Joshua 3:4

Joshua 3:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

Context of Joshua 3:4

2And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the army; 3And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Yhwh your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. 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. 5And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow Yhwh will do wonders among you. 6And 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.

Joshua 3:4 word by word

אַ֣ךְ׀ רָח֣וֹק יִהְיֶ֗ה בֵּֽינֵיכֶם֙ וּבֵינָ֔יו כְּאַלְפַּ֥יִם אַמָּ֖ה בַּמִּדָּ֑ה אַֽל־תִּקְרְב֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו לְמַ֤עַן אֲשֶׁר־תֵּֽדְעוּ֙ אֶת־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֵּֽלְכוּ־בָ֔הּ כִּ֣י לֹ֧א עֲבַרְתֶּ֛ם בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ מִתְּמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃ סRead the interlinear

• Yet there shall be a spaceרָחֹקrâchôq râchôq · distantH7350
• between you and it, about two thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• cubitsאַמָּה'ammâh · cubitH520
• by measureמִדָּהmiddâh · measureH4060
• come not nearקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• unto it, that ye may knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• by which ye must goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• for ye have not passedעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• heretoforeשִׁלְשֹׁםshilshôm shilshôm · three days agoH8032
• heretoforeתְּמוֹלtemôl temôl · yesterdayH8543

Cross-references for Joshua 3:4

• Exodus 3:5And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
• Exodus 19:12And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
• Psalms 89:7God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
• Hebrews 12:28Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
• Genesis 31:2And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
• Exodus 4:10And Moses said unto Yhwh, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
• 1 Chronicles 11:2And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: And Yhwh thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.
• Isaiah 30:33For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Yhwh, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

Commentaries on Joshua 3:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4About two thousand cubits - This distance they were to keep, For the greater respect, because the presence of the ark was the symbol and pledge of the Divine presence. 2. That the ark, which was to be their pilot over these waters, might be the more conspicuous which it could not have been had the people crowded upon it.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The ark, which was since the making of the covenant the special shrine and seat of God‘s presence, went before to show the people that God, through its medium, was their leader. They were to follow at a distance that they might the better observe and mark how the miracle was accomplished. This they would do to the greatest advantage while coming down the heights, the ark going on before them into the ravine.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between yourselves and the ark: God did this so they would not become careless about his presence. They were to respond to God with deep respect and awe, because God is holy.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-42-4. the officers went through the host; And they commanded the people--The instructions given at this time and in this place were different from those described (Jos 1:11).Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 3:4

• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• Brim
• Clean
• Fail
• Ark of the Covenant
• Exodus, the Book of
• Heretofore
• Joshua (2)
• Joshua, Book of
• Priests and Levites
• Sabbath Day's Journey

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