Joshua 3

Joshua · Chapter 3

Joshua 3:16

1And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.2And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;3And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.4Yet 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 the LORD 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.7And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.8And 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.9And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.10And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.12Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.13And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.14And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;15And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)16That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.17And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
16That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.that the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap, a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and they stoodוַיַּעַמְד֡וּvai-ya-'am-DUH5975G
to stand: stand

עָמַד (a.mad) : stand/stop/establish 1) to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to stand, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of 1a2) to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease 1a3) to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast 1a4) to make a stand, hold one's ground 1a5) to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright 1a6) to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against …

the watersהַמַּיִם֩ha-ma-YIMH4325G
water

מַי (ma.yim) 1) water, waters 1a) water 1b) water of the feet, urine 1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)

which came downהַיֹּרְדִ֨יםhai-yo-re-DIMH3381
to go down

יָרַד (ya.rad) 1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come down 1a2) to sink 1a3) to be prostrated 1a4) to come down (of revelation) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to bring down 1b2) to send down 1b3) to take down 1b4) to lay prostrate 1b5) to let down 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought down 1c2) to be taken down

from to above towardsמִלְמַ֜עְלָהmil-MA'-lahH4605
above

מַ֫עַל (ma.al) subst 1) higher part, upper part adv 1a) above prep 1b) on the top of, above, on higher ground than with locative 1c) upwards, higher, above

they roseקָ֣מוּKA-muH6965B
to arise: rise

קוּם (qum) : rise/get_going 1) to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to arise 1a2) to arise (hostile sense) 1a3) to arise, become powerful 1a4) to arise, come on the scene 1a5) to stand 1a5a) to maintain oneself 1a5b) to be established, be confirmed 1a5c) to stand, endure 1a5d) to be fixed 1a5e) to be valid 1a5f) to be proven 1a5g) to be fulfilled 1a5h) to persist 1a5i) to be set, be fixed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to fulfil 1b2) to confirm, ratify, establish, impose 1c) (Polel) to raise up 1d) (Hithpael) to raise oneself, rise up 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause to arise, raise …

a heapנֵד־ned-H5067
heap

נֵד (ned) heap

oneאֶחָ֗ד'e-CHADH0259
one

אֶחָד (e.chad) 1) one (number) 1a) one (number) 1b) each, every 1c) a certain 1d) an (indefinite article) 1e) only, once, once for all 1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one 1g) first 1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)

far awayהַרְחֵ֨קhar-CHEKH7368
to remove

רָחַק (ra.chaq) v 1) to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away 1a) (Qal) to be far, be distant 1b) (Piel) to send far away, extend 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to make or exhibit distance, be gone far 1c2) to remove, put far away 2) (Niphal) loose v inf (as adv) 3) at a distance

veryמְאֹ֜דme-'ODH3966
much

מְאֹד (me.od) adv 1) exceedingly, much subst 2) might, force, abundance n m 3) muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly 3a) force, might 3b) exceedingly, greatly, very (idioms showing magnitude or degree) 3b1) exceedingly 3b2) up to abundance, to a great degree, exceedingly 3b3) with muchness, muchness

from Adamמֵֽאָדָ֤םme-'a-damH0121H
Adam

אָדָם (a.dam) Adam = "red" city in Jordan valley

the cityהָעִיר֙ha-'IRH5892B
city

עִיר (ir) 1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town

whichאֲשֶׁר֙'a-SHERH0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

[is] from [the] side ofמִצַּ֣דmi-TZADH6654
side

צַד (tsad) side Aramaic equivalent: tsad (צַד "side" H6655)

Zarethanצָֽרְתָ֔ןtza-re-TANH6891
Zeredah

צְרֵדָה (tse.re.dah) Zereda or Zeredathah = "fortress" a town or territory in Manasseh and the home of Jeroboam Another name of tsa.re.tan (צָֽרְתָן "Zarethan" H6891)

and which went downוְהַיֹּרְדִ֗יםve-hai-yo-re-DIMH3381
to go down

יָרַד (ya.rad) 1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come down 1a2) to sink 1a3) to be prostrated 1a4) to come down (of revelation) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to bring down 1b2) to send down 1b3) to take down 1b4) to lay prostrate 1b5) to let down 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought down 1c2) to be taken down

toעַ֣ל'alH5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

[the] sea ofיָ֧םyamH3220G
sea

יָם (yam) : sea 1) sea 1a) Mediterranean Sea 1b) Red Sea 1c) Dead Sea 1d) Sea of Galilee 1e) sea (general) 1f) mighty river (Nile) 1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court) 1h) seaward, west, westward

the Arabahהָעֲרָבָ֛הha-'a-ra-VAHH6160K
Arabah

עֲרָבָה (a.ra.vah) § desert plain, steppe, desert, wilderness

[the] Sea ofיָם־yom-H3220G
sea

יָם (yam) : sea 1) sea 1a) Mediterranean Sea 1b) Red Sea 1c) Dead Sea 1d) Sea of Galilee 1e) sea (general) 1f) mighty river (Nile) 1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court) 1h) seaward, west, westward

the Saltהַמֶּ֖לַחha-ME-lachH4417G
Salt (Sea)

מֶ֫לַח (me.lach) salt Also named: a.ra.vah (עֲרָבָה "(Sea of the )Arabah" H6160K)

they were completeתַּ֣מּוּTA-muH8552
to finish

תָּמַם (ta.mam) 1) to be complete, be finished, be at an end 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be finished, be completed 1a1a) completely, wholly, entirely (as auxiliary with verb) 1a2) to be finished, come to an end, cease 1a3) to be complete (of number) 1a4) to be consumed, be exhausted, be spent 1a5) to be finished, be consumed, be destroyed 1a6) to be complete, be sound, be unimpaired, be upright (ethically) 1a7) to complete, finish 1a8) to be completely crossed over 1b) (Niphal) to be consumed 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to finish, complete, perfect 1c2) to finish, cease doing, leave off doing 1c3) to complete, sum up, make whole …

they were cut offנִכְרָ֑תוּnikh-RA-tuH3772G
to cut: cut

כָּרַת (ka.rat) : cut/fell 1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cut off 1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead 1a2) to cut down 1a3) to hew 1a4) to cut or make a covenant 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cut off 1b2) to be cut down 1b3) to be chewed 1b4) to be cut off, fail 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be cut off 1c2) to be cut down 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cut off 1d2) to cut off, destroy 1d3) to cut down, destroy 1d4) to take away 1d5) to permit to perish 1e) (Hophal) cut off

and the peopleוְהָעָ֥םve-ha-'AMH5971A
people

עַם (am) : people/nation 1) nation, people 1a) people, nation 1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men

they passed overעָבְר֖וּ'a-ve-RUH5674A
to pass

עָבַר (a.var) 1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over 1a2) to pass beyond 1a3) to pass through, traverse 1a3a) passers-through (participle) 1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant) 1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by 1a4a) passer-by (participle) 1a4b) to be past, be over 1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance 1a6) to pass away 1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory) 1a6b) to vanish …

beforeנֶ֥גֶדNE-gedH5048
before

נֶ֫גֶד (ne.ged) subst 1) what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv 2) in front of, straight forward, before, in sight of 3) in front of oneself, straightforward 4) before your face, in your view or purpose with prep 5) what is in front of, corresponding to 6) in front of, before 7) in the sight or presence of 8) parallel to 9) over, for 10) in front, opposite 11) at a distance prep 12) from the front of, away from 13) from before the eyes of, opposite to, at a distance from 14) from before, in front of 15) as far as the front of Aramaic equivalent: ne.ged (נֶ֫גֶד "before" H5049)

Jerichoיְרִיחֽוֹ׃ye-ri-CHOH3405G
Jericho

יְרִיחוֹ (ye.ri.cho) Jericho = "its moon" a city 5 miles (8 km) west of the Jordan and 7 miles (11.5 km) north of the Dead Sea and the first city conquered by the Israelites upon entering the promised land of Canaan Also named: Hierichō (Ἱεριχώ "Jericho" G2410)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.