New English Translation
Joshua 4:3
3Instruct them, ‘Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.’”
Joshua 4:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
- New International Version (NIV)and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)and command them, saying, 'Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.’ ”
Context of Joshua 4:3
1When the entire nation was on the other side, the Lord told Joshua, 2“Select for yourselves twelve men from the people, one per tribe. Instruct them, ‘Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.’” 4Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per tribe. 5Joshua told them, “Go in front of the ark of the Lord your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes.
Read all of Joshua 4Joshua 4:3 word by word
וְצַוּ֣וּ אוֹתָם֮ לֵאמֹר֒ שְׂאֽוּ־לָכֶ֨ם מִזֶּ֜ה מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן מִמַּצַּב֙ רַגְלֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים הָכִ֖ין שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה אֲבָנִ֑ים וְהַעֲבַרְתֶּ֤ם אוֹתָם֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם וְהִנַּחְתֶּ֣ם אוֹתָ֔ם בַּמָּל֕וֹן אֲשֶׁר־תָּלִ֥ינוּ ב֖וֹ הַלָּֽיְלָה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And commandצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- ye them, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Takeנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375
- you hence out of the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of Jordanיַרְדֵּןyardên · JordanH3383
- out of the place where the priests’כֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- feetרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
- stoodמַצָּבmatstsâb · stationH4673
- firmכּוּןkûn · to establish: establishH3559
- twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
- and ye shall carry them overעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: bringH5674
- with you, and leaveיָנַחyânach · to restH3240
- them in the lodging placeמָלוֹןmâlôn · lodgingH4411
- where ye shall lodgeלוּןlûn lîyn · to lodgeH3885
- this nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
Cross-references for Joshua 4:3
- Joshua 3:13When the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Ruler of the whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, the water coming downstream toward you will stop flowing and pile up.”
- Joshua 24:27Joshua said to all the people, “Look, this stone will be a witness against you, for it has heard everything the Lord said to us. It will be a witness against you if you deny your God.”
- Genesis 28:22Then this stone that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely give you back a tenth of everything you give me.”
- Deuteronomy 27:1Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Pay attention to all the commandments I am giving you today.
- 1 Samuel 7:12Samuel took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Up to here the Lord has helped us.”
- Psalms 103:2Praise the Lord, O my soul! Do not forget all his kind deeds!
- Psalms 11:4The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; his eyes examine all people.
- Luke 19:40He answered, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the very stones will cry out!”
- Joshua 4:18The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the middle of the Jordan, and as soon as they set foot on dry land, the water of the Jordan flowed again and returned to flood stage.
Commentaries on Joshua 4:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Where ye shall lodge this night - This was in the place that was afterwards called Gilgal. See Joshua 4:19.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 4:3
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
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