Joshua 3:6

Joshua 3:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
• New International Version (NIV)Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

Context of Joshua 3:6

4However, stay about half a mile behind them. Don’t come any closer to them so that you will know which way to go because you have not gone this way before.” 5Joshua told the people, “Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy because tomorrow the Lord will do miracles among you.” Joshua also told the priests, “Take the ark of the promise, and go ahead of the people.” They did as they were told. 7Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to honor you in front of all the people of Israel. I will do this to let them know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. 8Order the priests who carry the ark of the promise, ‘When you step into the water of the Jordan River, stand there.’ ”

Joshua 3:6 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֔ר שְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן הַבְּרִ֔ית וְעִבְר֖וּ לִפְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וַיִּשְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן הַבְּרִ֔ית וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ לִפְנֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091
• spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• Take upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375
• the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
• of the covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• and pass overעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212

Cross-references for Joshua 3:6

• Joshua 3:3They told the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the promise of the Lord your God and the Levitical priests who carry it, break camp and follow them.
• Numbers 14:15But if you kill all these people at the same time, then the nations who have heard these reports about you will say,
• Numbers 10:33So they left the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the Lord’s promise went ahead of them a distance of three days’ journey to find them a place to rest.
• Micah 2:13⌞The Lord⌟ will open the way and lead them. They will break out, go through the gate, and leave. Their king will travel in front of them. The Lord will lead the people.
• John 14:2My Father’s house has many rooms. If that were not true, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you?
• Hebrews 6:20where Jesus went before us on our behalf. He has become the chief priest forever in the way Melchizedek was a priest.

Commentaries on Joshua 3:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark - It is remarkable that the priests, not the Levites, whose ordinary business it was were employed to carry the ark on this occasion. Calmet conjectures that this was because it was probably carried without being wrapped up in its curtains, as it always was when the Levites carried it. Though it was the business of the Levites, the sons of Kohath, to carry the ark; yet on certain occasions the priests alone…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6They took up - i. e. on the day following. The course of events is anticipated.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. Joshua spake unto the priests--This order to the priests would be given privately, and involving as it did an important change in the established order of march, it must be considered as announced in the name and by the authority of God. Moreover, as soon as the priests stepped into the waters of Jordan, they were to stand still. The ark was to accomplish what had been done by the rod of Moses. Jos 3:7, 8. The Lord Encourages Joshua.Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 3:6

• Ark
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• Joshua
• Ark of the Covenant
• Ark
• Brim
• Clean
• Fail
• Exodus, the Book of
• Joshua (2)
• Joshua, Book of
• Priests and Levites

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