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And thou shalt commandצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• that bearנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
• the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
• of the covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• When ye are comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to the brinkקָצֶהqâtseh qêtseh · endH7097
• of the waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• of Jordanיַרְדֵּןyardên · JordanH3383
• ye shall stand stillעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975

Cross-references for Joshua 3:8

• Joshua 3:3They commanded the people, ‘The Levite priests will carry the Covenant Box of the Lord your God. When you see them, you must leave here and you must follow them.
• 1 Chronicles 15:11Then David told the priests Zadok and Abiathar to come to him. He also told these Levites to come: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab.
• 2 Chronicles 17:8He sent these Levites to go with them: Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah. He also sent the priests, Elishama and Jehoram.
• 2 Chronicles 29:4He brought together the priests and the Levites in the yard at the east side of the temple.
• 2 Chronicles 30:12As for the people of Judah, God caused them to accept the command that the king and his officers had given. They all agreed together to do what the Lord wanted them to do.
• 2 Chronicles 31:9Hezekiah asked the priests and the Levites about the heaps of gifts from the people.
• 2 Chronicles 35:2Josiah told the priests the jobs that they should do. He told them to be strong as they served the Lord in his temple.
• Nehemiah 12:24The leaders of the Levites were: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Kadmiel's son, Jeshua, and their relatives. The two groups stood opposite each other to sing and praise and thank God. They did this in the way that God's servant, King David, had commanded.
• Nehemiah 13:22Then I told the Levites that they must make themselves ready to serve God. I told them to go and stand at the gates as guards. They must keep the Sabbath day as a special day for God. My God, please remember this good thing that I have done. Because of your faithful love, please be kind to me.
• Joshua 3:17The priests stood in the middle of the river on dry ground, with the Lord's Covenant Box. While they stood there, all the Israelite people walked across the river on dry ground. In that way, the whole nation arrived on the other side of the river.
• Exodus 14:13Then Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid! Be brave! You will see how the Lord will save you today. Look at the Egyptians over there. You will never see them again!
• Lamentations 3:26It is good when people continue to hope. It is good when they quietly wait for the Lord, because he will save them.

Commentaries on Joshua 3:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Ye shall stand still in Jordan - The priests proceeded first with the ark, and entered into the bed of the river the course of which was immediately arrested, the waters collecting above the place where the priests stood, while the stream fell off towards the Dead Sea; so that the whole channel below where the priests were standing became dry. The whole camp, therefore, passed over below where the priests were standing, keeping at the distance of two…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 The waters of Jordan shall be cut off. This must be done in such a way as never was done, but in the dividing of the Red sea. That miracle is here repeated; God has the same power to finish the salvation of his people, as to begin it; the WORD of the Lord was as truly with Joshua as with Moses. God's appearances for his people ought to encourage faith and hope. God's work is perfect, he will keep his people. Jordan's flood cannot keep out…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8As they crossed the Jordan River, the ark led the way until the feet of the priests entered the water. The priests were to stand in the Jordan River, not on dry land. By carrying the ark into the water first, the obedient priests demonstrated their faith (compare James 2:18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-87-8. the Lord said to Joshua, This day will I ... magnify thee in the sight of all Israel--Joshua had already received distinguished honors (Ex 24:13; De 31:7). But a higher token of the divine favor was now to be publicly bestowed on him, and evidence given in the same unmistakable manner that his mission and authority were from God as was that of Moses (Ex 14:31).Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Jordan
• Jordan River, Jordan
• Ark of the Covenant
• Brim
• Clean
• Fail
• Brink
• Exodus, the Book of
• Joshua (2)
• Joshua, Book of

Commentaries on Joshua 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings