God’s Word Translation
Joshua 4:2
2“Choose one man from each of the 12 tribes.
Joshua 4:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
- New International Version (NIV)“Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe,
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe,
Context of Joshua 4:2
1The whole nation finished crossing the Jordan River. The Lord had told Joshua, “Choose one man from each of the 12 tribes. 3Order them to pick up 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan, where the priests’ feet stood firmly. Take the stones along with you, and set them down where you will camp tonight.” 4Joshua called the 12 men whom he had selected (one from each tribe).
Read all of Joshua 4Joshua 4:2 word by word
קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ מִן־הָעָ֔ם שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר אֲנָשִׁ֑ים אִישׁ־אֶחָ֥ד אִישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד מִשָּֽׁבֶט׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Joshua 4:2
- Joshua 3:12Choose one man from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.
- Numbers 1:4One man from each tribe will help you. Each of these men must be the head of a household.
- Numbers 13:2“Send men to explore Canaan, which I’m giving to the Israelites. Send one leader from each of their ancestors’ tribes.”
- Numbers 34:18You must also take one leader from each tribe to divide the land.
- Deuteronomy 1:23It seemed like a good idea to me. So I chose 12 of your men, one from each tribe.
- 1 Kings 18:31Elijah took 12 stones, one for each of the tribes named after Jacob’s sons. (The Lord had spoken his word to Jacob: “Your name will be Israel.”)
- Matthew 10:15I can guarantee this truth: Judgment day will be better for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city.
Commentaries on Joshua 4:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Take you twelve men - From Joshua 3:12, it appears that the twelve men had been before appointed, one taken out of each of the twelve tribes; and now they are employed for that purpose for which they had been before selected.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Take you twelve men - The order is given in the plural, because no doubt the tribes themselves were to choose their own representatives, the choice being approved by Joshua Joshua 4:4. These twelve would be left with Joshua on the hither bank of the river, waiting to receive his orders after the rest of the people had made their way across Joshua 3:17; Joshua 4:1.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Choose twelve men: These men represented Jacob’s 12 sons. The tribe of Levi was not counted because the Levites settled in designated cities among the other tribes (Genesis 49:5–7; Numbers 1:49–52; 18:20). However, the number of tribes remained at 12 because Joseph’s two sons (Ephraim and Manasseh) were accounted as separate tribes (Genesis 48:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-81-3. the Lord spake unto Joshua, Take you twelve men--each representing a tribe. They had been previously chosen for this service (Jos 3:12), and the repetition of the command is made here solely to introduce the account of its execution. Though Joshua had been divinely instructed to erect a commemorative pile, the representatives were not apprised of the work they were to do till the time of the passage.Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 4:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 4
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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